Henri Rene - Show Boat (1959) Vinyl LP • Soundtrack, Howard Keel, Gogi Grant

Catalog Number:

LOP-1505

Musical Styles:

1950s, Big Band & Swing, Classic Female Blues, Exotica/Lounge, Jazz Pop, Musical/Original Cast, Smooth Jazz

Sleeve Grade:

Very Good (VG)

Record Grade:

Very Good Plus (VG+)

Condition Details:

Vinyl plays with some crackles and a few light-clicks (play-graded). Cover has a few creases near edges; scuffing, discoloration (front/back); large surface abrasion near the bottom of front. Inner-sleeve is generic white. Spine is partly readable with wear and splits. Shelf-wear along top/bottom-edge and corners, with splits across bottom; top-edge has text that's partly readable. Opening is crisp with signs of light use and divots. (Not a cut-out.)

Tracks:

1. Overture
2. Make Believe
3. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
4. I Have The Room Above
5. Nobody Else But Me
6. Ol' Man River
7. You Are Love
8. Bill
9. Where's The Mate For Me
10. Why Do I Love You
11. Till Good Luck Comes My Way
12. After The Ball

About The Record:

Show Boat, by Henri Rene, released on RCA Victor, features his orchestra accompanying vocalists Howard Keel, Gogi Grant, and Anne Jeffreys in a lush, orchestral reinterpretation of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's groundbreaking 1927 musical. This original Broadway production revolutionized theater by integrating plot, music, and dance while boldly addressing racial prejudice and interracial marriage—themes that remain historically significant for their progressive stance in early 20th-century America. Recorded in both mono and stereo formats, the album showcases René's signature easy-listening space-age pop style with sweeping strings and big-band arrangements on timeless tracks like Ol' Man River, Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man, and Make Believe. While the recording received mixed reviews for its somewhat polished, elevator-music vibe, it bridges classic musical theater with post-war pop sensibilities and contributes to the enduring legacy of Show Boat adaptations. No individual singles from this album achieved major chart success as hits, though the musical's iconic songs have become perennial standards covered by countless artists.