Streisand: Live In Concert (2 CD's)
There's a reason Barbra Streisand's 2006 tour broke the arena house record in every city it visited, and it's because she's not only a legend but (still) a performer who effortlessly twists intimacy and friendliness and fierceness into a perfect, sturdy braid. This two-disc set, which pulls performances from dates in New York, Washington, D.C., and Fort Lauderdale, will raise its share of goosebumps. For longtime fans, they'll be a reaction to songs Streisand hasn't touched since the '70s and earlier, including "(Have I Stayed) Too Long At the Fair?" and "Unusual Way," from the Broadway musicalNine. For relative newbies, they'll be a response to her between-song patter, which touches with grace, wit, and sincerity on everything from her love for her son to her political leanings to her limitations as songwriter. The voice, of course, enthralls--there it is glowing on "Carefully Taught," one of four songs that have never before appeared on a Streisand recording, and there it is again wrapping luxurious tones all around "Evergreen," one of three songs she shares with Il Divo. Streisand--diva, political dynamo, superstar--still knows how to orchestrate a showstopper.--Tammy La GorceMore from BarbraA Star is BornDuetsThe Broadway AlbumThe Barbra Streisand AlbumGuilty PleasuresThe Essential Barbra Streisand