Steve's work is available on the following albums. To purchase, select the album artwork.
"Jersey Boys" was an incredible experience from start to finish. We recorded the album as the Broadway production was rehearsing, and right afterward I was headed back to LA to start orchestrating the show. Bob Gaudio, composer and producer extraordinaire, asked if I would stay and mix the album with him. Bob, Pete Karam (the engineer) and I spent two weeks of 14-16 hour days together, creating this fantastic cast album/pop album/concept album. Special thanks to my dear friend Ron Melrose for asking me to work on the show.
I was initially called to Mr. Sondheim's house to find a key for Angela Lansbury to sing "Send in the Clowns." I sat at the piano (on which he wrote the song) and played it in twelve keys, surrounded by Stephen, Paul Gemignani, Angela, and Paul Lazarus (the director). I played all the rehearsals with Angela and the rest of the cast, and played keyboards for the album, my first commercial release.
This show was my return to the live theatre, after many years of scoring TV & movies. The Pasadena Playhouse Production starred Alyson Reed, Anthony Crivello, and Carol Lawrence, and was the first of many collaborations with my friend David Lee.
This was one of many wonderful collaborations with my pal Ron Abel. Petula was delightful, and she still uses my chart of "I Never Do Anything Twice" in concert.
This album and Petula Clark's were done almost simultaneously, and both were released within a month. I didn't have much interaction with Helen, but it was exciting to hear that voice singing live to my orchestrations.
Paul Lazarus and I started working on this show in 1982 in Dorset, Vermont. Many productions followed, including ones at the Goodspeed Opera House and the Pasadena Playhouse. This album is essentially the Pasadena cast: David Garrison, Harry Groener, and Donna McKechnie. Megan Mullaly did the show but wasn't available for the album, so she was replaced by a pre-Wicked Kristin Chenoweth. Samuel French has licensed my orchestrations and they are used whenever the show is performed around the world.
Deborah was delightful, genuine, and very appreciative. In mixing the album, she would occasionally dive into Pro Tools and do some editing herself - a very talented woman.
This was the last show I orchestrated in New York before I moved to Los Angeles, collaborating with Stephen Schwartz and Alam Menken on some really wonderful songs. There is no recording of the original cast, which included Jason Alexander, Dee Hoty, and Nancy Opel. This one is from a London production.
Debbie is a dear friend, an amazing performer, and a good sport. There are lots of great recordings on this album, but I had the most fun with "Theme from 2001" where we recorded her singing lots of isolated musical phrases and spoken interjections (some not too flattering) and I cobbled them into a track.
Judy and I had worked together years before on the "Stephen Sondheim Evening" concert, and I was her Musical Director for several concerts. I had a great collaborative experience with Patrick Brady, and am particularly proud of "Hostess with the Mostess."
This was the first album where I arranged all the material as well as orchestrated and conducted. There are lots of big band pieces like "Craziest Dream" and "Milkman" and a great "Ginger & Fred Medley" done with Jason Graae. My favorite, though, is "Falling in Love Again" done with just a string quartet.
This was the first album I did for Varese Sarabande. I had two weeks to orchestrate and copy sixteen songs, before I was using Finale. It was frantic, down to the wire, and trial by fire. After this one, I did Shakespeare on Broadway, Unsung Musicals III, and lots more. Thank you, Bruce, for the opportunity.
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