Album Review: ACT ONE – Janet Axelrod’s Flute Takes Center Stage
Janet Axelrod enjoys a multifaceted career as a professional flutist, solo and collaborative artist, educator, entrepreneur, and cultural ambassador. Janet was solo flute and piccolo for the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra for over 20 years and currently performs on Broadway.
In ACT ONE, flutist Janet Axelrod presents an inspired, lovingly crafted album that bridges the world of Broadway and the concert stage with elegance, intimacy, and breathtaking musicality. Subtitled “Works by Today’s Most Celebrated Broadway Composers,” this album is far more than a collection of show tunes — it’s a heartfelt homage to the lyricism and drama of contemporary musical theatre, lovingly reimagined through the voice of the flute.
From the first track, it’s clear that Axelrod brings more than technical mastery to the table.
Her tone is glowing and tender, yet full of color and complexity.
There’s a painterly quality to her phrasing, as if each note is brushed into place with care and emotional intention. She doesn’t merely play these songs — she inhabits them. Each melodic line is shaped with sensitivity to character and scene, making the flute feel like a storyteller in its own right. The album’s genius lies not only in Axelrod’s playing, but also in its creative and collaborative spirit. Many of the pieces are performed with the very composers who wrote them — a rare and powerful artistic choice. These composer-pianists (among them some of the most beloved names in contemporary musical theatre) don’t just accompany Axelrod — they engage with her in dialogue, responding with subtle dynamic shifts, colorations, and rubato that heighten the emotional resonance of every piece.
There’s a remarkable sense of trust and mutual artistry in these performances, as if Axelrod and her collaborators are breathing the music into life together in real time. The result is an album that feels both deeply personal and vibrantly alive. While the album features no vocals, you’d be forgiven for imagining lyrics — such is the vocal quality of Axelrod’s flute playing. Her command of phrasing and pacing brings to mind the great singing actors of Broadway: expressive but never indulgent, dramatic but always rooted in truth. Each track becomes its own miniature scene: wistful, playful, soaring, or quietly introspective. Some selections glow with nostalgia, evoking shadowy cabaret lights and velvet curtains; others dance with energy and wit, capturing the sparkle of opening night. There is no monotony here — Axelrod has curated a program that reflects the emotional and stylistic range of modern theatre writing, while showcasing her own versatility as an interpreter.
Highlights abound. “A wistful arrangement of "Jump Scher(z)" captures the ache of longing, while a buoyant take on "Touch and Go" radiates joy. The arrangements are elegant and never overdone, leaving space for Axelrod’s tone to breathe and for the piano to shimmer and anchor the harmony with grace. It is worth noting how natural the flute feels in this repertoire, something not often attempted but brilliantly realized here. Axelrod’s performance invites a rethinking of what Broadway repertoire can be — it need not always be belted or orchestrated with bombast; it can also whisper, caress, and float. Perhaps what’s most moving about ACT ONE is the sense that this is an artist who has come full circle — from listener to interpreter to collaborator. There is reverence in these performances, but also freedom. Axelrod honors the spirit of these songs while giving them new life in a fresh and intimate medium.
In an era when so many recordings strive for spectacle, ACT ONE is a masterclass in restraint, taste, and emotional truth. It’s a celebration of great songwriting, of course — but more than that, it’s a love letter to melody, memory, and the human spirit expressed through music. Whether you are a flute lover, a Broadway enthusiast, or simply someone who appreciates honest, beautifully played music, ACT ONE is a gem that will speak to you. Janet Axelrod has not only given us a brilliant album — she’s given us a reminder of how music can make us feel more deeply, dream more vividly, and remember more tenderly. This may be titled ACT ONE, but here’s hoping there are many more acts to come.
