NEW YORK, NY. (Top40 Charts/ Columbia Records) -
Seven is proving to be a lucky number for
Barbra Streisand this week as her new album, "
Live In Concert 2006" becomes the 7th
Barbra Streisand album to debut in the Top 10 and enters the Billboard Top 200 best-selling albums chart at No 7 (with 60,211 units sold, according to SoundScan).
With a total of 29 Top 10 albums to her credit since 1963, Barbra Streisand has had albums reach the Top 10 (or better) in every decade since the 1960s and has the widest span (34 years) between first and latest Top 10 albums of any female recording artist. Her very first solo album, "The Barbra Streisand Album," reached No 8 in 1963 while "The Second Barbra Streisand Album" peaked at No 2 that same year. She holds the record for most Top 10 albums of any female recording artist and is No 4 overall (following the Rolling Stones with 36, Sinatra with 33 and the Beatles with 30).
Produced by Barbra Streisand and Jay Landers, "Live In Concert 2006" is a breathtaking audio celebration of the artist's historic 2006 concert tour, sequenced according to the concert set list with individual tracks culled from performances recorded at New York's Madison Square Garden (October 9 and 11); Washington DC's Verizon Center (October 13); and Fort Lauderdale, Florida's Bank Atlantic Center (October 28 and 30).
The tour, which broke the arena house record in every city on the itinerary, found Streisand branching out in new creative directions, reinterpreting some of her best-loved standards while revisiting some rarely performed musical treasures from her celebrated back-catalog. "Live In Concert 2006" includes songs the artist had rarely, if ever, performed live including "Unusual Way" (from the Broadway musical, "Nine") and such evergreens as "(Have I Stayed) Too Long At The Fair?," "Starting Here, Starting Now," and "Funny Girl."
Fifteen of the album's songs have never appeared previously on one of the artist's live albums with four of those - "Carefully Taught," "Unusual Way," "A Cockeyed Optimist," and "My Shining Hour" - making their appearance on "Live In Concert 2006" for the very first time on any Barbra Streisand recording.
"Live In Concert 2006" also debuts recordings of Streisand performing duet versions of "Evergreen," "The Music of the Night" and "Somewhere" with the multi-platinum-selling pop-operatic quartet Il Divo, who shared the stage as her special musical guests.
The nation's press corps was virtually unanimous in its praise for Streisand's "Live in Concert 2006" tour:
"By the time she offered her encore with the rousing 'Don't Rain On My Parade,' it was clear that Streisand hadn't stayed too long, she hadn't stayed long enough." - Nekesa Mumbi Moody, ASSOCIATED PRESS
"She's an icon. It's kind of like the Super Bowl of concerts." - Ray Waddell, BILLBOARD
"The crowd doted on Streisand's every word, delivering standing ovations on an average of every other song ... ." - Elysa Gardner, USA TODAY
"Barbra, like the very air we breathe, is essential. She is, to quote one of her hits, evergreen." - Karen Heller, PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
"Her singing.. glows with a tone so luxurious and a texture so rich, you nearly want to burst into song yourself." - Jim Farber, NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
"The audience shouted accolades and gave her standing ovations throughout the evening. They called her back for two encores." - Libby Copeland, WASHINGTON POST
"She was in spectacular voice, launching her final notes like arrows high into the air, arrows that soared to the heavens and never fell to earth." - Richard Ouzounian, TORONTO STAR
"It was a sight and a sound to behold." - Joan Anderman, BOSTON GLOBE
"When she asked, in a very old song, '(Have I Stayed) Too Long At The Fair?,' the only suitable reply could be: Stay as long as you wish, Barbra." - Howard Cohen, MIAMI HERALD
"Once or twice a generation, there comes a personality that just fills the room. Sinatra was like that. So was Elvis, and so is Barbra Streisand." - Dave Tianen, JOURNAL SENTINEL
"One of the most impressive things about Streisand is her ability to come across as both the greatest superstar in the world and the girl next door." - Jim Harrington, SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS
"The blend of intimacy and showiness in Streisand's voice turns her performances into portraits of the heart and mind in self-discovery...she was simply amazing ... Viva la Diva!" - Ann Powers, LOS ANGELES TIMES
"She's still the greatest star! She is, by far!" - Liz Smith, NEW YORK POST
"An event that suggested a one-woman Super Bowl. There were many magnificent moments." - Stephen Holden, NEW YORK TIMES
"Color it Barbra ... Ms. Streisand's diva offering at Madison Square Garden on Monday night was an occasion to savor ... . And the way she was was perfect." - Clive Barnes, NEW YORK POST
"Streisand is an American treasure ... the last of America's regal performers, a must-see." - Dave Hoekstra, CHICAGO SUN TIMES
Barbra Streisand launched her 2006 tour as a way to raise money and awareness for causes supported by The Streisand Foundation. Since its inception in 1986, The Streisand Foundation has made significant grants exceeding $16,000,000 in addition to $15,000,000 the artist has raised for charities through appearances and performances. Adding to this, more than $11 million dollars raised during her 2006 tour has been directed to The Streisand Foundation for distribution to agencies addressing such urgencies as environmental preservation, voter education, the protection of civil liberties and civil rights, women's issues, and nuclear disarmament.
According to the RIAA, Barbra Streisand is the No 1 best selling female recording artist in history and the only woman to make the Top 10 all time best selling artists list, which includes Elvis Presley and The Beatles. Over the course of her career, Streisand has recorded 50 gold, 30 platinum and 13 multi-platinum albums. An artist of unparalleled accomplishments in multiple entertainment fields, Streisand has made her mark as an award winning actress of stage and screen, recording artist, concert performer, movie producer, film director, screenwriter and songwriter. Having earned two Oscars (Best Actress and Best Song), four Emmys, ten Golden Globes, eight Grammys, a special Tony Award (in 1970 as "Star of the Decade"), and two Cable Ace awards, she is the only performer to hold honors from all of those institutions. In addition, Streisand is a recipient of the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award, the National Endowment for the Arts National Medal of Arts, the prestigious Peabody Award, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Barbra Streisand - Live In Concert 2006 track listing
Act I
1. Funny Girl Broadway Overture
2. Starting Here, Starting Now
3. Opening Remarks
4. Down With Love
5. The Way We Were
6. Songwriting (dialogue)
7. Ma Premiere Chanson
8. Evergreen (with Il Divo)
9. Come Rain Or Come Shine
10. Funny Girl (dialogue)
11. Funny Girl
12. The Music That Makes Me Dance
13. My Man
14. People (dialogue)
15. People
Act II
1. Entr'acte
2. The Music Of The Night (with Il Divo)
3. Jason's Theme
4. Carefully Taught/Children Will Listen
5. Unusual Way
6. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life
7. Happy Days Are Here Again
8. (Have I Stayed) Too Long At The Fair?
9. William Saroyan (dialogue)
10. The Time Of Your Life
11. A Cockeyed Optimist
12. Somewhere (dialogue)
13. Somewhere (with Il Divo)
14. My Shining Hour
15. Don't Rain On My Parade (reprise)
16. Smile
Produced by: Barbra Streisand & Jay Landers
Arranged & Conducted by: William Ross
Recorded & Mixed by: David Reitzas
