July 2016 Newsletter: Crossing Birdland off the list!
Summer is here ...
And the humidity levels prove it! This month's newsletter is chock-full of recaps, lots of music and reading links, and upcoming events, so without further ado ...
Read MoreSondheimas 2k16: "Something's Coming/Everybody Says Don't" with Ariana Debose
Ariana DeBose is another veteran Sondheimas performing, returning after last year's knock-out performance of "The Ladies Who Lunch." Fortunately, this year our shows were on a Monday, when Hamilton is dark, so Ari didn't have to race to 54 Below after her show like she did last year. Ari's song this year was a medley of "Something's Coming" from West Side Story and "Everybody Says Don't" from Anyone Can Whistle, arranged by Kurt Crowley.
Read MoreAdvice From: Geoff Dyer
“Beware of clichés. Not just the clichés that Martin Amis is at war with. There are clichés of response as well as expression. There are clichés of observation and of thought – even of conception. Many novels, even quite a few adequately written ones, are clichés of form which conform to clichés of expectation.”
Geoff Dyer's rules for writing fiction work just as well with music & non-fiction
Sondheimas 2k16: "Putting It Together" with James Jackson, Jr.
Your task: Take a pseudo-minimalist Sondheim song and change it into one with a funk groove. Make sure to keep it interesting. Find a way that showcases James's voice and personality. Finished product: our "Putting It Together," which brought down the house at both Sondheimas performances.
Read MoreSondheimas 2k16: "Evening Primrose" with Ali Ewoldt and Olli Haaskivi
Evening Primrose is one of the stranger parts of Sondheim's output. An hour-long tv show written in 1966 with James Goldman. This evening, our Charles was Olli Haaskivi; our Ella, Ali Ewoldt. Both tackled the material with aplomb - as did the wonderful band. I enjoyed every song we played at Sondheimas, but this suite was one of my favorites to perform.
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