If you’ve seen this movie, then chances are that you would have to head straight for this album that relives the magic, soon after the curtains close. The 6 Academy award winner including Best motion picture of the Year ‘Chicago’, brings out a tuneful, mature, and lyrically brilliant John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb score, with an old-time vaudeville touch which eschews sentiment and a love story. The stage performances notched over 1000 performances between New York and London, while the 1942 film version had equal success.

Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, Renee Zellwegger, Queen Latifah and John C. Reilly give out splendid performances in this musical. Though the film is equally engrossing, it’s the music in the blockbuster soundtrack that contain many treasures that makes the story riveting right from the first strains of Catherine Zeta Jones in All that Jazz to other standouts like Queen Latifah’s When you’re good to Mama! John C. Reilly in Mr. Cellophane, Richard Gere’s Razzle Dazzle and Renee Zellweger in Funny Honey, Roxie and Nowadays.

It is striking to note that these screen stars excel in another genre that is total virgin to them giving off top-notch performances and a dazzling score which is electric right through. The soundtrack boasts of a mix of great music, jaunty guitars, wild trumpets, blaring raunchy trombones, sharp violins, tuba, double bass, banjo and percussion bring to a crescendo one of the best musicals ever. The other pieces here that don’t belong in the film are the hip-hop Cell Block Tango has Lil Kim and Macy Grey chipping and Anastasia’s unimpressive Love is a Crime.

The plot dates back in the big, brassy Chicago in the late 1920s and revolves around Velma Kelly (Zeta-Jones) a well – known singer-dancer who is arrested for bumping off her sister and her husband. Roxie (Zellweger) is a star- stuck wannabe who shoots her lover and almost gets her hapless husband to take the blame (John C.Reilly). If you’ve seen the movie you will know the truth that follows. The big question is how they get out of jail and back to the stage.

If you’re seen the movie, put this album on your shopping list. Well, this is a trip down memory lane, a revision for the fogeys or a bit of reliving for those that missed the movie. A solid reflection of the movie, in music giving you a sprinkling of ‘Razzle Dazzle’ all the way. The soundtrack fares pretty well. The album is a sure hit just like the movie. Need one say more?

Rating: ****

Reviewed by Verus Ferreira