Melinda and Melinda
Woody Allen fans will be in well-charted territory with the soundtrack toMelinda and Melinda. He takes "the A Train" into the familiar world of horribly dysfunctional couples with impeccable decorating taste and never looks back. The CD includes not only several Duke Ellington classics, but New Yorky standards ("Don’t Get Around Much Anymore") from long-time collaborator Dick Hyman (Bullets Over Broadway,Everyone Says I Love You). There are also some classical works that are well-suited to the tragic versionof this two-storyline movie, in which the title character is romanced by a caddish composer of serious music. In the film, Allen pays lip service to the beauty of classical music, but the heart of this collection is old jazz and in the end it functions like a more sophisticated version of theWhen Harry Met Sallysoundtrack. This music is the perfect backdrop to readingThe New Yorkeror serving sea bass to six of your closest friends from the co-op board.--Leah Weathersby