The Jazz Fauré Project becomes a Musical
SUMMER on the SEINEClick here to visit our July 2010 Kickstarter campaign.
Response was overwhelmingly positive and edifying in equal measures. Out of the experience new scripts are being drawn; the concept gets retooled. Some things stay the same:
The musical setting is where French impressionism meets American jazz: the songs of 19th century French composer Gabriel Fauré are arranged for 21st century jazz combo and vocals, and why not? Our music is full of color and light and fleeting spontaneous gestures. Romance, cynicism, hopes and dreams.
The place: an inn and guinguette (dance floor) on an island in the Seine just a train and ferry ride west of Paris. The characters: A group of artists, musicians, their patrons and friends, brought together by the painter René D’Orsay. The theme: a round of love sought, found, lost and lived.
The first outcome of our musical theatre version was a recording of the songs with lyrics principally by Arnold Johnston, including several new selections arranged by Bobby Schiff. The summer 2011 release of "By the Riverbank" was performed by Amanda Hartley, Claudia Hommel, Elizabeth Doyle, John Eskola, Johnny Rodgers, KT McCammond, Sean Effinger-Dean and Sean Harris and our Jazz Fauré combo led by Bobby Schiff with the addition of Steve Roberts on guitar and mandolin!
