Jersey Boys is the original cast recording of the Broadway play that has been selling out for over a year now. Who’d have thought that a play based on the 4 Seasons would become such a hit? It’s a terrific show and the recording is a terrific souvenir of the show. It has appeal to those baby boomers who remember all the terrific songs from the 60’s, such as Dawn, Rag Doll, Let’s Hang On, December 1963, etc., etc.

Anyhow, the review of the recording, not the show. Performances are very good. If you are a fan of the 4 Seasons, you’d probably want their original recordings (interestingly, Rhino has introduced a 4 disk set in June 2007) which encompasses nearly all their recordings.)

There are some full cuts of songs of theirs; others are in a medley fashion. Also, the tempo for the songs is definitely faster than the original recordings. Orchestrations are very similar. Although the actors did a great job emulating the original group in the play, they also do a good job of doing their songs. This play is more than a “juke-box” musical in that it does have a book and a plot to it. There are snippets of dialogue in the recording which move the music along. I listened to this recording both before and after seeing the show. The dialogue for those who have not seen the show does not detract; it actually enhances and you almost get a sense of being at the show.

About 90% of the music in the recording is of 4 Seasons songs. In the beginning, we get to hear a few oldies from the early 1960’s so don’t get too disappointed if you don’t hear the big hits right away. Listed at the bottom are the songs that are sung in the show. The tracks for dialogue are also indicated, although some other numbers have a few seconds of dialogue at the beginning. John Lloyd Young as the bandıs star lead, Frankie Valli does capture the character of his voice without being a sound-alike. The music is young, perky and definitely makes you feel alive. This album can definitely bring back memories for those who remember the 60’s . Even if you aren’t from this era, you will definitely get in the groove with this music.

This album is recommended for those who enjoyed the show or wish to see the show. If you are a 4 Seasons fan and wish to get their music, I would suggest purchasing their actual CD. Nonetheless, for a show of this type, it is definitely the best, significantly superior to Movin’ Out and Mama Mia, both as a stage show and as a recording.

1. Ces Soirees la' (December 1963 sung in French!)
2. Early Years Medley
3. Cry For Me
4. Backups Medley
5. Sherry
6. Big Girls Don't Cry
7. Walk Like A Man
8. December, 1963
9. My Boyfriend's Back
10. My Eyes Adored You
11. Dawn (Go Away)
12. Big Man In Town
13. Dialog: A Little Trouble
14. Beggin'
15. Dialog: See How You Handle It
16. Medley
17. C'mon Marianne
18. Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You
19. Working My Way Back To You
20. Fallen Angel


Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Exercising