In the CD, Cook does just that to the late Wally Harper, her longtime musical director who passed away on October 8th, 2004, and to cabaret king Bobby Short, who expired on March 21st, 2005. Composers Harold Arlen and Arthur Schwartz also receive Cook's homage on the CD, with the songs of both featured; the tracks will most likely include "I Got the World on a String," "Hurry, It's Lovely Up Here" (On a Clear Day...), "Out of
This World" (Out of This World), "Last Night When We Were Young," "The World Must Be Bigger
Than an Avenue," "I Never Knew That Men Cried," "Another Mr. Right
Left," "Nashville Nightingale," "Mr. Bojangles," "I'm Like a New
Broom," "I'll Buy You a Star," "Make the Man Love Me," (the last 3 fromSchwartz' A Tree Grows in Brooklyn), "Sing Medley"
and "Smile."The album will be produced by Hugh Fordin, with arrangements Michael Kosarin and orchestrations by Danny Troub. Featuring a 20-piece orchestra, Tribute was recorded at Avitar Studios.
Cook, who made her Broadway debut as the leading lady of 1951's Flahooley, received a Best Featured Actress in a Musical Tony Award for her portrayal of Marian Paroo in the original production of The Music Man. She also originated the roles of Cunegonde in Candide and Amalia Balash in She Loves Me. Other Broadway credits include Plain and Fancy, The Gay Life, Any Wednesday and The Grass Harp.In the last few decades, Cook has increasingly turned to the worlds of concert and cabaret. Her one-woman show Mostly Sondheim was nominated for a Best Special Theatrical Event Tony in 2002, and she has also starred in Barbara Cook's Broadway (available on DRG along with Mostly Sondheim) and Barbara Cook: A Concert for the Theatre. Her many albums include Count Your Blessings, It's Better with a Band, Oscar Winners: The Lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein II, Close as Pages in a Book and The Champion Season: Live at the Cafe Carlyle.
