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Hello everybody, My name is John and welcome to the JAY
website. It's been quite a while since I last posted a message
to the site, however, in a way, it's good because I have
spent my time in the studios making more recordings for
JAY instead. Since the last message, we have recorded and
released some great and important recordings. They include: This is one of JAYs most exciting and important recordings.
Not only is this the first complete recording of an essential
landmark work from one of Broadway's greatest composers, Frank
Loesser, it is also the only Stereo recording of the original
score. (The score was transposed down for the lead in the
London production). The other significant reason for the importance
of this recording is the World premiere recordings of about
30 minutes of music cut from the score during previews, with
the full original orchestrations by Don Walker. Mrs. Loesser
very graciously agreed to supply us with the requisite material
to make the recording. The wonderful cast included many stars
who have appeared in their various roles on Broadway and across
the United States. They include Louis Quilico, Emily Loesser,
Karen Ziemba, Nancy Shade, Don Stephenson and Richard Muenz. After many years in which there has only been one recording
made over 50 years ago, of this classic and beloved musical,
now comes two sparkling new recordings from JAY in as many
years. Although both new recordings star Cathy Rigby, they
are essentially two different recordings. The first one, CDJAY
1280, was recorded to co-incide with the start of the
tour of PETER
PAN, which eventually opened on Broadway. For the Broadway
production, an exciting and show-stopping new dance (Ugh-A-Wug
Dance) was created and added to it. This production was filmed
for TV and Video release. In order to capture and preserve
the wonderful new dance music and sequence, we decided to
release a new CD of PETER PAN featuring the Broadway and TV
cast. (CDJAY 1352). As with JAY's policy of recording and preserving the greatest
of the Broadway Musical Masterworks
in their original and complete form, it is with great pride
that JAY recorded and released the first complete recording
of this powerful work and amazing score. Every note and every
word have been recorded, brilliantly acted, sung, played and
conducted by an exceptional cast, orchestra and conductor.
We were very fortunate to have JAY'S favourite Baritone, Ron
Raines to assume the title role with such verve and passion.
It is with great fortune that two other JAY's favourites,
Kim Criswell and Avery
Saltzman were on hand to take on the demanding roles of
Aldonza and Sancho. The fact that the entire cast and orchestra
rehearsed for weeks and performed the work, under the baton
of maestro, David Charles Abell for the Covent Garden Music
Festival is evident in the vivid performances given by everyone
as captured by the recording. We also had fun in the studios with some friends. John
Barrowman recorded a "mini-original cast album"
in that he committed to disc, songs from various roles that
he sang on Broadway and the West End, Miss Saigon, Sunset
Boulevard, Matador, Beauty And The Beast and others that he
never recorded before. The album is called Reflections
From Broadway CDJAY 1333. George Dvorsky decided
to go into a relaxing and romantic mood by crooning some Cole
Porter and Jerome Kern standards. In doing so he presented
another aspect of himself which surprised us all. Check it
out for yourself in the CD, In The Still Of The Night CDJAY
1343. BABY, THE
RINK, I
AND ALBERT, DAMES
AT SEA, HANNAH….1939,
FLORA THE RED
MENACE AND OTHERS. ANOTHER KIND OF MAGIC : QUEEN A SYMPHONIC
SPECTACULAR REQUIEM : GARETH VALENTINE Preparation and releases of various other
recordings and CDs have taken up the rest of the time but
it has all been worth it. Presently I am finishing the eagerly
awaited First Complete Recordings of Stephen
Sondheim's Anyone Can Whistle, which it is hoped we
will release in 2002. Also scheduled for release in 2002
is the First Complete Recording of Kurt
Weill's One Touch Of Venus. Two amazing masterworks
from two geniuses of Broadway, that are being recorded
in their first complete recordings over 40 and 60 years
after their premiere, respectively. Other recordings in
this series of Complete Original
JAY Masterworks to be released in the coming years include
Fiddler On The Roof, Brigadoon, The Music Man, 42nd Street,
The Dancing Years, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers and others. The enchanting Susan
Egan visited London in August 2001 to record her first
solo album, So Far, at Abbey Road Studios. It was a joy
to work with such a warm, generous and gorgeous person who
also happens to be busting with talents with a great big
wonderful voice. Conducting for Susanis another JAY's favourite
maestro Craig Barna.
Songs from shows that Susan has appeared in but not recorded
constitute the basis of this perfectly marvellous CD. Three Broadway hunks will also be making
recordings with us in the next few months. Matt Bogart,
who is currently in Aida, having just finished singing Billy
Bigalow in Carousel at The Paper Mill Playhouse and previously
starred on Broadway in Smokey Joe's Café, The Civil
War and Miss Saigon will be starting on his solo album with
JAY in the Autumn. Songs from all the above as well as others
will be included. Ron Raines has commenced on his second
solo album and Sean McDermott will soon be recording his
2nd solo album for JAY. June 2002 will be the centenary of Richard
Rodgers and we will be participating with some exciting
projects. I will write more about them nearer the time but
in the meantime I will post updates on our other projects
regularly between now and then. Thank you for checking in on our website
and I hope that you have enjoyed reading the news of what's
been going on at JAY. Enjoy the surf. Cheers. John. |
