BWW CD Reviews: Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy's MARRIAGE TYPE LOVE is Sweet Nostalgia

Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy, both veterans of stage and screen, stepped into RCA Victor's Studio A on September 17 and 18, 1959 to record their concept album MARRIAGE TYPE LOVE in celebration of their third anniversary. Yet, for some reason the album was never released. Now, Masterworks Broadway has unearthed the master tapes and released the long anticipated album after almost 55 years. Fans of the celebrated duo and new listeners alike can now enjoy the romantically schmaltzy and sweetly jazzy album for years to come.

Marty Gold and his orchestra provide soft and plush backgrounds for the couples heartfelt crooning. Each track is filled with lush strings, lovely woodwinds, and charmingly played brass instruments. Each note from the orchestra sparkles with the sounds of appealing love from Hollywood's and Broadway's golden eras.

Vocally, Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy sing with tangible love for one another. The track listing is a heartwarming collection of Broadway and Hollywood standards, reminding audiences of an era when producers proudly asserted that their hit songs came from such a cherished lineage. For me, standouts on the disc include Shirley Jones' sweet rendition of the cloy "It's So Nice to Have a Man Around the House," the couples' beguiling duet on "Love and Marriage" from the 1955 TV musical Our Town (an episode of Producers' Showcase), their syrupy duet on "My Darling, My Darling" from WHERE'S CHARLEY (a musical adaption of CHARLEY'S AUNT), and Jack Cassidy's expertly crooned version of "I Married an Angel" from I MARRIED AN ANGEL.

For those of my generation, this seems like a bygone past; however, for our parents, these days seem like only yesterday, and that is one place this album finds a dual appeal. Listening to the album, I get caught up in the sappy nostalgia of an era that I never experienced. Yet, I'm sure many will turn to this album and be reminded of their favorite memories from their own childhoods. Then, for both generations, we're hearing the material for the first time and able to celebrate and appreciate the artistry captured on the disc together with our differing points of view.

Masterworks Broadway first released Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy's MARRIAGE TYPE LOVE on April 15, 2014. Physical copies of the album can be purchased exclusively from Masterworks Broadway's Official Music Store and ArkivMusic. Digital copies can be purchased from Amazon.

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