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The Alan Menken Album |
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 Produced by Bruce Kimmel Musical Direction, Arrangements and Orchestrations by David Lawrence All Music by Alan Menken *Lyrics by Howard Ashman ++ Lyrics by Tim Rice ** Lyrics by Jack Feldman +Lyrics by Tom Eyen #Lyrics by Stephen Shwartz |
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Sometimes, something nice happens out of the blue. For me, this is one of those "out of the blue" experiences. Debbie Shapiro Gravitte called me late last year and said she had been approached about recording an album of "Menken songs." She told me her approach and that of her arranger/producer, Bruce Kimmel, would be to combine well known with little konw from my body of work. Although I've followed and enjoyed Debbie in her many guises on Broadway, my only previous experiences with her performing my material was a demo she recorded of Daughter of God, a song Howard Ashman and I wrote independent of any project. I found her vocal performance thrilling and her demo irresistible. The cassette lived in my car tape player for months. I said "yes" and over the next few months. Debbie visited my studio and combed through old shows, demos, lead sheets, outtakes, computer files and CDs. So, what you have in your hand is a mixed bag of material from very well known to unknown, with vocal and instrumental interpretations ranging from faithful to completely new and original. Rockette and You Are the Only One are relics from the legendary KICS: THE SHOWGIRL MUSICAL. It was written in workshop with lyrics by Tom Eyen (of DREAMGIRLS fame). Debbie's husband Beau Gravitte lived through the unforgettable experience of our three (count-em three) wild workshop productions. Growin' Boy is from BABE, a musical Howar and I started (and abandoned) based on the life of Babe Ruth. It's one of many "food" songs Howard was noted for. (Be Our Guest, Feed Me, and Chees Nips, from GOD BLESS YOU, MR. ROSEWATER are others.) Debbie chose other little known Ashman/Menken songs . We'll Have Tomorrow was cut from the original stage production of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS and Crystal, Ronette and Chiffon was written to go over the end credits for the film version of LITTLE SHOP. Daughter of God is one of my favorite collaborations with Howard. The known songs are One Jump Ahead (one of my collaborations with Tim Rice from ALADDIN). Part of Your World (from THE LITTLE MERMAID), Santa Fe and Seize the Day (from NEWSIES), Suddenly Seymour (from LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS), Beauty and the Beast (from, of course, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST) and Someday/God Help the Outcasts (from THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME). Debbie ends the album with Take Care of My Heart from an abandoned Disney adaptation for THE LITTLE PRINCESS as a movie musical. As in NEWSIES, the lyrics are by Jack Feldman. In every case Debbie Shapiro Gravitte has taken the material and made it her own. Equal parts pop and theater and jazz and cabaret, she and Bruce have made an album that I find enjoyable, satisfying and moving. Once again Debbie lives in my tape player. And all I had to do was say "yes." Thanks Debbie. -Alan Menken |
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