Amanda McBroom and Lee Lessack Set for CHANSON D'AMOUR at Ford Amphitheatre, 10/7

From the Great White Way to the Champs-Elysees, Chanson d'amour is a journey through the Great French Songbook from an American perspective. Led by two of the most illustrious cabaret singers ever to grace the stage, Amanda McBroom and Lee Lessack, Chanson d'amour explores the works of such French composers as Jacques Brel, Michael Legrand, Charles Aznavour and Gilbert Bécaud. Backed by Music Directors Michel Brourman (piano & vocals) and John Boswell (piano), and esteemed musicians Stephan Oberhoff (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Larry Tuttle (bass), Debra Dobkin (percussion & vocals), and David Boswell (guitar), McBroom and Lessack in both duets and solo performances explore the great French love songs of the 20th Century at the Ford Amphitheatre on October 7, 2011 at 8:00 PM.

For McBroom, interpreting French love songs is a career-long passion. McBroom released her 2010 album Chanson, as an homage to Jacques Brel, the Belgian singer/songwriter whose albums, which he recorded almost exclusively in French, have sold over 25 million copies worldwide. Chanson presents a rare opportunity to hear English translations of Brel's lyrics. McBroom's experience with Brel's chansons dates back to 1969 when she starred in Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. McBroom was immediately taken by his music describing it as ‘sexy, smart, political, pissed-off and very French.' Truly inspired, McBroom cites Brel's genius as her inspiration for becoming a songwriter and ultimately writing the ‘The Rose.'

‘Jacques Brel changed my life as a singer and a songwriter,' reflects McBroom. ‘His music, in its intelligence and passion, his character-driven musical stories, opened a whole new world to me. I wanted to sing as he did, to write songs that would set listeners on fire and heal their hearts. ‘The Rose' would probably never have happened had I not heard his music first.'

Lessack is a true admirer of the Great French Songbook and will release his seventh CD Chanteur, which highlights music from Michel Legrand, Jacques Brel, Charles Aznavour, Gilbert Bécaud and more on August 9, 2011 via LML Music/Allegro. Lessack's Chanteur repertoire, which he sings in English and French, takes the listener from the streets of Paris to the Broadway stage, with influences and inspirations from Sinatra to Leonard Cohen. The album was inspired by the live show of the same name, conceived and directed by Tony Award nominee Brian Lane Green and premiered last summer with concert performances in London and Paris.

‘My curiosity stemmed from the influence this vast body of material has had on the American singer,' says Lessack. ‘I've always been a big fan of Jacques Brel and knew many of the lush movie themes written by Michel Legrand, but this journey brought me the gifts of Charles Aznavour - widely considered to be the ‘Sinatra' of France - and Gilbert Bécaud among others. Most French songwriters are poets and so I found that each song was literally a one act play.'

Amanda McBroom first garnered worldwide attention when Bette Midler sang Amanda's song ‘The Rose,' which climbed all the way to #1 on the Billboard charts in 1979. Her songs have been recorded by the likes of Leanne Rimes, Barry Manilow, Judy Collins, Barbara Cook, Anne Murray, Harry Belafonte, Betty Buckley, Stephanie Mills, and The Manhattan Transfer, among others. However, the best interpretations of McBroom songs are often sung by McBroom herself. She is a revered performer and has received rave reviews in concert halls around the world including Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Sidney's Angel Recital Hall, Meyer Hall in Melbourne, Chiang Kai?Shek Memorial Hall in Taiwan and Pizza on the Park in London.

Lee Lessack's graceful lyric baritone voice and sophisticated yet endearing persona have made him a shining star of the international concert scene. Billboard magazine calls his singing, ‘Cabaret romanticism of a high order.' Touring extensively in the United States and Europe to sold-out performances and releasing six - soon to be seven - albums, Lessack has proven himself as an outstanding performer and recording artist. His fifth recording, In Good Company was released in 2005 to critical acclaim. Impeccably produced, the album beamed with outstanding performances from Lessack as well as featuring duets with music notables like Michael Feinstein, Maureen McGovern, Amanda McBroom, Ann Hampton Callaway and Stephen Schwartz. In Good Company earned Lessack a MAC and Bistro Award for Best Recording of the Year.

Chanson d'amour takes place Friday, October 7 2011 at 8:00 PM (doors open at 7:00 PM; grounds open at 6:00 PM). Tickets purchased by October 1 are $25-$35. After October 1, tickets are $30-$40. Tickets for students and children are $12. Group discounts are also available. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.fordtheatres.org or call the Ford Box Office at 323 461-3673.

The Ford Amphitheatre is located at 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood, CA 90068, just off the 101 Hollywood Freeway across from the Hollywood Bowl and south of Universal Studios. The grounds open two hours before showtime for picnicking. The Ford offers a number of dining options: a variety of food and beverages is available on site and box dinners for evening events may be ordered in advance. Patrons are welcome to bring their own food and drink.

The Ford is disabled accessible. Portable wireless listening devices are available upon request. On-site, stacked parking costs $5 per vehicle for evening shows and $1 per vehicle for morning family shows. For evening shows only, FREE non-stacked parking serviced by a FREE shuttle to the Ford, for evening amphitheatre performances only, is available at the Universal City Metro Station lot at Lankershim Blvd. and Campo de Cahuenga. The shuttle, which cycles every 15-20 minutes, stops in the ‘kiss and ride' area.

This event is part of the Ford Amphitheatre 2011 Season, a multi-disciplinary arts series produced by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission in cooperation with Los Angeles County-based arts organizations. For a complete season schedule, directions to the theater and parking information, log on to www.FordTheatres.org.

 

To post a comment, you must register and login.