Hal Leonard Presents Jason Robert Brown Plays Jason Robert Brown
New Book/CD Volumes for Male & Female Singers Feature the Composer Performing Piano Accompaniments for Favorites from His Award-Winning Shows and Albums
MILWAUKEE - What singer wouldn't want to sing contemporary theatre songs along with piano accompaniments passionately recorded by the composer himself? New book/CD packs from Hal Leonard Corporation - Jason Robert Brown Plays Jason Robert Brown - let male and female singers do just that.
The Philadelphia Inquirer calls Jason Robert Brown "one of Broadway's smartest and most sophisticated songwriters since Stephen Sondheim," and the Chicago Tribune deems his theatre music "extraordinary (and) jubilant." His songs are enjoyed around the world in his live performances, and each year in the hundreds of productions of his beloved musicals - including Songs for a New World, Parade, The Last Five Years, Urban Cowboy the Musical and 13 the Musical.
Not only is Brown an ingenious composer with a cult following, he is also an extremely accomplished pianist. He says in the preface to the books, "For 20 years now, I've had singers tell me that they can't find pianists who can play my songs 'right.' It's hard enough singing my material properly under the best of circumstances, but when the accompaniment isn't correct - when the singer doesn't feel supported by the pianist - it can make some of my stuff all but impossible to learn."
Brown continues, "The best versions of any of my songs are the ones where the musicians (singers included) are deeply engaged with the emotions and the passions hiding underneath and around the rhythms and pitches and lyrics. It is my hope that the recordings collected here help singers and pianists alike to bring these songs to life in their own way."
The two new volumes from Brown's longtime publisher Hal Leonard feature 11 songs each for male and female voices. Brown's own painstakingly recorded piano accompaniments are on the CDs, which are playable on any CD player. To further facilitate learning, the discs are enhanced with tempo adjustment and transposition software for Mac & PC users.
The Women's Edition includes: from Songs from a New World - I'm Not Afraid of Anything * Stars and the Moon * Christmas Lullaby; from The Last Five Years - Still Hurting * A Summer in Ohio * I Can Do Better Than That * Goodbye Until Tomorrow; from Parade - You Don't Know This Man; from the CD Lauren Kennedy; Songs of Jason Robert Brown - And I Will Follow; from Urban Cowboy the Musical - Mr. Hopalong Heartbreak; from 13 the Musical - What It Means to Be a Friend.
These songs are in the Men's Edition: from Songs from a New World - She Cries * King of the World; from Parade * The Old Red Hills of Home * This Is Not Over Yet; from The Last Five Years - Shiksa Goddess * Moving Too Fast * If I Didn't Believe in You; from 13 the Musical - Being a Geek; from the CD Wearing Someone Else's Clothes - I Could Be in Love with Someone like You * Nothing in Common * Someone to Fall Back On.
Each volume of Jason Robert Brown Plays Jason Robert Brown retails for $22.99.
Visit www.jasonrobertbrown.com to learn more about the composer.
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