Broadway Unplugged: Michael Bourne Interviews Scott Siegel

November 14, 2008. Posted by Michael Bourne.

Add new comment | Filed under: acoustics, bill daugherty, broadway, glorious ones, guys and dolls, lorinda, marc kudisch, max von essen, mics, musicians, orators, rocking the boat, sarah jane, scott siegel, singers, surabaya johnny, Theater, town hall, voices, wbgo, west side story

The Town Hall was built in the 1920's for orators, and musicians also discovered that the acoustics are superb. None of today's audio tech existed back then, but no mics are ever needed there. "Broadway Unplugged" is an annual concert that gathers some of Broadway's best singers performing without mics and sounding that much more real. I've attended the last two years and I've been thrilled hearing (and feeling) all these beautiful voices, not amplified through speakers, but directly from the throats (and the hearts) of the singers.

Scott Siegel is the producer and host. In this interview, we talked about the upcoming 5th annual "Broadway Unplugged" -- Monday the 17th at 8 at Town Hall -- for tonight's WBGO Journal. And we kept on talking, including listening to highlights from last year's show: Max von Essen and Sarah Jane McMahon singing "Tonight" from West Side Story, Lorinda Lisitza singing a heartbreaking "Surabaya Johnny" from Happy End, Marc Kudisch singing "I'm Still Here" from The Glorious Ones, and Bill Daugherty singing a show-stopping "Sit Down, You're Rocking The Boat" from Guys and Dolls.
-Michael Bourne

© 2008 WBGO

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Ornette Coleman at Town Hall - 3/28/08

March 30, 2008. Posted by Joshua Jackson.

Add new comment | Filed under: flickr, Jazz Alive, jazz blog, jazz music, john rogers, Masters, music photos, ornette coleman, photo essay, photographer john, Places and Spaces, town hall, wbgo

My review in two words - great show.
Here's a photo essay from my "date," photographer John Rogers.

See more great music photos at John Rogers' Flickr page.
-Josh

© 2008 WBGO

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Ornette Coleman Interview

March 23, 2008. Posted by Joshua Jackson.

Add new comment | Filed under: dancing in your head, doghouse, eternity, grammar, grammy lifetime achievement, grammy lifetime achievement award, Interviews, jazz legend ornette coleman, josh jackson, lifetime achievement award, loft, master musicians of joujouka, Masters, midnight sunrise, musical language, ornette coleman, ornette coleman interview, pulitzer prize, recipient, religious ceremony, saxophone, town hall, trance music

Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting Ornette Coleman at his midtown loft and studio, the latter of which he affectionately calls "The Doghouse." When I left, I had an earworm moment. I could not shake "Midnight Sunrise" from my head. On that recording, from Dancing in Your Head, Ornette plays his saxophone with the Master Musicians of Joujouka during a religious ceremony of Sufi trance music.
That's a pretty good indication of how my time with him sounded - sometimes mystic, sometimes swirling with idea and sound, always emphasizing humanity, freedom, and eternity. See, Ornette Coleman is not without his own musical language and his own sound grammar. The best way to understand what Ornette Coleman is saying is to listen to what he has to say. Because at 78, he still has a lot on his mind.

Listen to the interview here.

Jazz legend Ornette Coleman is the recipient of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize in Music and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He will be performing at Town Hall this Friday, March 28th.
-Josh Jackson

© 2008 WBGO

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