Christopher Gould - Glorious Quest: Hits from the Golden Age of Broadway Musicals (2017)

Glorious Quest is this debut album from British baritone Rodney Earl Clarke. Hit after hit, we are invited to experience the Golden Age of the American Musical Theatre focussing on the composers that solidified the modern story-driven, integrated art genre that we now enjoy. The album flows seamlessly as Clarke shows off his versatility as a singer starting the album with Rogers and Hammerstein’s Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’, then taking us on a journey featuring all-time favourites like If I Loved You, Some Enchanted Evening and finishing with two of the most well-known powerhouse musical theatre anthems of all time: You'll Never Walk Alone from Carousel and The Impossible Dream from Man of La Mancha. The album is inspirational and uplifting, as Clarke brings us back to the simplicity of the music, staying true to their original musical theatre roots. He is joined by the wonderful and experienced pianist Christopher Gould, and together they produce an album that will lift the spirits of all music lovers.

Reviews
The songs are performed throughout in an excellent style … always in fine vocal form … When a greatly gifted singer lends their artistry to such vocally-rewarding music as this, the result is a disc of much pleasure – which is what, surely, it was intended to be – and when partnered by the excellent Christopher Gould, one can only urge the disc’s acquisition. Comprehensively recommended.

Tracklist:
01. Rodney Earl Clarke - Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin' (From "Oklahoma!")
02. Rodney Earl Clarke - If I Loved You (From "Carousel")
03. Rodney Earl Clarke - Soliloquy (From "Carousel")
04. Rodney Earl Clarke - You'll Never Walk Alone (From "Carousel")
05. Rodney Earl Clarke - Love Walked In (From "The Goldwyn Follies")
06. Rodney Earl Clarke - Just Another Rhumba (From "The Goldwyn Follies")
07. Rodney Earl Clarke - Younger Than Springtime (From "South Pacific")
08. Rodney Earl Clarke - Some Enchanted Evening (From "South Pacific")
09. Rodney Earl Clarke - This Nearly Was Mine (From "South Pacific")
10. Rodney Earl Clarke - Joey, Joey, Joey (From "The Most Happy Fella")
11. Rodney Earl Clarke - Come Home (From "Allegro")
12. Rodney Earl Clarke - Ol' Man River (From "Showboat")
13. Rodney Earl Clarke - Lonely Town (From "On the Town")
14. Rodney Earl Clarke - The Impossible Dream (From "Man of La Mancha")