Photo Coverage: Jane Krakowski Releases 'Laziest Girl In Town' Album

By: Jul. 14, 2010
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Jane Krakowski, the Tony Award winning Broadway star of Nine and Damn Yankees and the Emmy Award nominated star of "30 Rock" and "Ally McBeal," celebrated the release of her delightfully sexy debut album, The Laziest Gal In Town with an in-store CD signing and performance at Barnes & Noble Lincoln Center (1972 Broadway at 66th Street) yesterday July 13, 2010. The album, available through DRG Records, was captured last fall during her nightclub debut at the Park Avenue hotspot Feinstein's at Loews Regency. Last week, Jane was nominated for her second Emmy Award for her performance on "30 Rock."

The Laziest Gal In Town - named for the droll Cole Porter title cut - lets Jane shine in a charming variety of standards, show songs and rarities. She recreates her acclaimed theatrical triumph as the evil temptress "Lola" in Damn Yankees with "A Little Brains, A Little Talent." A medley of two zippy Jazz Age ditties, "Wacky Dust" and "When I Get Low, I Get High" - first popularized by the young Ella Fitzgerald - playfully sends up drug culture. Her modernized version of "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is furnished with clever new lyrics from The Wedding Singer co-writer Chad Beguelin. The bouncy mod-60s classic "Thirteen Men" pays homage to the sensual screen siren Ann-Margret. The highlight of the evening - the number that brings down the house every night - is "Tweet," a reworking of Rodgers and Hart's "Zip" from Pal Joey with new lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray, Catch Me If You Can). She ends the disc with an adult take on the "Sesame Street" favorite "Rubber Duckie," in a way that only Jane could do.

All arrangements are by music director Michael Kosarin, who is joined by Jay Leonhart on bass; John Redsecker on drums; Kevin Kuhn on guitar and ukulele; and Lawrence Feldman on flute, clarinet and saxophone. The album, produced by Hugh Fordin, also features liner notes by author and Wall Street Journal music critic Will Friedwald.

Jane Krakowski stars as "Jenna Maroney" in NBC's Emmy Award-winning "30 Rock," a workplace comedy where the workplace exists behind-the-scenes of a live variety show. Krakowski, along with the "30 Rock" cast, won the 2008 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. In 2009, she received her first Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy for her portrayal of Jenna.

The New Jersey-born beauty is an accomplished actress, dancer and singer with numerous awards and credits to her name from film, theatre and television. She won Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics awards for her stunning and sultry portrayal of "Carla" in Broadway's Nine opposite Antonio Banderas, and won an Olivier Award while starring in Guys and Dolls with Ewan McGregor in London's West End. She earned her first Tony nomination for her work in the production of Grand Hotel, and has also starred in Company, Once Upon A Mattress, Tartuffe and Starlight Express. Most recently, Krakowski starred in the Encores! revival of Damn Yankees opposite Sean Hayes.

During her five-year stint on the Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG award-winning series "Ally McBeal," she received a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of "Elaine Vassal." Other television credits include appearances on NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and "Everwood."

Making her film debut as "Cousin Vickie" in National Lampoon's Vacation with Chevy Chase, Krakowski has also starred alongside Jude Law in Alfie, and in Pretty Persuasion with Evan Rachel Wood and James Woods. In addition to lending her voice to the animated film Open Season from Sony Pictures, she co-starred opposite Abigail Breslin in the family film Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, and in the NBC Christmas Special "Muppets: Letters to Santa." She next appeared in the Universal feature, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant, from director Paul Weitz.

In addition to singing on several original Broadway cast recordings and the "Ally McBeal" Christmas episode compilation CDs, Krakowski recorded the hit single track "You" with Jim Brickman on his album Lovesongs and Lullabies.

For over 35 years, DRG Records has been a leader in Broadway cast recordings, film soundtracks, jazz and legendary cabaret performers. Recently, DRG has taken on a large scale venture in releasing long-out-of-print & first-time-on-CD releases. The label has received numerous Grammy Awards and nominations for its cast recordings and vocalists. DRG is a division of E1 Music and E1 Entertainment, the fastest-growing music company and the market leader among independents in North America. For more information on the labels and roster of artists, please visit www.drgrecords.com.

Photo Credit: Monica Simoes



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