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| September 28, 2003 | New York Daily News | "Bette does Clooney (Rosemary, that is): Midler tackles '50s songbird's hits - thanks, she says, to a Barry Manilow dream" by Jim Farber |
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| "Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook," released this week, salutes the grand dame of saloon songs, who died in June 2002. Midler tackles the legendary singer's '50s hits, like "Come On-a My House" and "Mambo Italiano," with an actorly wit and zest. According to Midler, 57, the idea for the project came from Barry Manilow, the producer of her first two albums, with whom she hadn't worked for 30 years. "He said it came to him in a dream," she says with ironic wonder. Manilow promised Midler the moon to participate. "Barry said, 'I'll get you top-drawer arrangers and you don't have to do any of the heavy lifting. Just show up and sing.' Normally, I have to find the material, get involved in the arrangements and the mixing. It eats up your whole life. This was so easy." That's appropriate, given Clooney's role as the queen of vocal ease. "She was in that Frank/Bing school, where they make it look effortless," says Midler. "But when you try to sing that stuff you see it's hard. You have to have so much breath control and confidence. She had a very intimate sound," Midler continues. "She would pull you into a lyric and into the experience of the song. She didn't do runs the way they do now. But she stated the song simply. It was a very pure experience to listen to her." Clooney hit her commercial peak in the early '50s, when her comforting sound keyed into the culture at large. Her breezy maternal style was as suited to the Eisenhower era of leisure as more raucous styles of singing were to the fractious '60s. Midler's music has straddled both eras. "I didn't understand the pop scene the way people did on the mainland," explains the singer, who grew up in Hawaii. "We just heard these voices over the radio. We didn't know who the people were. So either the voice spoke to you or it didn't. The quality of [Clooney's] voice really came through to me. I sang her songs, even as a little girl." She met Clooney a few times in the '80s. "Her humanity was almost the same as her singing," Midler says. "She would wrap you up in this loving hold." Midler felt less warmth for Manilow after the last time they worked together. "When he left me in the '70s, I was really livid. But, after a while, I had to give him his due. He was making hit records and I was up and down with this really checkered career." She says they mended their friendship in time, but they avoided working together. "Two careers - two really stubborn people," Midler says of Manilow and herself. Last year, she found herself without a record contract for the first time, after three decades with the Warner Records group. "I met with the new head [of Warners], Tom Whalley. We had a very nice meeting and then I was let go," she explains. "I thought 'Oh, that's kinda creepy.' I was pretty upset." She considered going the indie-label route when, she says, "this project just fell in my lap." Manilow got Midler a Columbia Records contract and they cut the album fast. The freshness shows. The arrangements sound contemporary without seeming tarted up. And they've pulled off the most crucial trick for a project like this: to make the songs swing. "Barry chose arrangers who would bring something new to the material, but who were also respectful," Midler says. Ideally, she would love to play a rare series of concerts of this music. Though she has scheduled a regular fall arena tour (called "Kiss My Brass") and is finishing her film part in the "Stepford Wives" remake, she hopes to pull off a show one day called "Five Nights - One Dress." "I'd play Carnegie Hall for five nights in the same outfit," she says, laughing. "I'd just sing for a change - no flying around onstage in a fish tail." Meanwhile, she plans to play host to a Halloween charity event, headlined by Donna Summer, at Roseland to benefit her parks charity. And the preservation instinct doesn't end there. Before our interview ends, the subject of the likely-to-shutter Bottom Line comes up. "Oh," Midler says with a sigh. "There's gotta be a way to do something about that, don't you think?" |
| September 12, 2003 | The Cincinnati Post | "Bette, Barry salute Rosemary on new CD" |
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| In one of the first of what is sure to be many tribute albums to be recorded honoring the late Rosemary Clooney, Columbia Records will release "Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook" on Sept. 30. The album will reunite Midler with her original piano accompanist and musical director, Barry Manilow, who produced her first two breakthrough albums. "I couldn't be more delighted," said TV host, author and Post columnist Nick Clooney, Rosemary's brother, who lives in Augusta, KY. "They were all three friends. Rosemary was a great admirer of both Bette and Barry for their contributions to American pop music during their era, and the same was true in reverse. Bette and Barry saw Rosemary as a leader in American classic pop's benchmark era." Columbia Records says the album, produced by Manilow and Robbie Buchanan, "pays tribute to one of America's great women of traditional pop and vocal jazz, recasting the brilliance of her material and artistry in shimmering new hues for aficionados of Ms. Clooney, who passed away on June 29, 2002, as well as for a new generation of music fans." "I have loved Rosemary Clooney for as long as I can remember," wrote Midler in her notes for the album. "She possessed one of the great American voices of the last century, full of warmth, sincerity and truth. Her intonation was impeccable; she never sang a false note. -- She radiated intelligence and good humor, and boy, could she swing!" Midler's enthusiasm for the project is echoed by Manilow: "When I was thinking about who could pay tribute to -- and, at the same time, reinvent these splendid songs which Rosemary first introduced to the world -- Bette was my first ... and only choice. We had a ball, just like the old days. Better than the old days. I'm so thankful that she agreed to do it." [Nick] Clooney said the tribute album is a great honor, especially since Rosemary, Barry and Bette all had been friends. If there was one song Clooney would add, "it would be 'When October Goes,' since it was recorded by both Rosemary and Barry. It would be nice if Bette could sing it, too." |
| September 9, 2003 | Press Release | Columbia Records Ready To Release Bette Midler Sings The Rosemary Clooney Songbook (Source: Columbia Records) |
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| NEW YORK, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Columbia Records will release Bette Midler Sings The Rosemary Clooney Songbook on Tuesday, September 30. The album reunites Bette Midler with her original piano accompanist and musical director, Barry Manilow, who produced her first two breakthrough albums, The Divine Miss M (1972) and Bette Midler (1973). Produced by Barry Manilow and Robbie Buchanan, Bette Midler Sings The Rosemary Clooney Songbook pays tribute to one of America's great women of traditional pop and vocal jazz, recasting the brilliance of her material and artistry in shimmering new hues for aficionados of Ms. Clooney, who passed away on June 29, 2002, as well as for a new generation of music fans. "I have loved Rosemary Clooney for as long as I can remember," wrote Bette Midler in her notes for the album. "She possessed one of the great American voices of the last century, full of warmth, sincerity and truth. Her intonation was impeccable, she never sang a false note... she radiated intelligence and good humor, and boy, could she swing!" Ms. Midler's enthusiasm is echoed by Barry Manilow: "When I was thinking about who could pay tribute to -- and at the same time, reinvent these splendid songs, which Rosemary [Clooney] first introduced to the world -- Bette was my first ... and only choice! We had a ball, just like the old days! Better than the old days! I'm so thankful that she agreed to do it." One of the world's best-loved and most versatile entertainers, Bette Midler has garnered accolades in all quarters of show business. She's earned four Grammy Awards including Song of the Year (1989: "Wind Beneath My Wings", 1990: "From A Distance") and Record of the Year (1989: "Wind Beneath My Wings"); two Academy Award nominations, three Emmy Awards, one Tony Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and nine American Comedy Awards. Her SRO tours have placed historically in the Top 5 grossing concerts in a calendar year. Ms. Midler has sold more than 14 million albums over the course of her career and holds 24 gold, platinum and multi-platinum certifications from the RIAA for her albums and singles. Bette Midler Sings The Rosemary Clooney Songbook- You'll Never Know
Arranged by Barry Manilow and Jorge Calandrelli
Conducted by Jorge Calandrelli
Piano: Randy Waldman
Originally recorded by Rosemary Clooney in 1952
- This Ole House
Arranged by Barry Manilow and Robbie Buchanan
Banjo: Herb Pedersen
Mandolin: Kenny Blackwell
Bass: Chuck Berghofer
Guitar: Dean Parks
Drums: Vinnie Colaiuta
Originally recorded by Rosemary Clooney in 1954
- On A Slow Boat To China (Duet with Barry Manilow)
Arranged by Barry Manilow and Patrick Williams
Conducted by Patrick Williams
Piano: Steve Welch and Barry Manilow
Bass: Chuck Berghofer
Guitar: George Doering
Drums: Gregg Field
Originally recorded by Rosemary Clooney and Bing Crosby in 1958
- Hey There
Arranged by Barry Manilow and Jorge Calandrelli
Conducted by Jorge Calandrelli
Piano: Steve Welch
Bass: Chuck Berghofer
Guitar: George Doering
Drums: Vinnie Colaiuta
Originally recorded by Rosemary Clooney in 1954
- Tenderly
Arranged by Barry Manilow and Jorge Calandrelli
Conducted by Jorge Calandrelli
Piano: Steve Welch
Bass: Chuck Berghofer
Guitar: George Doering
Drums: Gregg Field
Originally recorded by Rosemary Clooney in 1951
- Come On-A My House
Arranged by Ray Ellis and Robbie Buchanan
Conducted by Ray Ellis
Harpsichord: Randy Waldman
Keyboards/Bass: Robbie Buchanan
Guitar: Michael Thompson
Drums: Vinnie Colaiuta
Background Vocals: Beverly Staunton
Originally recorded by Rosemary Clooney in 1951
- Mambo Italiano
Arranged by Barry Manilow and Robbie Buchanan
Piano/Keyboards/Drums: Robbie Buchanan
Guitar: Michael Thompson
Background Vocals - Hans Stamer (baritone), Warren Stanyer and David Steele (tenors)
Originally recorded by Rosemary Clooney in 1954
- Sisters (Duet with Linda Ronstadt)
From the Paramount Motion Picture "White Christmas"
Arranged by Barry Manilow and Ray Ellis
Conducted by Ray Ellis
Piano: Randy Waldman
Bass: Chuck Berghofer
Guitar: George Doering
Drums: Gregg Field
Originally recorded by Rosemary and Betty Clooney in 1954
- Memories Of You
Arranged by Barry Manilow and Ray Ellis
Conducted by Ray Ellis
Piano: Steve Welch
Bass: Chuck Berghofer
Guitar: George Doering
Drums: Gregg Field
Background Vocals: David Steele and Warren Stanyer
Originally recorded by Rosemary Clooney in 1955
- In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening
Arranged by Barry Manilow and Patrick Williams
Conducted by Patrick Williams
Piano: Steve Welch
Bass: Chuck Berghofer
Guitar: George Doering
Drums: Gregg Field
Originally recorded by Rosemary Clooney in 1952
- White Christmas
From the Paramount Motion Picture "White Christmas"
Arranged and Conducted by Robbie Buchanan
Piano, Celesta: Robbie Buchanan Originally recorded by Rosemary Clooney in 1954
Produced by Barry Manilow and Robbie Buchanan Executive Producers: Jay Landers and Garry C. Kief
Associate Producers: Scott Erickson and Marc Hulett
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| August 12, 2003 | Press Release | "First Lady of Jazz," Diane Schuur, Releases Much-Anticipated Midnight: Co-Written and Produced by Barry Manilow & Eddie Arkin, Enhanced CD Features Duets with R&B Sensation Brian McKnight and Jazz Favorite Karrin Allyson |
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| BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- On August 12, Concord Records and "First Lady of Jazz," Diane Schuur, release Midnight, a CD co-written and produced by the legendary Barry Manilow and his long-time collaborator, Eddie Arkin. A year in the making, Midnight is a beautifully crafted and lush recording of 13 original tracks, including duets with multi-platinum R&B sensation Brian McKnight, perennial jazz favorite Karrin Allyson, and Manilow himself. This enhanced CD also features special bonus materials, such as behind-the-scenes video footage and interviews with Schuur and Manilow. Midnight is a musical collaboration that delights, surprises and seems destined to have a lasting appeal for music audiences worldwide. Much like he did with his own first full jazz album, 2:00 A.M. Paradise Cafe, Manilow teamed with Arkin to this time create a "suite" concept album that would take the listener from the front door of a smoky jazz club with the opening cut, "Meet Me, Midnight," to the end of their evening with "Anytime," a warm and loving duet featuring Manilow. Other highlights on Midnight include Schuur's take on the Manilow classic, "When October Goes," the Brazilian-inspired "What Is Love?" and the touching "Life is Good," which has quickly become Schuur's anthem. McKnight is featured on the R&B tinged "I'll Be There," and Allyson duets with Schuur for the battling jazz-diva tune, "Stay Away From Bill." Midnight proves to be the perfect showcase for Schuur's luminous three-and-a-half octave range and sophisticated phrasing. Add to the mix, lush orchestrations with vibrant string, rhythms and horn sections, and Diane just might be right when she predicts, "I think these tunes are new standards, on their way to becoming classics in the annals of jazz and pop." "For Barry and I, this project presented a platform to create songs we didn't have to tone down," explains Arkin. "The plus point was that we knew Diane had the chops to meet anything we created musically." Since first stepping onstage to sing at age nine, Deedles, as she has been known since childhood, has earned respect and garnered praise from such legendary musicians as Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie and B.B. King. Stan Getz became an important mentor after hearing her perform at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1979. Leonard Feather, the venerable father of contemporary jazz criticism, rightly dubbed Schuur, "a singer with all the right qualities - technique, range, adaptability to various pop, gospel, jazz and blues concepts." Deedles, who has been blind since birth, first worked with Manilow on Swing Street, when she performed "Summertime" with Getz. Recalling how the Midnight project first began, Manilow says, "I called Deedles, told her I'd love to produce her, and she said, 'let's go.'" Following one pre-production session, he writes in an email to her about his awe for his close friend: "Yesterday was a revelation for me. I'd known how wonderful a singer you are, but I really had no idea about the depth and brilliance of your musicianship. You blew all of us away. Most of all me." Manilow is regarded as one of the most successful and universally recognized entertainers of all time. With over 60 million albums sold and numerous Top 10 Hits, his career skyrocketed with the hit single "Mandy" in 1974 and just never stopped. Every project he has produced (Bette Midler, Dionne Warwick and Nancy Wilson) has been nominated for a Grammy Award. In 2002, he was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame. An Emmy nominated composer, Arkin has teamed with Manilow previously, co-producing his albums Swing Street, Showstoppers, Because It's Christmas, as well as Nancy Wilson's With My Lover Beside Me. |
August 7,
2003 | Ventura County Star | "'Midnight' modulation: Somis resident Eddie Arkin teamed up with Barry Manilow to co-produce Diane Schuur's new CD, due out Tuesday" by Charles Levin |
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| Eddie Arkin beamed like a proud parent as he listened back to a track from Diane Schuur's newest album in a dimly lighted Hollywood recording studio last October. For that matter, it was all smiles in the control booth where more than a dozen of Los Angeles' elite studio musicians surrounded Arkin and his co-producer, singer-songwriter Barry Manilow, to enjoy the fruits of their collective labor. "Whew," said Arkin, obviously taken with the work, standing behind a massive computer-controlled board of knobs, sliders and blinking LED lights. "Great, great. Was that good for you guys? If you want to do another take, we ought to do it right now." Arkin paused but found no interest. The musicians all seemed to agree with Arkin's next assessment about the tune. "It had that first-take magic on it," the longtime Somis resident concluded, looking satisfied. As it turned out, first-take magic inspired much of Schuur's newest record, "Midnight," which lands in record stores on Tuesday. Arkin and Manilow hope that translates into record sales for the veteran jazz singer. For "Midnight," Arkin and Manilow crafted a suite of songs for Schuur that hark back to the "Great American Songbook" days, an era when names like Johnny Mercer, Cole Porter and George Gershwin dominated singers' tune lists. "These are all new songs written to sound like old songs," Arkin said during a pause in the recording session. Think 1956, a smoky nightclub, and the late Rosemary Clooney crooning a sultry ballad while backed by trumpeter Chet Baker and his band. If ambience counts for anything, Arkin and Manilow chose one of the recording industry's hallowed halls for the session: Studio A at Capitol Records. No less than Frank Sinatra, Nat "King" Cole and Dean Martin -- all practitioners of the "Songbook" repertoire -- had recorded there. "I'm sure the spirits were dancing when we were working in there," Schuur said in a June interview. "Midnight" nails this genre dead on. The tunes -- seven co-written by Arkin and Manilow -- range from sultry ("Meet Me, Midnight") to noirish ("Good-bye My Love"), resurrecting the vocal work of such late jazz divas as Dinah Washington, Carmen McRae, Peggy Lee and even Judy Garland -- all influences on the 49-year-old Schuur. "For me, it's like a gift from the gods to be able to write songs that are harmonically rich (where) I'm not held back by the conventions of pop music," said Arkin, who played guitar on four tracks. "And Diane is a singer of amazing musicianship. She's got perfect pitch. She can hear the paint peeling off the walls." Arkin and Manilow hooked up when the pop superstar was searching for material for his 1987 "techno jazz" recording "Swing Street." Manilow had sought advice from the late jazz critic Leonard Feather, who recommended his daughter, a jazz singer, for more input. Lorraine Feather had co-written a song with Arkin, called "Big Fun." She played the song for Manilow, who flipped over the tune, added it to the record and eventually brought Arkin in as co-producer. Along with several other prominent jazz artists, Schuur sang on the record. Over the years, Arkin and Manilow continued to collaborate as a production-songwriting team. Fast forward to 2000, when Schuur signed with Concord Records, the independent label that began in the San Francisco Bay Area, spawned a jazz festival and recently relocated to Beverly Hills. Schuur hadn't seen Manilow or Arkin for years. Then Manilow signed with Concord a year later, "and the people of Concord asked him, 'Hey, who would you like to work with?'" Schuur said by phone from her Mission Viejo home. "He said, 'I'd like to work with Diane Schuur.' And it worked out just perfectly." Thinking of Manilow -- he who writes the songs like "Mandy" and "Copacabana" -- in the jazz arena may surprise some fans and even vex some aficionados. But over the years, Manilow has quietly assembled sturdy jazz credentials producing several albums for himself, Nancy Wilson, Dionne Warwick and Bette Midler. Manilow started listening to jazz at age 12 in his native Brooklyn when his stepfather bought him a transistor radio. That turned into late nights soaking up the "Songbook" oeuvre and showing up "bleary-eyed to school the next morning because I was hooked on Symphony Sid," Manilow said, referring to the legendary radio host. As for popular music, doo-wop was all the rage then but held no interest for Manilow, who gravitated more to the cool sounds of baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan and trumpeter Miles Davis. Manilow said he followed a career path in pop music because entertainment producer-mogul Clive Davis persuaded him to. "But that is not where my heart lies," Manilow said in a phone interview. "After I had 10 years of enormous success in that (pop) world, I was still empty and trying to find the music that really spoke to me, and it was always either jazz or Broadway musicals." That was 1984, when Manilow recorded his first jazz record, "2:00 A.M. Paradise Cafe." Manilow praised Arkin, calling him "the most musical person I've ever met." "Eddie is so humble," said Manilow, 56. "He's not one of those guys like (producer) David Foster, who wants his name out front and makes sure it's in the contract and all. So I'm his cheerleader. I just make sure he's out there, because I believe in him." Arkin and Manilow attribute the chemistry to a natural division of talent. Manilow comes up with "big-picture" scenarios, Arkin said. For example, with Schuur's record, Manilow brainstormed the concept of a 1950s-oriented jazz with a nightclub feel, Arkin said. "He sees things from a performer's perspective that will pull in the audience and make a cohesive project rather than just do a willy-nilly project," Arkin said. Both men share songwriting chores, but arranging duties fall to Arkin. "Just like other good relationships, it's a good match that way," he said. "To me the sum is greater than the parts." |
| July 2003 | Jazz Connection Magazine | Diane Schuur's "Midnight" (Concord Records CCD 2162) (co-written and produced by Barry Manilow and Eddie Arkin), album review by Stephen Fratallone |
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| A year in the making, Midnight is a beautifully crafted and lush recording of 13 original tracks by Barry Manilow and his long-time songwriting team - co-producer/arranger Eddie Arkin and lyricist Marty Panzer. It's the two-time Grammy Award-winning vocalist's third Concord Records release. Schuur's high-powered voice with its three-and-a-half octave range is surrounded with strings and full orchestrations. She is joined by pianists Alan Broadbent and Randy Kerber; guitarist Eddie Arkin; bassists Chuck Berghofer and Abraham Laboriel; drummer Harvey Mason; and orchestra conductor Jorge Calandrelli, all of whom have worked with her previously. The other musicians featured on the CD are drummer Peter Erskine and guitarists Anthony Wilson and Oscar Castro-Neves. Midnight opens with Schuur in a swanky, sophisticated mood on "Meet Me, Midnight," a clear contrast to the tune that follows, "When October Goes," which is drenched in melancholy with lyrics by the great Johnny Mercer. Schuur teams up with critically acclaimed jazz singer and Concord label-mate Karrin Allyson on the sassy-flavored "Stay Away From Bill." Soulful superstar Brian McKnight shares an R&B-tinged vocal duet with Schuur on "I'll Be There," a tune with a distinctively southwestern percussive feel, and percussionist Paulinho Dacosta shines on the Brazilian-inspired "What Is Love?" She accompanies herself on piano in a touching solo rendition of "Life Is Good." [Other] track selections: "Consider the Point From Both Ends," "He Loved Me," "Southwind," "Our Love Will Always Be There," "No Heartache Tonight," "Good-bye My Love," and "Anytime (Duet with Barry Manilow)." What a voice! What an original talent! Schuur is a class act and Midnight is one of her finest releases to date. |
| June 29, 2003 | Contra Costa Times | "Jazz singer Schuur is busy making music" by Andrew Gilbert, about Diane Schuur's "Midnight" album co-produced by Barry Manilow |
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| San Jose Mercury News | "Schuur is a Jazz Singer's Singer -- and a Lot More, Too" by Andrew Gilbert (July 2, 2003) |
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| Diane Schuur opens a four-night stand at Yoshi's (Oakland, CA) on Thursday (July 3, 2003) ... Her upcoming album, "Midnight" (Concord Jazz), is a collaboration with the famed, and often critically reviled, pop singer-songwriter Barry Manilow and his longtime creative partner Eddie Arkin. Slated for release on Aug. 12, the album is designed as a song-suite evoking a romantic night on the town. [It] includes a concluding duet with Manilow on his tune "Anytime"... Schuur had no qualms on working with Manilow. She calls the collaboration "a natural." When Manilow signed with Concord, the label asked "who he wanted to work with and he said 'Diane Schuur,' so there it was. He really has a flair for jazz, so it worked out really well." Manilow has recorded jazz-oriented albums before, particularly "Swing Street," a well-received 1987 project featuring Schuur as a guest star along with saxophonists Getz and Gerry Mulligan. But Manilow, who broke into show business writing commercial jingles and is best known for radio hits such as "Mandy" and "Could It Be Magic" hasn't found a home in pop/jazz's standard repertoire. Schuur is convinced that's destined to change, and that "Midnight" marks the start of Manilow's ascendance into the songwriters' pantheon. "All of these songs will become classic in the Great American Songbook," said Schuur, 49, who was blinded at birth in a hospital accident. "I think that's kind of the goal of the whole thing. Every tune has a very strong lyric." |
| June 29, 2003 | Santa Cruz Sentinel | "Diane Schuur sings the new classics" by Charles Levin, article about Schuur's "Midnight" CD, co-produced by Barry Manilow |
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| Fans of Diane Schuur know the story: blind since birth, singing professionally at 9, discovered by the late saxophonist Stan Getz at the 1979 Monterey Jazz Festival. And don't forget her passion for the singers, such as Dinah Washington, Carmen McRae and Sarah Vaughan, who inspired Schuur at a tender age. So perhaps it's no surprise that the 49-year-old Schuur's new CD, "Midnight" (Concord Jazz) pays tribute to standards she grew up hearing in her formative years. There's just one catch. Most of the 13 songs on "Midnight" are recent arrivals to the canon. The album was actually the brainchild of singer-songwriter Barry Manilow and his longtime collaborator Eddie Arkin. Schuur, known to most friends as Deedles, had worked with both men on Manilow's 1988 jazz foray, "Swing Street." Schuur wasn't the only jazz artist on Manilow's "Swing Street." He also tapped singer Phyllis Hyman and saxophonists Tom Scott, Gerry Mulligan and Stan Getz, the latter teaming with Schuur on Gershwin's "Summertime." "Our paths just kind of separated for a few years," Schuur said in a phone interview from her Mission Viejo home in Orange County. "Then (Barry) joined Concord. The people of Concord asked him, 'Hey who would you like to work with?' He said, 'Hey, I'd like to work with Diane Schuur.' And it worked out just perfectly." Manilow and Arkin set to work, ultimately crafting a suite of tunes that will send listeners back to the era when names like Gershwin, Porter and Mercer dominated singers' tune lists. "The idea was to create songs in sort of a classic Great American Songbook style," said Arkin, 53, a Ventura County resident, and veteran television and movie composer, who shared production credits with Manilow. Pairing veteran jazzer Schuur, who appears at Kuumbwa Jazz Center on Wednesday (in Santa Cruz), with Manilow may surprise some. But over the years, Manilow has quietly assembled sturdy jazz credentials, producing albums for Nancy Wilson, Dionne Warwick and Bette Midler. "In fact, because of this album, people are going to be very pleasantly surprised and probably very touched by the lyrics in all of these tunes," Schuur said. "They�re just so poignant." In crafting "Midnight," Arkin said, they planned to create a kind of "nightclub setting," featuring Schuur with a small band and a few horn soloists: Think Rosemary Clooney backed by the late trumpeter Chet Baker. But that expanded to a small horn section and strings on a few songs, putting greater emphasis on Schuur�s vocals. If ambiance counts for anything, Arkin and Manilow chose one of the recording industry's hallowed halls for the session: Studio A at Capitol Records in Hollywood. No less than Frank Sinatra, Nat "King" Cole and Bobby Darin had recorded there. "I'm sure the spirits were dancing when we were working in there," Schuur said. "Midnight," which hits record stores Aug. 12, nails the genre dead on. The tunes range from sultry ("Meet Me, Midnight") to noirish ("Good-bye My Love") and resurrects the legacies of Washington, McRae, Peggy Lee and even Judy Garland. The record also features two previously unfinished gems from the late Johnny Mercer's pen, "When October Goes" and "Southwind." That's because Mercer's widow gave Manilow the lyrics several years ago, and he wrote the music. Schuur pairs off with singer Karyn Allison on the musical cat fight "Stay Away From Bill," and with Manilow on "Anytime," a deliciously romantic ballad. Schuur says she has no favorites but concedes that "Life is Good," a classic Songbook-style cabaret-like ballad, takes on special meaning. For Schuur, the song speaks of exorcising demons with alcohol and drugs, beating an eating disorder and coming out whole after a serious neck surgery more than two years ago that could have left her sans voice and quadriplegic. Marty Panzer, Manilow's longtime lyricist, wrote the lyrics. He'd drifted in to the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano to hear Schuur sing one night. "And I was talking about my sobriety; and how good things were," Schuur said. "And I kept repeating the phrase 'Life is good.' Marty just ran with that. He said to Barry, 'Let's see what we can do and make it special for Deeds.'" Special, indeed. |
| June 16, 2003 | The Desert Sun | "Manilow puts his nose to grindstone" by Pat Michaels |
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| Jerry Sharell, publicist for songster Barry Manilow, tells me his client is not hiding away from the media since he broke his nose at his Palm Springs home earlier this month. He says Barry�s just too busy "mixing his upcoming projects including the Bette Midler album ... Mr. Manilow is working away ... recovering well and has been back at work since the day of the incident." Manilow was at his Palm Springs home after spending two weeks in Malibu. When he got up in the middle of the night, he was disoriented and walked into a wall, smashing his nose. Sharell quotes Manilow as elbowing about his well-known profile: "I may have to have my nose fixed and with this nose, that would require major surgery." |
| June 15, 2003 | Turlock Journal | "Manilow has a heart for Turlock's students" by Shamus Byrne |
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| The "Barry Manilow's Music for Kids" group has been helping sponsor the purchase of musical instruments for local children for more than two years. The program has been incorporated into Turlock schools, thanks largely to that dedicated group ... The group is bonded by their unconditional love of pop icon Barry Manilow's music. The idea for the group, not surprisingly, began at a Manilow concert. At the end of the concert he said to the crowd, "If you enjoyed the music you heard here on stage tonight, encourage your child to play an instrument." Because of Manilow's large following, the group has been able to link up with an International Manilow Music For Kids group. While most of the group's contingency are local teachers, some are from as far away as the Bay Area. Lisa MacKenzie, the group's director said, "Our goal is to help kids who need instruments and who can�t afford them." The group to date has raised almost $2,600 to purchase musical instruments. The way the program works is that the music coordinator for the group talks to local music teachers to find out what instruments are most needed. He then collects the instruments and distributes them to local schools. "We want to get the word out to people that if they have an instrument that they would like to donate we can put it to use," said MacKenzie. "If they're broken than we can fix them up and distribute them. If a donor would like the instrument to go to a certain school than we can make that happen ... I had a second grader in one of my classes who came from a low-income household. She needed an instrument and we were able to provide her with one. Now she has continued playing and really enjoys it." |
| June 12, 2003 | Totally Jewish | "Barry Manilow" by Alex Sholem |
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| Kosher crooner Barry Manilow had another hit last week - when he sleepwalked into his bedroom wall and broke his world-renowned nose. [Barry]'s publicist revealed this week that the singer will not have to undergo surgery to restore his most famous feature to its former glory: "The doctors say it should heal fine and continue to be big." Manilow, who had just returned home after spending two weeks in Malibu working on Bette Midler's new album, responded to the setback with good humour. He put the accident down to too many nights spent in hotel rooms: "I veered to the left instead of the right and slammed right into the wall. But at least I didn't pee in the closet!" The singer, who was knocked out cold for four hours after the accident at his Palm Springs mansion, said: "If I had to get my nose fixed it would require major surgery!" |
| June 10, 2003 | Playbill.com | "Broadway-Bound Barry Manilow Project Harmony Begins Casting for Florida Run" by Robert Simonson |
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| Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman's long-in-development musical, Harmony has begun casting for a pre-Broadway engagement in Florida. The show will play Fort Lauderdale's Parker Playhouse beginning Oct. 21 and run until Jan. 4, 2004. The plan is to reach Broadway by winter 2004. David Warren, who has been with the project since 1997, is the director. Peter Pucci is doing the choreography and David Chase is musical director. Rehearsals for the Parker production will begin Sept. 1, according to a casting notice. Harmony played the La Jolla Playhouse in the fall of 1997 with plans to come to Broadway. Rebecca Luker and Danny Burstein starred in the California production. Warren directed ... Harmony is inspired by the true story of the Comedian Harmonists, six young men in 1920s Germany who rose from unemployed street musicians to become world-famous entertainers. While at the height of their fame, they played to sold-out shows in world-class concert halls, made a dozen films and sold millions of records. But the group's mixture of Jews and Gentiles inevitably led to clashes with the newly established Nazi party. Manilow, a Brooklyn native, wrote such pop hits as "Mandy" and "Copacabana." He penned a musical score for Off-Broadway's The Drunkard when he was 18. In 1994 he wrote the score for the Warner Brothers animated feature, "Thumbelina." Sussman scored the Off- Broadway musical Miami (book by Wendy Wasserstein) and Ted Tally play, Coming Attractions. |
| June 6, 2003 | BBC News | "Barry Manilow: From kitsch to cool?" by Andrew Walker |
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| After his well-documented accident (Recent newspaper headlines proclaiming "Barry Manilow Breaks Nose"), could it be that Barry Manilow, the arch-priest of schmaltz - might be on the verge of being re-invented as a King of Cool? ... There is something deliciously absurd about the man and his world-famous proboscis, but not so absurd to have prevented him from selling 58 million records, winning a Grammy, an Emmy, a Tony and playing both the Superbowl and Bill Clinton's inaugural ball. Manilow's idiosyncratic brand of easy listening music has won him a legion of adoring middle-aged matrons, yet the man himself remains charmingly disarming and refreshingly self-deprecating. Of his accident, Manilow says that he thought he was still in a hotel room and not his own home. "I veered to the left instead of the right and slammed right into the wall." Knocked unconscious for four hours, he adds, "I may have to have my nose fixed and, with this nose, it's going to require major surgery!" Look for post-Modernist irony in Barry Manilow's songs and you'll be disappointed. He is not - and does not claim to be - a Jacques Brel, mocking the business of love and howling about the pain of existence. But if you like the idea of a good old-fashioned entertainer, whose live shows combine schmaltz and razzamatazz and who can sing and play unaided - a rarity in this digital age - then he might just be your thing. Although Manilow's chart success has been limited - he has only had one Top Ten UK hit - his vast following has ensured his continuing popularity. Punk, New Wave, Grunge, House, all may have come and gone, but Manilow ploughs on regardless, like an acrylic-clad ocean liner. "His very dedicated fan base has assured him iconic status," says Gennaro Castaldo, head of press and PR at Manilow's UK label, HMV. "I suspect that many people whistle his tunes in the bath, but won't admit it. He has become part of the fabric of our culture." Although promoted as the epitome of cheesiness, Manilow's stage persona is no more excessive than most of his peers ... His concerts take the shape of a well-rehearsed catechism for his fans - the self-proclaimed Maniloonies. He always sings all his hits, always invites one lucky female admirer onto stage to duet on "Can't Smile Without You" and delivers another song, "One Voice," to an auditorium lit only by a sea of cigarette lighters. He has, as they say, the audience eating out of his hand ... Of his own talent, Manilow says that "my songs are like anchovies. Some people love them - some people get nauseous." But there are signs that Manilow is about to become - whisper the word lightly - cool. That bastion of musical credibility, Q magazine, hailed his recent concept album, Here at the Mayflower, effusing that "only a fool could doubt his talent". And the greatest hits package, Ultimate Manilow, went into the US Billboard chart at number three. As Gennaro Castaldo puts it: "People who are kitsch can eventually, through sheer longevity and by being parodied, achieve the status of retro-cool." |
| June 4, 2003 | Associated Press | "Barry Manilow Breaks Nose by Hitting Wall" |
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| PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (AP) - Barry Manilow is trying to get the feeling again after walking into a wall in his bedroom and breaking his nose. But the singer, who's famous for his monstrous proboscis, is maintaining his typical self-deprecating humor about the injury on May 28. "I veered to the left instead of the right and slammed right into the wall," Manilow said in a statement Tuesday. "I may have to have my nose fixed and, with this nose, it's going to require major surgery." The 56-year-old singer said that he'd returned to his Palm Springs home after spending two weeks in Malibu working on longtime friend Bette Midler's upcoming Rosemary Clooney tribute album. In the middle of night, he awoke disoriented and walked into a wall. He passed out for four hours after the accident but was OK, his manager said. On Wednesday, his publicist, Jerry Sharell, said the bruised entertainer didn't require surgery. "The doctors say it should heal fine and continue to be big," he joked. Manilow, whose hits include "Copacabana," "Mandy" and "Tryin' to Get the Feeling Again," said he'll seek a doctor's advice about whether to have surgery. |
| June 4, 2003 | CNN.com | "Singer Barry Manilow breaks his nose" |
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| June 4, 2003 | MSNBC News | "Barry Manilow walks into wall, breaks nose: Singer wakes up disoriented, makes wrong turn" |
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| Veteran singer-songwriter Barry Manilow, recently waking up disoriented in the middle of the night, walked into a wall and broke his nose, knocking himself unconscious, the entertainer disclosed Tuesday. The accident occurred at his home in the desert resort of Palm Springs, Calif., just after Manilow had returned from a two-week stay in the seaside town of Malibu, where he was producing an upcoming album for his old boss, Bette Midler. Roused from a sound sleep thinking he was still in Malibu, Manilow got up and "veered to the left instead of the right and slammed right into the wall," he said in a statement released by his management company, Stiletto Entertainment. He passed out for four hours, and though he was not seriously hurt, the 56-year-old performer said the mishap left his nose quiet swollen. His sense of humor remained intact, however. "I may have to have my nose fixed, and with this nose, it's going to require major surgery," he said, referring to his famously prominent profile. The statement did not make clear exactly when the accident occurred. Manilow said he intends to finish work on the Midler album -- a tribute to the late Rosemary Clooney -- as well as on his own two-disc live collection, "Two Nights Live." He also is going ahead with plans to begin rehearsals for an original stage musical with Bruce Sussman, "Harmony," scheduled to open in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., this fall, with a possible Broadway debut early next year. Starting out as a pianist, arranger and musical director for Midler in the early 1970s, Manilow became a solo sensation with a string of hits later that decade, including "Mandy," "I Write the Songs," "This One's For You," "Can't Smile Without You" and "Copacabana." |
| June 4, 2003 | BBC News | "Manilow breaks his nose: Veteran singer Barry Manilow has revealed he has broken his nose after walking into a wall" |
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| The star injured himself as he got up in the middle of the night while at his Californian home. He said that in a sleep haze he managed to walk into a wall and knock himself out for four hours. Keeping his sense of humour, he joked: "I may have to have my nose fixed, and with this nose, it's going to require major surgery." The singer was at his Palm Springs home when the mishap happened after returning from a stay in Malibu where he was working on a new album for Bette Midler. He said that when he awoke in the night he thought he was still in Malibu and "veered to the left instead of the right and slammed right into the wall". Manilow, 56, said that other than a broken nose, which was left swollen, there was no lasting damage following the accident. He is continuing to work on Midler's tribute to the late Rosemary Clooney as well as making his own album, Two Nights Live. Manilow started out working for Midler in the early 1970s as a pianist and musical director, before launching his own singing career. Some of his biggest and most enduring hits include Mandy, Can't Smile Without You and Copacabana. |
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