Jason Robert Brown

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Last night I had the real treat, along with Mike and my friend Dan, of seeing theater composer Jason Robert Brown perform at a restaurant/bar on the East Side. Brown wrote “The Last Five Years” and “Parade” and was brought in to help fix “Urban Cowboy.” His show last night lasted more than two hours, and it was such a pleasure. His music isn’t what one would typically think of as Broadway music; while he enjoys wordplay, his songs are jazzy and funky and modern. He’s a terrific pianist and has a nice singing voice, too.

But the first thing I noticed was that he is a dead ringer for John Kerry 30 years ago. I swear — he looks just like him, he even talks just like him. It’s uncanny.

The evening was helped by his special guest performers, including Brian D’Arcy James, Julia Murney, and Carolee Carmello — the latter whom Matt, Mike, Jaye and I saw on Saturday in “Baby” at the Papermill Playhouse in New Jersey. Carolee Carmello twice in three days! I love her.

Now I’m going to have to listen to all of Jason Robert Brown’s stuff, probably after bumming it off Matt. After spending over two hours watching the guy perform, I have a real sense of his music now.

I love when that happens.

5 thoughts on “Jason Robert Brown”

  1. I’m on a JRB kick at the moment too, after rediscovering Parade. However, I’m unlikely to see JRB any time soon, so I’m jealous.

    Bloody New Yorkers.

  2. I haven’t seen Parade, but I adore Songs For a New World and recommend it most highly. I discovered it after I was fortunate enough to catch Audra McDonald performing Stars and The Moon in London once. Great stuff.

  3. I just attended the opening of the Chicago premiere of Parade Monday night; the ill-fated national tour never made it here, and it took five years for anyone to produce it here. Fantastic show, even if I did leave the theatre a little ashamed to be from the south.

  4. i am singing “still hurting” from the musical “five years later” for a school music assessment and i am loving it! the dramatic changes in melody and lyrics really set and atmosphere and the chord progression is just beautiful!

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