The word ‘cabaret’ has been used to cover a wide range, but in France and Germany from the late nineteenth century to the mid-1930s, it referred to newly established venues such as café theatres which specialised in political satire. These attracted the attention of leading composers of the day keen to write music for the genre. This recording, which was runner-up in the Solo Recital category of the Gramophone Awards in 1988, is a selection of such songs.

‘Jill Gomez’s recording of Cabaret Classics is so unexpected in its beauty and point, I chose it for my top 10, a winning collection of Weill, Zemlinsky, Satie and – believe it or not – Schoenberg letting his hair down.’

Edward Greenfield, The Guardian

‘Draw the curtains and dim the lights. The talented Miss Gomez does not trifle with these songs of the night. Her characterisation, her feeling for and sensitivity to word-colour is spot on, smoky, sour, edgy, sexy, insinuating – you name it’.

Hi-Fi News

‘Jill Gomez’s unforgettable disc of ‘Cabaret Classics’. Nobody before her has brought quite such seriousness of purpose allied to such an appropriate voice to the songs in this field.’

Alan Blythe, ‘Critics’ Choice’, Gramophone