Well, dear readers, when I began producing albums back in the late 1980s, little did I know where it would lead and who I would meet, and, more importantly, who I would become friends with. In the original days of Bay Cities, a label I started with two other people (with our very own Nick Redman joining us about a year in, I think), we began by reissuing a whole series of recordings of American classical music, some of which had been major influences on my young life, especially the music of Robert Ward. How I loved the music of Robert Ward. I discovered the music of Robert Ward when I was acting in my high school production of The Crucible by Arthur Miller (I was in the 10th grade). I’ve written about this in Kritzer Time, but I happened to be in Phil Harris Records on Hollywood Boulevard and much to my amazement there was a boxed set of something called The Crucible. I looked at it and discovered it was an opera based on the play. Who knew? An opera. I did not know anything about opera, but I did love certain types of classical music. Well, I had to take the chance and I bought it and played it that very evening and I must say it really had an effect on my life. The harmonics, the orchestral textures, the vocal lines were all so beautiful and really touched me. I played it over and over. Flash forward, and the first Bay Cities release is the Robert Ward Piano Concerto, a piece that is beyond brilliant – it’s one of my favorite pieces EVER. Soon thereafter, the phone rang and it was Mr. Ward. We had a wonderful conversation, and we ended up issuing several more CDs of his music. We spoke often, corresponded (no e-mails back then), and became really friendly – a dream come true for me. I heard from other composers like Homer Keller and Ernest Gold. I was like a kid in a candy store, actually. A week after we did the first CD issue of A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum I got a nice little envelope in the mail, the first of what would turn out to literally be hundreds of such envelopes. It was from Stephen Sondheim, thanking me for putting out the CD. We struck up a correspondence, too, and I began sending him all our discs, for which he was very grateful, especially the music of Robert Ward – he was a huge fan, as well. I got another letter for that same release, this one from Tony Walton, who’d done the sets and costumes for Forum. He was so self-effacing, asking if I knew who he was and that he’d like to get a copy of the CD. I wrote him back and told him I was a huge fan. Our second show CD was, I think, Golden Boy. I got another letter from Tony, who’d done the sets for that. We then put out Chicago. I got another letter from Tony, who’d done the sets for THAT. We then put out the CD of Woman Of The Year – another letter from Tony. What are the odds that our first four show releases would all have sets by one person? I knew Mr. Sondheim loved games, so I sent him a note asking to solve the puzzle of what our first four show releases had in common. He didn’t figure it out. I became very friendly with Tony, and that friendship continues to this day. We then decided to do a CD of classical works by Broadway composers. I brazenly wrote to John Kander, Charles Strouse, Harvey Schmidt and Cy Coleman, all of whom wrote and/or called back immediately and all of whom offered pieces for the CD. The first time I heard from Cy, he called the office and asked for me. I got on the phone and he said, “Bruce, this is Cy. Listen to this!” And he proceeded to play for me OVER THE PHONE the just mixed Never Met A Man I Didn’t Like from The Will Rogers Follies. That was my introduction to Cy. We, too, became very friendly and the day I got the mix finished of the first Alice and Emily album I went to his house and played him the Cy tracks, all of which he loved. He also loved the Randy Graff Cy album we did, and eventually I recorded the revival of Little Me. But the enduring friendship that came out of that album was Harvey Schmidt. We talked many times during the planning of the album and really hit it off. Then, one fine day I flew to New York and my friend Walter Willison had arranged a dinner for me to finally meet Harvey. It was at a wonderful jernt called Lattanzi’s on 46th Street near Ninth. If I’m remembering correctly, Zina Bethune was also there, because Walter was doing Grand Hotel with her. Well, I loved Zina Bethune from The Nurses, so that was a real treat. Harvey was very formal for about ten minutes, and then something happened and I said something and he started howling with laughter and we literally just became best friends right then and there.
We have remained close ever since then, and I’ve probably recorded more Schmidt and Jones material than anyone else. I told Harvey about how I discovered his music when I was at Wallich’s Music City and found the cast album of The Fantasticks with that great first LP cover – white with the Fantasticks logo (Harvey’s handwriting) in purple. I took the LP in the listening booth and fell in love – every song, every note of music spoke to me. Needless to say, I bought the album and wore out several copies over the years. Same with 110 In The Shade and I Do, I Do. We recorded cut songs from all of them. Harvey and Tom Jones had literally written 110 songs for 110 In The Shade and I think I’ve heard ’em all and there’s not a bum one in the bunch. We’ve shared many, many meals together, talked for hours on the phone, and I just adore him. My favorite Harvey story is this: When we were doing the first couple of Lost In Boston albums, he would always send me Evening Star, which was never used in 110, but which contained that gorgeous opening melody of Gonna Be Another Hot Day, probably my favorite Schmidt melody ever. I really wanted to do the song, but it just never felt right to me. Meantime, my close personal friend Guy Haines had done a couple of Schmidt and Jones songs, and Harvey loved Guy. When we were prepping Lost In Boston IV I called Harvey and said this time I really wanted Guy to do Evening Star, but I felt strongly that the song didn’t work as it was written. Harvey got silent, and then asked what I meant. I told him that I felt it had never been put in the show because it wasn’t complete – it had two A sections, basically – no bridge, no third A. He said he didn’t know if he agreed with me, and I asked him just to think about writing a bridge, just for fun – and then there’d be a repeated A at the end. After our conversation, I really thought that was the end of that. Two days later, I got a Fed Ex at the Varese office, in which was a cassette of Evening Star. It was Harvey playing the tune. And in the middle there was the most beautiful bridge – just perfection in every way. I broke out in tears, actually and called him immediately to thank him for doing it. I then asked if he’d call Tom and have him write a lyric. He didn’t think Tom would go anywhere near it – I said to remind Tom just how many Schmidt and Jones things I’d recorded. Harvey laughed and said he would. Two days later, Tom wrote a fantastic lyric to the bridge, and voila, the song suddenly worked. Guy recorded it and everyone really seemed to like it. And the end result was that the song, with my bridge, is now featured in every production of 110 In The Shade.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because these are the longest paragraphs in history.
Yesterday, I got up early and had to do an early jog, after dealing with a LOT of e-mails. I had an e-mail saying the two CD packages had been approved, so those went off to the printers. I then heard the bonus tracks on the soundtrack release, approved them, and now that and the Anya masters will be overnighted directly to the pressing plant. We’re hoping they’ll be up on the Kritzerland site by Friday, at least I’m really pushing for that. If not Friday, then Monday for sure. I had a nice lunch at the Studio Café, and then I had a good meeting with the President of LACC – we hashed out a lot of stuff – the bottom line is that Nudie Musical can’t happen this summer, but she’s going to do everything she can to make it happen at some point, so I’m now sure it will. Then I came home, did more stuff, and finally sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on DVD entitled The Outrage, starring Mr. Paul Newman, Mr. Edward G. Robinson, Miss Claire Bloom, Mr. Laurence Harvey, Mr. Howard da Silva, and a very young William Shatner. The film is based on Kurosawa’s film of Akutagawa’s Rashomon. It’s amazingly similar, even though the Ritt film is a western of sorts. Interestingly, the film was written by Michael Kanin. Michael Kanin and his wife Fay had, of course, written the Broadway version of Rashomon, whose incidental score we just put out on Kritzerland. Equally as interesting, the star of that show was Claire Bloom. I’ve always enjoyed The Outrage, even though Mr. Ritt basically made an American Art Film. The actors are all very good, although it does take some getting used to Mr. Newman as a Mexican bandit. And the film has a very short but wonderful score by Alex North. But the real star of the film is photographer James Wong Howe. The black and white scope photography is literally breathtakingly beautiful and strange and unique. I wish the transfer were just a little sharper, but it’s very good nonetheless. I didn’t quite love the film as I did when I first saw it, but it’s enjoyable and worth a look.
Today, I have another three-hour work session with Linda Purl and Kevin Spirtas – we’re meeting with pianist John Randall to sing through a bunch of songs we’re thinking about including in the act. So, that will be a pleasurable way to spend three hours – listening to two wonderful singers singing wonderful songs. This session isn’t about anything other than just hearing how their voices sit on the music and to see which songs will make the cut and which won’t.
After that, I have no other plans and I intend to keep it that way. Tomorrow, I think there’s something going on but I can’t remember what. I’m sure it will come to me.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do the long jog (time permitting), have a three-hour work session, eat something amusing, and perhaps watch a DVD or three. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers, and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I go play me some Harvey Schmidt songs.