Judy

When we watch The Wizard of Oz, it's easy to get nostalgic about Judy Garland. And, amid her legacy, the tales of her weaknesses, and the Technicolor memories that only can time can bring, we tend to forget what actually made Judy so great. Here's what made her so great: a repertoire that spans genres, from jazz to show tunes to "Old Man River"; her cool vocals on "Come Rain or Come Shine"; and the clarity of her voice on "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart." Judy has all this (and a lot more), including the traces of Garland's downfall (a live rendition of "Somewhere over the Rainbow" recorded months before her death is particularly tragic), a video with truly classic footage from her early-'60s television show, several recordings that have never seen the light of CD, and essays by Will Friedwald and Camille Paglia. The TV show provides the source material for much of the latter two CDs--it's interesting and rare stuff and also our chance to hear Judy perform with Bobby Darin, Barbra Streisand, and even Count Basie. For fans of Judy, this collection is a knockout. --Jason Verlinde