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July 2011 Hello friends, Thanks as always for visiting the site! A couple of new recordings to announce: Planet Z featuring Susan Aquila is now available everywhere, on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby, and in stores. With great songs by Rob Tomaro and virtuoso electric violin playing from Susan (susanaquilamusic.com) and great guitar work from Rob, and a band featuring Ray Marchica and Paul Pizzuti on drums, Irio O’Farrill on bass, and Ted Baker and yours truly on keyboards (I also produced the music), the CD is getting lots of attention and positive response. Visit planetztheband.com for clips and fun merchandise. Thanks to all the people who helped put the CD and the promo package together. Like us on our Planet Z page on Facebook, too! After many years of unfortunate delay, I finally recorded “The Lion In Love,” the theater/classical hybrid piece I wrote with Sheldon Harnick (lyricist for Fiddler On The Roof, She Loves Me, Pulitzer Prize winner for Fiorello!, and of course countless other brilliant works). We had the assistance of outstanding soloists such as Brian Stokes Mitchell, Howard McGillin, and Rebecca Luker, a superb professional chorus, and a very elaborate MIDI orchestra (sorry, folks…). We are searching for a performance home for this piece, so please listen to the new clips posted in the “Music” section of this site. Sheldon and I are continuing work on two other pieces based on the fables of Jean de la Fontaine in hopes of making this a full-length concert piece. Look for those in the months to come! Susan and I spent an unforgettable week in May in beautiful Taipei, Taiwan. I was there to teach master classes in Songwriting and Music Direction at my former student’s (Owen Wang) instructional and production company, Studio M (www.studiom.com.tw). Owen is enjoying great success as a theatrical and film composer, and his original stage musical version of Mulan is following its Taiwan run with a production in Shanghai. The students at the seminars and lectures were fantastic, and we all shared an invaluable inter-continental exchange of ideas on music and the music profession. Photos in the photo section! More news to follow soon. Good wishes to all! Joe |
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