Tarzan Lies Down On Broadway: The Cast-CD

Who better than Phil?

As they grow older, musicians in general tend to record fewer solo records and get increasingly involved in so-called “interesting projects”. Peter Gabriel is a grandmaster of that art. After various soundtracks he released a solo album OVO in 2000 on which, though it had his name on the cover, he hardly sang a note. Phil Collins on the other hand was a jack-of-all-trades, and the reason he’d put out only one solo album every four years was of course that in between he’d be working on releasing another album with Genesis. After he quit the band, he suddenly found he had lots of free time to spend on “interesting projects”. Big Band, Tarzan soundtrack, Big Band again, Queen Jubilee concert, Little Dreams Foundation, Testify solo album, Brother Bear soundtrack, First Final Farewell tour and so forth. Some of it was brilliant, some was interesting and other things rather superfluous. For quite some time now Phil has been working on the Broadway musical version of Tarzan. Though the music was based on his very respectable Disney soundtrack, there were still new songs to be written.
This, then, is Phil’s OVO project, as it were. After all, one can hardly imagine Phil swing across the musical stage on a liana while he’s singing these songs. In the recent past he would play the sold out Madison Square Garden just around the corner. In the more distant past he performed a complex Genesis show conceived of by Peter Gabriel that he, Phil, admits to not having understood until very recently. Things are getting easier for him. It’s not the lamb. Tarzan lies down on Broadway. Interesting ?

Now, if you were looking for a pure Phil Collins album, you are in for a disappointment though Phil did write all the songs and the lyrics for Tarzan. But it is a “Cast CD” which means that the songs are performed by the musicians, actors and vocalists of the musical cast. Phil said that he had thought about releasing his own Tarzan Broadway album but that he had decided against it. The Broadway project, he explained, was first and foremost a musical and so he decided to step into the background in the interest of the actors and musicians. He has written nine new songs and all four of his old Tarzan songs were included – plus the merry percussion-noise number Trashing The Camp (thankfully minus N’Sync). The musical concept for the show is Phil’s. He wanted to make sure that his songs do not get dumped just because some “musical director” decided that things had to be done another way. That is why Phil spent a lot of time in New York getting very involved with the project. The CD presents eighteen songs from both acts of the musical. And because Phil will be Phil track 19 is the Collins version of Everything That I Am. Four songs are repeated in the course of the musical. Two Worlds in particular surfaces all over the musical (as it did in the movie). You’ll Be In My Heart and two new songs, Who Better Than Me and Sure As Sun Turns To Moon are reprised in the second act.

The vocalists on the Cast CD (and, of course, the musical) are professional musical performers with lots of experience, albeit with very different CVs. Let’s look at the individuals:

Josh Strickland (Tarzan)
He already toured the USA with the production of Rent before Tarzan. He also appeared on the American Pop Idol version and performed with Shania Twain and jazz musician Kevin Mahogany. Strickland’s voice can be heard on tracks 1, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18.

Daniel Manche & Alex Rutherford (junger Tarzan)
The spot of young Tarzan is taken up by the talented young actors Daniel Manche and Alex Rutherford. Both can be heard on the Cast CD. Manche sings on track 3 while Rutherford, who is not related to Mike, sings on tracks 5 and 15.

Jenn Gambatese (Jane)
Jenn has performed in several Broadway and Off Broadway productions including Fame. She can also be seen in Robert de Niro’s new movie The Good Shepherd. Jenn Gambatese plays Jane and sings on songs 8, 9, 11, 12, 13 and 18.

Merle Dandridge (Kala)
Kala was a character that already received lots of praise in the movie. On the musical stage the role is played by Merle Dandridge. She has already played on Broadway in Rent, Aida and Jesus Christ Superstar. Merle also has her own homepage. She can be heard on tracks 2, 4, 7, 16 and 17.

Shuler Hensley (Kerchak)
The head of the gorilla family is played by grandmaster Shuler Hensley, who already has his own Tony (the Broadway Oscar, as it were). He played in Les Miserables (Broadway) and Phantom Of The Opera (Hamburg). He also starred in major Hollywood productions such as The Legend Of Zorro and Van Helsing. Shuler has his own homepage. He sings on tracks 4 and 7.

Chester Gregory II (Terk)
Chester plays the role of Tarzan’s best friend Terk. He previously played in the Broadway success Hairspray and even sang in Michael Jackson’s band. Chester has also produced a solo CD titled High Love. See his homepage for further information. Chester sings on tracks 3, 6, 10 and 14.

Timothy Jerome (Professor Porter)
The role of gawkish Professor Porter is played by Timothy Jerome. He previously starred in Phantom Of The Opera, Cats and Beauty And The Beast (both on Broadway). He also is the founding president of the National Music Theatre Network. He can be heard on track 11.

Donnie Keshawarz (Clayton)
The Bad Guy is played by Donnie Keshawarz who played in Taboo and numerous off-Broadway productions. He has had a number of appearances in the tv series Lost, 24 and Sex And The City. He does not sing any lead vocals on the Tarzan Cast CD.

Still beardless: Phil, Tarzan, Jane (photo courtesy of broadway.com)

Many of the songs are easily identified as Phil’s. The four songs that were released as singles in 1999 and 2000 after they had been featured in the movie sound a bit strange at first. That is, of course, because the songs were re-recorded with different vocalist – and the music is played by the show ensemble, namely:

Horace V. Rodgers – vocals on Son Of Man
Ethan Popp - keyboard
Jim Abbott - keyboard
Martyn Axe - keyboard
Roger Squitero - drums, percussions
Javier Diaz - drums, percussion
Hugh Mason - bass
JJ McGeehan – guitars
and many other musicians in both ensemble and orchestra .

Who Better Than Me is the first new song we get to hear. It has a merry beat and a catchy Collins tune, but it somehow resembles the typical Collins up-tempo song a la Two Hearts. No Other Way is about the dilemma Kerchak is in because of Tarzan; it is sung as a kind of discussion between him an Kala which makes No Other Way more typical for a musical than Who Better Than Me. A similar structure is employed in Like No Man I’ve Ever Seen, a dialogue between professor Porter and Jane we already know from the film. As Sure As Sun Turns To Moon (Kala and Kerchak again) also fits that description. All songs come with tasteful arrangements and one has to say that the lyrics are excellent and as good as they come. The part of Young Tarzan is sung very well by the young talents of Rutherford and Manche, but not all the songs are performed in the most convincing manner. There is more to explore from the Tarzan character. One has to admit on the other hand that powerful Collins versions like Son Of Man and Strangers Like Me can hardly be adapted to the requirements of a musical. This task is much easier for the fun drumming on Thrashin’ The Camp, an instrumental of sorts that draws on the film version and is a big highlight in the musical.

And then there is the bonus track, a sort of bow to the cast. Phil Bows On Broadway. Everything That I Am is not necessarily the best piece of the musical. It comes in less than spectacular version, i.e. as a pure pop ballad. There may be more exciting ways to end such a CD, but the Phil Collins aficionado will be happy about a new song performed by Phil himself. Who Better Than Me might have been the better choice. Still – this was a musical Phil had to write. Back in the 90s, he had spent a lot of time on the cartoon version and he eventually managed to keep control over the musical rendition of the Broadway version. Other colleagues of Phil’s like Billy Joel and Elton John have been involved much longer with musicals, and Queen in particular are really cashing in with their rock musical. Phil, however, just wanted to do this Broadway prodcution. It is not an album for fans of Face Value, the early Genesis records or the Phil Collins Big Band. It is a concept album that had to live up to the requirements of a Broadway musical. That may not be to everyone’ liking and it may also be not too spectacular at times, but it certainly is well done.
For a final judgement one would have to see the show (read a review here). But be aware that you won’t see Phil play there. He will be probably and hopefully busy with four other musicians and another Broadway story he has not understood for so long. Waiting For This Moment ...

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Musicals are not our daily business, and that is why we wanted to hear a second opinion. Follow this link to read a guest review by Maik Frömmrich, an editor with the website musicalzentrale.de.

Useful Links:

Cast-CD Guest Review by Maik Frömmrich (German Musicalzentrale Website)
Official Phil Collins Website
Tarzan On Broadway Website
Excerpts from the Musical (Video)
Discuss the Cast CD and Tarzan Musical in our international FORUMS