The Disney Album
This is a love letter to that special pop song genre cultivated in Disney films (and in some cases, musicals). Instead of the chestnuts from Disney's classic canon,Michael Crawfordhas chosen a program of contemporary Disney creations (except for the vintage "Baby Mine" fromDumbo), but these are destined to become evergreens in their own right. For starters, the magical combination of melody, atmosphere, and gentle lyrics showcases the Disney folks' uncanny ability to patch together sensational creative teams, drawing on such diverse artists asAlan Menken,Elton John,Randy Newman, andPhil Collins. And Crawford's mellow tenor, with its hint ofPeter Paninnocence, is well suited to these expressions of joy and love, which include a memorable duet on "If I Never Knew You" (fromPocahontas) with Sherie René Scott. The production is lush and polished, but the length, a mere 40 minutes, is disappointingly skimpy.--Sarah Chin