2008 Spring Season
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BAMbill April 2008 2008 Spring Season Eddie Martinez, Intergalactic Go Fish, 2007 BAM 2008 Spring Season is sponsored by: 2008 Spring Season Brooklyn Academy of Music Alan H. Fishman William I. Campbell Chairman of the Board Vice Chairman of the Board Karen Brooks Hopkins Joseph V. Melillo President Executive Producer presents Paul Simon: Songs from The Capeman BAM Harvey Theater Apr 1—6 at 8pm Produced by BAM Oscar Hernández and The Spanish Harlem Orchestra Featuring performances by Claudette Sierra, Obie Bermudez, Steve Conte, Luba Mason, Jorge Maldonado, Nicole Lequerica, Danny Rivera, Ray De La Paz, Frankie Negrón, Paul Simon Special guest performance by Little Anthony & The Imperials Staging by Megan Williams Lighting by Roderick Murray Sound design by Elias Sotomayor Musical advisor Phil Ramone Stage manager Erica Schwartz Assistant stage manager Sarah Ford Production assistant Sean Thorne Costume consultant Kate Patterson BAM 2008 Spring Season is sponsored by Bloomberg. Leadership support for Songs from The Capeman is provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Visa Signature is a major sponsor for Love in Hard Times: The Music of Paul Simon. Songs from The Capeman opening night reception will feature beer by Stella. Floral décor provided by Fleurs Bella. Who’s Who Photo of Paul Simon by Mark Seliger Photo of Paul Performers: LITTLE ANTHONY & THE IMPERIALS SPANISH HARLEM ORCHESTRA Oscar Hernández Featured vocalists: Edgardo Miranda Cuatro Ray De La Paz Nelson Gonzalez Tres Nicole Lequerica Paul Livant Guitar Claudette Sierra Mitchell Frohman Sax/Flute Luba Mason George Delgado Percussion Steve Conte Luis Quintero Percussion Jorge Maldonado Robby Ameen Drums Obie Bermudez Pete Nater Trumpet Frankie Negrón Daniel Reagan Trombone Danny Rivera Bob Franceschini Sax/Flute Arturo Ortiz Keyboards Doo-wop singers: Hector Colon Trumpet Edwin Cornell McKnight Gordon Titcomb Pedal Steel Myrna Lynn Gomila Bernie Minoso Bass Kelli Sae Marco Bermudez back-up singer Gilberto Velaquez William Torres back-up singer Ariacne Trujillo Eddie Rosado Luis Cruz Alkebulan Producer Chris Wangro George Lamond Paul Simon LOVE IN HARD TIMES: THE MUSIC OF PAUL SIMON Paul Simon: Songs from The Capeman Apr 1—6 Paul Simon: Under African Skies Apr 9—13 Apr 9: BAM Spring Gala Paul Simon: American Tunes Apr 23—27 BAMcinématek will screen The Graduate (1967) on April 12 at 9:15pm, directed by Mike Nichols, with soundtrack by Paul Simon, performed by Simon & Garfunkel. A BAMtalk will be held on May 5 at 7pm in the BAM Harvey Theater, featuring Paul Simon in coversation with composer Philip Glass. Dear BAM Audience, June of 1999 was an important transitional moment for BAM. Harvey Lichtenstein, BAM’s president for 32 years, was retiring, and we were jointly succeeding him as president and executive producer, respectively. Harvey was going out with a big bang, and we were producing a huge gala to honor the occasion. Dan Klores, BAM Board member and longtime friend of Paul Simon, asked Paul to consider performing at the event. He agreed, we were thrilled, and a relationship was born. From the first moment Paul stepped on our stage, we knew he was a BAM artist: courageous, pioneering, and deeply heartfelt, with a massive creative output incorporating an extraordinary variety of musical styles and influences. Paul has created albums rooted in Brazilian, South African, and Latin styles. He has incorporated American musical styles including doo-wop, jazz, gospel, and rock & roll in his songs. He has composed for large bands, performed solo on acoustic guitar, and written scores for both theater and film. The poetry of his lyrics matches the beauty of his songwriting. And so, for nearly ten years we’ve been discussing how Paul Simon and BAM could work together. The opportunity finally arose this past fall when another Board member, Charles Diker, strongly advocated that BAM get more involved with popular music presentations. With the Board’s support and our own long-standing goal of producing a Paul Simon project, we decided to present a new style of singer-songwriter “portrait.” Rather than mount a one-night tribute, which has become the standard formula for recognizing a popular music icon, we thought it would be more interesting to honor Paul’s enormous body of work through a month-long residency. During the month of April, BAM audiences will have a rare chance to truly immerse themselves in Paul’s music and to experience the depth of this New York City artist’s talent. We welcome you to join us as we forge a new way of celebrating an incredible musical journey 40 years in the making. — Karen & Joe Karen Brooks Hopkins is BAM’s President, and Joseph V. Melillo is BAM’s Executive Producer. Paul Simon—Discography Paul Simon 1991 Paul Simon’s Concert in the Park 1965 The Paul Simon Songbook 1997 Songs from The Capeman 1972 Paul Simon 2000 You’re the One 1973 There Goes Rhymin’ Simon 2006 Surprise 1974 Paul Simon in Concert: Live Rhymin’ Simon and Garfunkel 1975 Still Crazy After All These Years 1964 Wednesday Morning, 3AM 1980 One Trick Pony 1966 Sound of Silence 1983 Hearts and Bones 1966 Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme 1986 Graceland 1968 Bookends 1990 The Rhythm of the Saints 1970 Bridge Over Troubled Water Who’s Who Paul Simon, during his distinguished career, has Andrew and Katrina it was the primary health been the recipient of many honors and awards care source for those communities decimated including twelve Grammy Awards, three of which by the storms. Simon has also raised millions (Bridge Over Troubled Water, Still Crazy After of dollars for worthy causes as varied as All These Years, and Graceland) were albums AMFAR, The Nature Conservancy, The Fund for of the year. In 2003 he was given a Grammy Imprisoned Children In South Africa and Autism Lifetime Achievement Award for his work as Speaks. In 1989 The United Negro College Fund half of the duo Simon and Garfunkel. He is an honored him with its Frederick D. Patterson inductee of The Songwriters Hall of Fame and Award. On May 23, 2007, Simon was the is in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame both as a recipient of the first annual Library of Congress member of Simon and Garfunkel and as a solo Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. artist. His song “Mrs. Robinson” from the motion picture The Graduate was named in the top Obie Bermudez, born in the mountain town of ten of The American Film Institute’s 100 Years Aibonito, Puerto Rico, moved to the farmlands 100 Songs. He was a recipient of The Kennedy of Vineland, NJ with his family before his teens. Center Honors in 2003 and was named as one Music actually wasn’t his first passion, it was of Time Magazine’s “100 People Who Shape poetry. He learned guitar from his father, a Our World” in 2006. Of Simon’s many concert big Beatles fan, while also being influenced appearances he is most fond of the two concerts by his mother’s lively salsa sounds. Soon, in Central Park in New York (with his partner and he brought his two loves of words and music childhood friend Art Garfunkel in 1981 and as together, recording a demo in 1996 that led to a solo artist in 1991) and the series of shows an international label deal and the release of his he did at the invitation of Nelson Mandela in debut album Locales two years later. Though he South Africa: the first American artist to perform received some acclaim, that first album didn’t in post-apartheid South Africa. Paul Simon’s make him an overnight star; Bermudez chose philanthropic work includes the co-founding to step back from his career and took a job at a of The Children’s Health Fund with Dr. Irwin laundromat in the South Bronx, where his life Redlener. The CHF donates and staffs mobile and those of customers and co-workers inspired medical vans that bring health care to poor and the songs that would fill his second album, indigent children in urban and rural locations Confesiones, released by EMI International in around the United States. In the 20 years since 2004. The album’s lead single “Antes” topped its inception it has provided over 1,500,000 Latin charts worldwide and led to Confesiones doctor/patient visits. In the wake of Hurricanes receiving multiple Latin Grammy nominations. Who’s Who Bermudez next followed with the award-winning a 2004 Grammy award with Spanish Harlem album, Todo El Año, which further established Orchestra, where he plays an important part as the young artist as a leader among Latin music’s one of the Orchestra’s lead vocalists. new generation of singer-songwriters by garnering three nominations and taking home the Latin Oscar Hernández has long been considered one Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Album. of the most gifted and prominent pianist/arrangers on the contemporary music scene. Since its Steve Conte is a critically acclaimed singer, inception in the early 1980s, Hernández has songwriter, guitarist, and recording artist based been responsible for charting the musical course in NYC. As a sideman Conte has worked with of the Rubén Blades Band; the Bronx native Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, Willy DeVille, Maceo has also produced such artists as Daniel Ponce, Parker, Peter Wolf, David Johansen, Billy Squier, Rafael Dejesus, Eddie Torres, Phil Hernandez, Phoebe Snow, John Waite, Chuck Berry, Willie and Steve Kroon. He has made a more personal Nile, and Japanese composer Yoko Kanno, statement with the CDs Decision and Alternate among others. Currently, Conte plays guitar, sings Roots (with his band Seis Del Solar), and now backup and writes songs with the legendary New The Spanish Harlem Orchestra, whose three York Dolls, taking over for the late Johnny Thun- CDs have garnered three Grammy nominations ders.