Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Overture
2. Heaven On Their Minds
3. What's The Buzz? / Strange Thing, Mystifying
4. Everything's Alright
5. This Jesus Must Die
6. Hosanna
7. Simon Zealotes / Poor Jerusalem
8. Pilate's Dream
9. The Temple
10. Everything's Alright (reprise)
11. I Don't Know How To Love Him
12. Damned For All Time / Blood Money

Disc 2:

1. The Last Supper
2. Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say)
3. The Arrest
4. Peter's Denial
5. Pilate And Christ
6. King Herod's Song
7. Could We Start Again, Please?
8. Judas' Death
9. Trial Before Pilate (Including The 39 lashes)
10. Superstar
11. Crucifixion
12. John Nineteen: Forty-One

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #78829 in Music
• Released on: 2006-05-23
• Number of discs: 2
• Formats: Original recording remastered, Soundtrack

Amazon.com
Jesus Christ has been very good to Andrew Lloyd Webber. Indeed, the Rock of Ages inspired one of the greatest stories ever sold and launched composer Lloyd Webber to musical theater superstardom; lyricist Tim Rice hasn't done too bad for himself, either. This Lloyd Webber-supervised "definitive" recording (undertaken in London in 1996) was finally released in America to coincide with the show's 2000 American revival on Broadway. Though oft touted by its creators as the first rock opera (a claim that might raise the hackles of fans of Pete Townshend's and the Who's Tommy), Lloyd Webber's "rock" sensibilities often had a decided Brill Building bent that's dated about as well as Don Kirshner's leisure suits. Perhaps not surprisingly, this Superstar redux leans more on the over-the-top operatics that characterize the composer's mega-hit Phantom of the Opera than its original cast album and soundtrack album roots. While rocker-for-hire Alice Cooper takes a refreshing, if familiar, vaudevillian turn on "King Herod's Song," much of the remaining music has been rendered notably Big and Serious--just the sort of thunderous, orchestral pomp that has gained Lloyd Webber a worldwide following and a knighthood. --Jerry McCulley

Album Details
2005 Digitally Remastered (At Abbey Road Studios) Deluxe Edition of the Critically Acclaimed London 1996 Cast.

Customer Reviews

Not the original album
What I was looking for when I bought the CD was the remastered copy of the original album, the one that was played in coffeehouses all over the U.S. in the 70's. I still have the vinyl but it is too scratched to be a good candidate for ripping to the computer. This CD was not the same people, same notes, etc. I'm looking for a very specific recording and have thus far not been able to find it. I returned the CD after discovering that it was not at all what I wanted.

Oh, Mary!
This would undoubtedly be a five-star product were it not for one tiny little detail - that most unrewarding of female supporting leads, Mary Magdalene. True, Joanna Ampil does have a very pretty voice.

But could she possibly be more British?

Seriously. Her diction is crisp and impeccable, at the cost of emotion and nuance. Her Mary Magdalene sounds more suited to exhorting the value of a spoonful of sugar before medicine. It throws off the balance between the male leads and the only female presence in the show, and ruins some of the best songs in the whole show ("I Don't Know How To Love Him" is almost laughable, a perky mess of a rendition).

This imbalance is only exacerbated by the reason for the four-star rating - the two leads. Simply put, they're perfect. Steve Balsamo is possibly the best Jesus on record, his gorgeous, clear, unbelievably powerful tenor voice lending a whole new dimension to the character (generally he's played by a more "rock"-voiced actor, as is Judas). He absolutely blasts his songs out of the park, too - this "Gethsemane" has to be heard to be believed, and his reprimand of the sinners in "The Temple" is sung in FULL CHEST VOICE to insane effect. Zubin Varla is more than his equal as Judas, with just the right blend of pathos and power. And he doesn't have half-bad pipes, either - listen to his soaring high notes in "Heaven on their Minds" or "Superstar".

Alice Cooper (Yes, that Alice Cooper) has way too much fun with Herod, David Burt is excellent and sympathetic as Pilate, and Glenn Carter, who would go on to play Jesus in the 2001 Broadway revival, is a suitably impassioned Simon Zealotes. The orchestra sounds a little muted, but play with vigor.

So, if you're only into Jesus for Mary, don't bother. But if you feel like revisiting Sir Lloyd Webber's best score and enjoying the performances of the lead men, this set is definitely worth the money.

JCS Remastered Abbey Roads May 2006 Review
This is the newly re-released and Remastered Edition of the West End 1996 Production of JCS Starring Steve Balasmo, Joanna Ampil and Zubin Varla. First I have to comment on the new packaging. 2cd in a slim case with slip cover and new lyric book. The best thing about the new release is the colored photos from the production! I was actually under the impression that this was the production that inspired the new movie "RENT/PUNK" style version, but judging from the pictures it's anything but that! The pictures are set in the time of Christ's crucifixion. You get a glimpse of the amazing sets and costumes. Joanna Ampil's a beautiful Mary and Steve and Zubin look great as Jesus and Judas. If you're interested in the new release the must have the "Digitally Remastered at Abbey Roads Studios London Deluxe Edition" black sticker on it!

I have the Original Concept CD, Broadway CD with , Australian 1994 CD and 25th Anniversary CD (which is pretty much a joke). This is my favorite version all together. The orchestrations have been slightly changed and updated, including a final ending to "Heaven on their Minds," "Everything's Alright" and "Gethsemene" which finally seems to get some closure instead of the annoying fade outs on the previous CDs. THERE AREN'T ANY FADE OUTS IN LIVE PERFORMANCES!

Steve Balasmo tackels the title role of Jesus with fierce intensity. "Gethsemane" is literally the showstopper when he raises his key much higher when he gets to "See how I DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEE!" He holds it for, including starting with "See how I die" for 24 seconds. Another reviewer said it was a G above High C. Simply and utterly amazing. But Steve's voice is an aquired taste in the role of Jesus. In comparing him to Ted Neeley, Steve has a soft beautiful Tenor quality while Ted's is hard and sharp at the edge's. Ted screams his way through "Gethsemene" and it's amazing, but Steve's rendition is done with more of a pop-rock sound that is easier on the throat than all the screaming Ted and the other Jesus's do. All versions are amazing, but I prefer this one over all. (For all you Steve Balasmo fans out there you can catch him on the cast recording of "Notre Dame De Paris." He plays Phoebus and sings the amazing "Torn Apart")

Zubin Varla is a great Judas, much stronger than Jerome Pradon, but is no Carl Anderson or Ben Vereen. Although I like Jerome's acting all we have is Zubin's voice to go by and I prefer listening to Zubin. His "Heaven on their Minds" is near perfect with amazing Orchestral sounds and vocal riffs. His acting is superb too. Carl and Ben sing more souful and Zubin has more of the edgy rock sound. All are great.

Joanna Ampil (of "Miss Saigon" fame, you can hear her as Kim on the "Complete Recording of Miss Saigon, 2CD) is a little weak, timid, and shy to portray the role of the prostitute Mary Magdeline. Original Yvonne Elliman seemed to capture every essence of the character. Claire Moore, original Ellen of Miss Saigon does a fine job of Mary on the 20th Annv CD, but Joanna's voice is beautiful and soothing, but sounds too technically clean. This is a Rock Opera so I need a little more umpf. I needed her to let loose some more in the repeating finale of "Everything's Alright". Although she's not bad at all, but seems to get lost among the belters.

Glenn Carter is Simon on this CD, you might all know him as Jesus in the new DVD vesion of Jesus Christ Superstar that was released a few years back. HE does well as Simon, belting all those notes out. David Burt is a good follow up as Pilate since Barry Denon played the part 3 times in the 70s. "Could We Start Again Please" is hauntingly beatiful. The rest of the cast does the CD justice.
Overall I would say this is the best recording. There are some performers here and there that are better on other recordings, but it's impossible to have the ultra perfect cast, for that you would have to create a mix tape.

Also on Remastered Re-Release
Joseph London Cast
Aspects of Love (Brilliant Re-Release)
Sunset Blvd (Glenn Close)
Cats London
Cats Broadway
Song and Dance London
Starlight Express