| The Confidence Man |  | Artists: Jim Steinman (composer), Ray Errol Fox (lyricist), Bobby Blume, Yancey Arias, Bruce Yeko, Jeff Olmsted, George Costacos Best, Norbert Leo Butz, Tom Christensen, Rayme Cornell, Jean Fox, Lauren Fox, Shani Glance, Andre De Shield, Mark Nadler, Terry Waldo, Julia Murney, Jamison Stern, Eric Michael Gillett, Thomas Stamet, Lachanze, Garrett Long, Chuck Cooper, Andrea Marcovicci, K.t. Sullivan
Label: Original Cast Record
Category: Music
List Price: $19.98
Buy New: $16.99
You Save: $2.99 (15%)
New (4) Used (1) from $10.99
Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 108118
Format: Cast Recording
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
UPC: 741117605824
EAN: 0741117605824
ASIN: B0000WN1YA
Release Date: December 9, 2003
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 1 to 2 months
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| Tracks:
| • | New Orleans Is Comin' to Me | | • | Pitch Penny | | • | Such Heaps of Fine Friends | | • | Edging Into Darkness | | • | Methinks | | • | Confidence | | • | Nocturnally Yours | | • | Pain Humbles | | • | A Maiden is Only as Maiden As She Feels | | • | Give Us This Day Our Daily Flesh - Fox, Ray Errol | | • | Sanctimonious Sambo | | • | Milady | | • | A Soft-Handed Gentleman (It's Your Life) | | • | Something of This Masquerade May Follow / Reprise: New Orleans Is Comin' to Me |
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| Customer Reviews:
 Generally wonderful songs (lyrics and music) though lacking a cohesive narrative August 22, 2007
The Confidence Man is "loosely" based on Herman Melville's novel of the same name. According to the lyricist, Ray Errol Fox, the story begins on April 1, 1861. Passengers board a Mississippi River steamer bound for New Orleans. Among the passengers is the title character who over the course of the journey will disguise himself variously (e.g. Healman, Whiteman, Black Guinea, Helpman, etc.). The story explores trust or confidence in a satirical fashion (ironically aboard the steamer "Fidele"). What is a con to do when he is bested at his own game?
Though I do have one complaint (mentioned below), I thoroughly enjoyed The Confidence Man. The music is wonderfully authentic to an earlier time and a specific place. The music alone conjures visions of a Mississippi steamer floating through St. Louis (pronounced "Lou-ee", mind you) or New Orleans a century or more ago. The vocalists are quite talented. There are uptempo rags, hauntingly beautiful ballads (note the ending of Edging Into Darkness which is reminiscent of Making Love Out of Nothing at All), humorous and sassy songs, and catchy melodies all around. Crediting the lyricist, the songs have a wonderful literary quality. In fairness, a few of the songs do little for me, but even in these I see appreciable qualities (for instance, though Milady is beautiful, it also sounds dated to me; though Give Us This Day Our Daily Flesh is not as pleasing musically as others, it is the most dramatic song).
A couple warnings may be in order, however. If because this recording features music by Jim Steinman you are expecting the operatic rock for which he is most notorious (e.g. Meatloaf), you will be in for a surprise. Though diverse genres are represented, expect to find more in common with the musicals Ragtime or Chicago than Bat Out of Hell. That is not a bad thing unless you purchased this wanting a Bonnie Tyler or Meatloaf album.
Additionally (and my primary complaint), if you are expecting a fully realized story told through song, you will also be disappointed. Though you will certainly pick up elements of the characters and the story within the songs, the plot is not apparent. This album could easily pass for a compilation of unrelated songs instead of a musical.
Compounding the difficulty of grasping any narrative structure or plot is the fact that the roles were not cast, the songs were. In other words, vocalists were assembled to record specific songs; no one was assigned a particular role. So if the Confidence Man sings five different songs, hypothetically there could be five different artists portraying him.
That said, read the synopsis by Ray Fox (and the Melville book as well?). Enough context is provided to enhance your enjoyment of the music if not to fully comprehend how it all pieces together. This is definitely a quality recording.
great work from Jim Steinman June 15, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Jim Steinman, known for his operatic-style rock music (Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler, etc.) has shown a more classic style of him in this one-of-a-kind musical. He takes several styles from the Civil War era and twists them with modern musical treatments.
You can hear many bits and pieces of music used in this album that Steinman uses much later in some of his rock songs, such as the intro to Making Love Out of Nothing at All, chorale phrases from The Future Ain't What it Used to Be and many others.
If you are a Steinman fan, this is a must!! Ray Earl Fox does a great job with the lyrics and they compliment the music to a tee.
Loved it so much I got the rights! May 25, 2004
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
Upon hearing this musical I loved it so much I went out and got the rights to direct it onstage this October in Cincinnati! I was always a fan of Jim Steinman's music, but I now also have a great respect for the lyrics of Ray Fox. Fox is a wordsmith much in the tradition of Stephen Sondheim, with intricate wordplay and quick patter. I would suspect that it was his early work with Fox on this project that led Steinman himself into developing into a world class, phrase twisting. lyricist himself. And of course you have Steinman's great ear for melody, but with a much different feel than his Rock music. A great lost treasure of American theater (come see it in October!)
The Confidence Man April 2, 2004
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
One of the undiscovered classics of the century. I hope to produce the first Australian production in November 2005. This show has a long and winding history, but I'll leave all that to the liner notes. Ray Errol Fox is one of the greatest lyricists of all time. I have never seen another talent like him - expect for Rupert Holmes - and these are the men I hold among my chief inspiration. Jim Steinman, the composer, whom many of you will remember from Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell has actually re-used many of these tunes in his subsequent projects. If you want the original version of his closing song from Pandora's Box, listen to Track One. "Milady" and "Something of this Masquerade may Follow" were re-used for TANZ DER VAMPIRE. Thank God this was finally released. It's a beautiful, heroic and courageous, discovered-at-last masterpiece of American musical theater.
The Confidence Man March 7, 2004
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
When a friend gave me "The Confidence Man" as a Christmas gift, he advised me that I would be in for a treat. I was somewhat skeptical since I had never heard of it, but since it was based on a Herman Melville novel, I was intrigued. And it had music by Jim Steinman. I liked the story, of course, and the music, but it was the lyrics (by Ray Eroll Fox) that captivated me. They are witty, literate and consistently surprising. I find something new to admire every time I listen. Anyone into American musical theater shouldn't be without this one!
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