New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ CineMedia Promotions) Broadway Records is proud to announce the release of the
Original Broadway Cast Recording of the critically acclaimed, A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN on the occasion of the iconic musician's birthday celebration. The album will be available digitally on January 17, and the CD is currently available at the Lyceum Theatre. The album is also available for pre-orders at Amazon.com (https://amzn.com/B00HUG74VK) and the official show website anightwithjanisjoplin.com).
The 19-song album is anchored by Mary Bridget Davies' high-octane performance of Joplin's iconic hit songs. The New York Times gushes, saying Davies "captures the Joplin sound perfectly and keeps the house rocking, rocketing through at least a dozen of Joplin's best-known songs, and singing them with a throbbing fervor that is often riveting." The original Broadway cast recording also features music from Joplin's greatest musical influences including Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Odetta,
Nina Simone and Bessie Smith.
In the spirit of the original musical, the cast recording defies Broadway conventions. Recorded in New York City on October 21, 2013, the album was produced by Russ Titelman, Todd Gershwin,
Daniel Chilewich, Michael Cohl and Carl Casella. Titelman has, over the course of his 50 year career, recorded with Dusty Springfield,
Captain Beefheart and
Brian Wilson and produced albums by The Allman Brothers Band, Eric Clapton,
Paul Simon and many more.
The cast recording also marks the World Premiere of "I'm Gonna Rock My Way to Heaven," a song legendary writer and producer Jerry Ragovoy wrote for Joplin just prior to her death in 1970. Ragovoy, who had never allowed the song to be released prior to A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN, was in the audience for its stage premiere with his wife, Bev Ragovoy, opening night in Portland, Oregon in 2011, just one month before his own death. Ms. Ragovoy, who carries on his musical legacy, was ecstatic that the recording of this song was finally realized.
"A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN is all about unbelievable performances of Janis' legendary songs and her musical influences," said producer Dan Chilewich, who also serves as producer of the Broadway musical. "Russ was able to capture the blood, sweat and tears that Mary gives the audience each night on Broadway. It's the best way I can think of to honor this legendary performer."
Like a comet that burns far too brightly to last, Janis Joplin (portrayed by Mary Bridget Davies) exploded onto the music scene in 1967 and, almost overnight, became the
Queen of Rock 'n' Roll. The unmistakable voice filled with raw emotion and tinged with Southern Comfort made her a must-see headliner from Monterey to Woodstock. A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN is a musical journey celebrating Janis and her biggest musical influences - trailblazers like Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Odetta,
Nina Simone and Bessie Smith, who inspired one of Rock 'n' Roll's greatest legends. A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN opened on Thursday, October 10th at Broadway's Lyceum Theatre to rave reviews and audience adoration. The creative team for A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN features writer and director Randy Johnson (Elvis The Concert), recent Astaire Award-winning choreographer
Patricia Wilcox (Motown), set and lighting designer Justin Townsend (Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), costume designer Amy Clark (Chaplin), sound designer Carl Casella (Relatively Speaking), projection designer Darrel Maloney (American Idiot), music director Ross Seligman (regional touring production of One Night With Janis Joplin which toured numerous cities across the country prior to coming to Broadway), and original music director and arranger Len Rhodes (Mike Tyson's The Undisputed Truth in Las Vegas).
The opening night cast, also featured on the cast album, includes
Mary Bridget Davies reprising her role as Janis Joplin, Taprena Michelle Augustine (The Book of Mormon), Tony Award nominee De'Adre Aziza (Passing Strange),
Nikki Kimbrough (Dreamgirls) and Alison Blackwell (The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess), who will be playing the various roles of Joplin's iconic female singers who influenced her music and also as her backup singers, "The Joplinaires". They are joined in the production by NaTasha Yvette Williams (The
Color Purple), now on stage as Aretha Franklin, Kacee Clanton (One Night with Janis Joplin regionally) as Janis Joplin alternate,
Allison Blackwell (currently appearing as Joplinaire swing) and Alison Cusano (One Night with Janis Joplin regionally) as Joplinaire swing and Janis Joplin understudy.
A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN is produced on Broadway by
Daniel Chilewich, Todd Gershwin, Michael Cohl, Jeffrey Jampol, TCG Entertainment, Stephen Tenenbaum, Michael J. Moritz Jr./Brunish & Trinchero, Richard Winkler, Ginger Productions, Bill Ham, Claudio Loureiro, Keith Mardak, Ragovoy Entertainment, Bob and Laurie Wolfe/Neil Kahanovitz, Jerry Rosenberg/AJ Michaels, Mike Stoller & Corky Hale Stoller, Darren P. DeVerna, Susan DuBow,
Tanya Grubich, Jeremiah H. Harris, and Herb Spivak. The musical is also presented in association with The Estate of Janis Joplin and Jeffrey Jampol for JAM, Inc.
"MARY BRIDGET DAVIES IS RIVETING"
The New York Times
"A ROCKIN' GOOD TIME"
Associated Press
"A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN
WHIPS THE CROWD INTO A HAPPY FRENZY"
USA Today
"MARY BRIDGET DAVIES'S PERFORMANCE
IS GLORIOUS & UNDENIABLY THRILLING"
The New Yorker
TRACK LISTING:
1. Tell Mama
2. Maybe (Chantels)
3. Summertime
4. Turtle Blues
5. Down On Me
6. Piece Of My Heart
7. Today I Sing The Blues
8. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out
9.
Spirit In The Dark
10. Try (Just A
Little Bit Harder)
11. Maybe
12.
Little Girl Blue
13. Cry Baby
14. Kozmic Blues/I Shall Be Released Medley
15. Me And
Bobby McGee
16. Ball And Chain
17. Stay With Me
18. I'm Gonna Rock My Way To
Heaven (previously unrecorded)
19. Mercedes Benz
For more information:
www.anightwithjanisjoplin.com
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