THE COLORS OF MY LIFE: A CY COLEMAN SONGBOOK to be Released in June

This intensely personal and fresh musical homage delves deeply into the composer’s jazz sensibilities and the work of his wonderful lyric partners.

By: Chloe Rabinowitz May. 29, 2024

THE COLORS OF MY LIFE: A CY COLEMAN SONGBOOK to be Released in June Image

CLUB44 RECORDS' The Colors of My Life: A Cy Coleman Songbook – the new album from ten-time Grammy Award-winning vocalist Janis Siegel and internationally recognized pianist, arranger, and composer Yaron Gershovsky – will be released on CD and streaming and digital formats on Friday, June 7. This intensely personal and fresh musical homage delves deeply into the composer’s jazz sensibilities and the work of his wonderful lyric partners. It was lovingly produced by Siegel and Gershovsky, who also provided instrumental and vocal arrangements. Pre-add or pre-save the album at c44.lnk.to/TheColorsOfMyLife

Janis and Yaron will celebrate the recording with a special concert at New York’s Birdland Theater on Tuesday, June 11. They will be joined by Boris Kozlov on bass and Cliff Almond on drums, in addition to special surprise guests. Tickets are available HERE.

Janis Siegel is certainly no stranger to music fans, as one of the original four powerhouse vocalists of The Manhattan Transfer. Partnering with The Manhattan Transfer’s longtime pianist and music director, Yaron Gershovsky, she has created a tender and virtuosic tribute to the late composer and pianist Cy Coleman. Janis’s vocals and Yaron’s arrangements and musicianship play off each other comfortably, with a keen familiarity that only decades of collaboration can accomplish. Both Siegel and Gershovsky had musical and personal experience with Coleman: Yaron was the vocal arranger for the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical City of Angels and Janis was part of the vocal ensemble in Cy’s last collaboration with Alan and Marilyn Bergman for The Kennedy Center.

“Diving into the magnificent and colorful world of Cy Coleman’s music alongside Yaron Gershovsky has been a profoundly enriching experience,” explains Siegel. “We are thrilled to present our unique perspective on his work and can’t wait to share our interpretations with music enthusiasts, both through our recording and live performances.”

Gershovsky adds: “Cy Coleman and I met while I was writing the vocal arrangements for City of Angels. What an inspiring and amazing experience that was. My love and appreciation of his music led me to The Colors of My Life, where Janis and I highlight Coleman’s genius as we unveil our interpretation of his music through our own personal musical lens. It’s a tribute and a celebration of Coleman and his enormous contribution to the American Songbook.”

Club44 A&R Director Joel Lindsey concludes, “Janis and Yaron have created something truly special in this work that music lovers will enjoy for years to come. The love and care they put into this homage to Coleman is evident with each note and lyric. I feel certain that Cy is smiling down with great pride at the work his friends have created.”

Janis Siegel

has been a member of the iconic vocal group The Manhattan Transfer since 1972. In addition to her work with the Transfer as a vocalist and vocal arranger, Siegel has maintained a vibrant solo career, releasing her first album, Experiment in White, in 1982. Her second solo album, At Home (1987), was nominated for a Grammy Award for “Best Jazz Vocal Performance.” Siegel’s other projects include a dozen finely crafted solo albums and collaborations, recording and touring as a member of Bobby McFerrin’s acclaimed improvisational vocal group Voicestra, teaching at NYU alongside New York Voices alto Lauren Kinhan, recording and touring as a member of Bobby Sanabria’s Grammy-nominated Multiverse Jazz Orchestra, producing various ventures for other artists and lending her voice to a wide array of projects.

Yaron Gershovsky

is a highly accomplished, internationally recognized and award-winning pianist, arranger, composer and producer. He has recorded and performed with several popular artists including Wayne Shorter, Lonnie Smith, Steve Gadd, Take 6, the Count Basie Orchestra, and of course, for the last 44 years, with The Manhattan Transfer. His Broadway credits include vocal arranging for the Tony Award-nominated musical Swing and the Tony Award-winning musical City of Angels. He was also the keyboardist for Broadway megahits Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera.

Cy Coleman

was a popular composer, songwriter and jazz pianist whose work included Billboard chart-topping singles, Broadway musicals and film scores. He was a five-time Tony Award winner, three-time Emmy Award winner, two-time Grammy winner, and Academy Award nominee. His pop classics include “The Best is Yet to Come” and “Witchcraft.” His Broadway musicals include City of Angels, Sweet Charity, The Life, Barnum, Little Me, On the Twentieth Century, and The Will Rogers Follies. Coleman’s film scores include Father Goose, Garbo Talks, and Family Business.