Thank you everyone who voted for Alan in Downbeat’s Readers Poll, so appreciated.
Alan made it into all three suggested categories: Pianist, Composer and Arranger!
-posted by JMMM for Alan Broadbent
All posts by JanMatthiesMusic
Released today: “Developing Story”
recording with Peter Erskine, Harvie S and the London Metropolitan Orchestra
Developing Story is the culmination of a life’s dream, a need I’ve always had to express something beautiful and substantial. I have to suppress my compulsion to be self critical, but I think I have succeeded in producing something meaningful and lasting. None of this would have transpired without Ralf Kemper’s encouragement, support and love, and I wish him all the success possible for the trials and tribulations he has gone through to realize this project. Lets hope it does well enough so that we can do some more! Link: Get “Developing Story”.
UK Tour review and upcoming albums
I’ve just returned from a small tour of the UK and a solo recording in Neuss, Germany. I’m writing to thank Georgia Mancio who wrote wonderful, musical lyrics to a host of my tunes written, literally, over the centuries. Oli Hayhurst on bass and Dave Ohm on drums were the best and at all times deeply swinging. And thanks to the audiences wherever we went who accepted these songs for adults as a given and who listened to them as seriously as they were intended. Georgia sang her heart out and we’ll have a CD of our time together coming out next April, “Songbook”.
In the middle of the tour I hopped over to Düsseldorf to record for my friend Ralf Kemper, who happens to have one of the most beautiful pianos on the planet. There I recorded an album’s worth of songs adapted from classical music. My most important goal was to reduce the mighty Wagner himself to a bunch of melodies (his), chord progressions (mostly, unbelievably, his) and rhythm (mine). I also wanted to present the greatness of his music in a way that could also be deeply and personally improvised on and not merely passed off as piano arrangements, something Liszt already did on a frightening level. I do believe I got the old boy to swing a little. This will be released later next year as “To the Evening Star”.
And finally, I’m awaiting the release on June 30, 2017 of “Developing Story” (please excuse the delay and pre-order here), produced by Ralf, performed by The London Metropolitan Orchestra and my trio with Harvie S and Peter Erskine. Something that will change the world!!!….sorry, got a bit carried away.
Alan at the Reform Club in London.
Oh, and if you got this far, that’s a photo of me at the Reform Club in London awaiting a poker game with Winston Churchill and Lloyd George (this is the corner of the card room where David Niv…. er, Phileas Fogg announced his trip around the world in 80 days, which, if nothing else, gave us the eponymously titled theme and the last song by Victor Young ).
Meanwhile, back to NYU teaching a couple of days a week. So that’s it. Please stay tuned.
New album “Developing Story” available for pre-order
Limited Edition 1000 pieces recording with Peter Erskine, Harvie S and the London Metropolitan Orchestra
My new album “Developing Story” is available for pre-order. Thank you Ralf Kemper (Producer) for making a recording of my orchestral works possible at Abbey Road Studios in London with Peter Erskine, Harvie S and the London Metropolitan Orchestra.
Find out more, listen and pre-order: Eden River Records
Thank you, Jonathan Allen
Thank you Jonathan Allen, the recording engineer for the recording with the London Metropolitan Orchestra, Harvie S, Peter Erskine “Developing Story”.
Jonathan’s projects have been nominated for and won many industry prizes from Grammys to Gramophone Awards. His film projects include titles such as Return of the Jedi Special Edition, Michael Jackson’s This is It, etc…
2 albums coming up this year
The recording from Abbey Road Studios with the London Metropolitan Orchestra, Peter Erskine and Harvie S “Developing Story” is close to the finish line. Mixing is almost done.
And in addition together with Georgia Mancio we just finished our 17th tune for the “Songbook” Album, which will be released this September.
First blog entry
Welcome to my blog. This is the first test entry.