Noel Coward At Las Vegas

 

Let's Do It

Noel Coward At Las Vegas

Recorded in actual performance at Wilbur Clark's Desert Inn

Carlton Hayes and His Orchestra

Piano Accompaniment and Arrangements by Peter Matz

Columbia Records ML 5063

1955

From the back cover: Night club reviews in the June 15, 1955, edition of Variety, the Gideon of the theatrical world, shouted as follows:

Las Vegas, Flipping, Shouts 'More!" As Noel Coward Wows'Em in Cafe Turn

The article then went on to spell out the news that Mr. Coward had "socked across his message to a glittering first-night audience of theatrical luminaries here last week (June 7th)." Hidden deep in that cascade of luminaries were tape machine and engineer, accompanied by Goddard Lieberson, who had journeyed to the Nevada mecca for the purpose of trapping and holding what was about to happen within the shiny confines of tape and recording head.

The crush of that opening night was notable, even for Las Vegas. Booking the theatrical great into Las Vegas bistros had not particularly got off; that is, the audience for culture had not turned out to be the audience for gambling, once the culture was consumed. Gilbert Millstein quoted one culture advocate as having explained: "People who come to hear lieder aren't looking to make eight the hard way!" If class was going to be brought to Nevada, it was going to have to be done by another sort of star.

And so they got Noel Coward. What could be simpler or more direct? Already a "legit legend," as Variety opined, he could step before an audience of well-heeled celebrities and idle rich, give them 'what for' as no one else could, and make'em like it.

Medley:

I'll See You Again

Dance, Little Lady

Poor Little Rich Girl

A Room With A View

Someday I'll Find You

I'll Follow My Secret Heart

If Love Were All

Play, Orchestra, Play

Uncle Harry

Loch Lomond

A Bar On The Piccola Marina

World Weary

Nina

Mad Dogs And Englishmen

Matelot 

Alice Is At It Again

A Room With A View

Let's Do It

The Party's Over Now