24bit digitally K2 remastered. Album Description
This CD is not for those seeking perfection. It will only be appreciated by those who have read and enjoyed the Biography of this remarkable eccentric woman who was able to share her joy of singing and performing for her many friends. Today we can only imagine her remarkable concerts where even the critics were kind enough to never have spoken a harsh word about her ability. Fortunately, 60 years after her death, her voice lives on forever. This CD does not contain the best voice in the world, nor does it contain the worst.
September 2, 2008 |  | "Like the swoop of some great bird..." |  |
Ah, that great diva, or to use a more au courant way of referring to her, the great FloFoJo! Listening to Mrs. Jenkins is a unique artistic experience. One should keep in mind that her concerts were more than an aural experience: the Diva, with her Margaret Dumontesque stature and bedecked in costumes of her own inimitable design, must have been every bit as prepossessing a sight as she is still, thanks to the too-few recordings we have, a salutory sensation for the ears. She was as fearless as she was incomparable: only she would have the chutzpah to tackle what must be one of the most fiendishly difficult coloratura arias in the repertory, the Queen of the Night's "Der Hoelle Rache", with such persistent panache. One feels immeasurable admiration-- and not a little pity-- for her longsuffering accompanist "Cosme McMoon", as he doggedly slows down and speeds up in the impossible task of keeping up with Mrs. Jenkins' ueber-rubato. In the notes to this album it is mentioned that in one Iberian item, where Mrs. Jenkins, in tall mantilla, threw plastic roses out in the audience... poor "McMoon" was sent scrambling out to retrieve them afterwards. Mrs. Jenkins somehow makes the word "unique" seem inadequate. Her version of "Adele's Laughing Song" reminds one of a slightly deranged cookaburra; her "Biassy" sounds like the clucking of a confused and disgruntled hen being given occasional electrical shocks. The critics of her time had a field day, writing reviews that included wonderfully ambiguous descriptions and double-entendres. "Her singing reminds one of the swoop of some great bird." A less charitable critic wrote, more directly, that her singing sounded like she was "afflicted with low, nagging backache." The amazing thing is that she is said to have thought herself a great artist. Can she really have been that oblivious? Or was she herself chuckling in her inmost heart? Whatever, we are blessed to have the recordings we do have, which been the source of so much mirth for generations, and can only wish she had committed more of her one-of-a-kind interpretations to record. This is a record to listen to with friends!
May 30, 2008I'm often enamored by music that offends the ears of others, especially in prim and proper circles. Whereas snoots writhe at the peep of a slightly off-tune rendition of "You Amuse Me" I, on the other hand, can hear the beauty in other people's trash. And so for probably the same reasons Frank Zappa claimed THE SHAGGS to be his second favourite group, Jenkins is my favourite "chanteuse". She breaths new life into already trite opera classics that have been so over done by so-called "pros" that her interpretations are welcoming; if not, then I hope at least inspiring.
But much like anything brilliant, this record is not for everyone: the mentally challenged, the elderlly, members of the Deutsche Gramophone press department, and others prone to take this kind of thing TOO seriously. It is perfect, though, for listeners with an open mind, and probably a stein of mead, too. I tested this at a cafe I worked at few years ago right at the hight of midterm exam crunch time and it went over extremely well. She's also good for clearing out parties that get out of control. If you turn off whatever it is you're playing and put this disc on, it automatically filters the riffraff from your apartment leaving the good stuff behind (it really goes from 50 keg-huffers to two). And it's also effective for getting rid of your boyfriend's homophobic-racist mother, while, due to the music's medium, also sending her a message. Not that you want to use the great Mrs. Jenkins in this way...
No matter. It says in the liner notes that Mr. Jenkins in no shape or form encouraged his wife to continue crafting her voice. But I say with a voice like this she doesn't need encouragement from anyone but the Lord she believed in himself.The Glory (????) of the Human Voice
April 20, 2008| | | The Glory (!!!!!) of the Human Spirit | |
Madame Jenkins makes me laugh and smile. I laugh out loud every time I listen to this CD, but at the same time I greatly admire her joie de vive, and her pursuit of what she wanted to do, everyone else be damned. I so wish I had the guts she had. What an absolutely wonderful lady!!!!
January 18, 2008I have a well worn copy of the LP and am very grateful to find the CD - anyone who has not had the experience of listening to this has missed on the great laughs in history.
November 25, 2007More reviews at Amazon.com ...
(59 reviews)