Jimmy Webb News

Showcasing one of the most powerful and unique voices in modern popular music, NCM Fathom Events and Warner Bros. Records will present 'JOSH GROBAN LIVE: All That Echoes.' Broadcasting the superstar singer's new album release event to select movie theaters nationwide on Monday, Feb. 4 at 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT and tape delayed at 7:30 p.m. MT/PT, this intimate one-night event will feature Groban as he performs hits from his 12-year career, highlighted by exclusive selections from his new album, 'All That Echoes.'

By the last August, I had fallen so far behind on writing reviews of cabaret shows from the spring and early summer (I guess it's a positive when there are more performers and shows in New York than days in the week) that I decided to play catch up by combining a bunch of critiques into one big column. I hadn't planned on doing that again, but this fall there were so many shows that once again I couldn't keep up. but at least I've beaten my self-imposed deadline New Year's Eve deadline of posting these reviews of 12 shows, all staged between September-December by lovely, attractive women (okay, so one is a gender-bender) of varying talents and levels on the cabaret depth chart, from established stars to MAC and Bistro Award-winners to comeback 'kids' to interesting beginners and occasional performers who are in the game to follow their bliss. Whether their performances were rave-worthy, earning of qualified praise, or not quite up to snuff, they all deserve kudos for taking the plunge.

Broadway Records and 54 BELOW announced in October that they joined in partnership to create a series of albums recorded live at the brand new venue, 54 BELOW, located just steps away from the heart of Times Square.

Today we are talking to a versatile performer first known to the world at large through her iconic early-career movie theme recordings - singing the Oscar-winning 'The Morning After' from THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE, as well as the classic themes from THE TOWERING INFERNO, SUPERMAN and musical material and a memorable musical moment in AIRPLANE!; in addition to her many full-length studio albums later in life - who then emerged as a compelling theatrical performer with a string of roles on Broadway, Off Broadway and in regional theater - a replacement star of NINE, as well as THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, as well as original cast member of 1989's THE 3 PENNY OPERA, 1984's premire production of BROWNSTONE, and, most recently, a Broadway featured cast member in LITTLE WOMEN - the radiant and vocally resplendent Maureen McGovern. Looking back on her remarkable career and taking us on the journey from Hollywood to Broadway and beyond, McGovern reflects on some famous co-stars and her side of the riveting productions she participated in both onstage and onscreen, as well as opens up about some of her favorite recordings and composers to date insofar as her recording career is concerned, to say nothing of her proud position as the so-deemed self-confessed 'Disaster Theme Queen'. We also outline her cabaret work over the years, in anticipation of McGovern's week of shows at 54 Below, titled HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, beginning December 18 and running through December 23, where she will be sharing some of her favorite seasonal songs, new and old, as well as reviving some of her show-stopping standards and iconic movie themes and perhaps a surprise or two, too. Additionally, we touch upon her bio-musical, CARRY IT ON, her new women writer retrospective concert show and much, much more!

Internationally renowned, multi-platinum recording artist Josh Groban has announced the track-listing for his upcoming album All That Echoes today via his YouTube Channel. He also announced that the first single will be 'Brave,' and that it will be available via all digital retailers on December 18th.

Englewood Fire Department and Bergen Performing Arts Center are teaming up again to collect TOYS for children in need Bergen County with bergenPAC's November 25th performance of kids show, ImaginOcean, and continuing through the holidays, bergenPAC will be collecting new, unwrapped toys to be distributed to area children. Toys will be collected at Jim Brickman (November 28th ), Video Games Live (November 29th), New Jersey Ballet's The Nutcracker performances(December 1st and 2nd), Brian Setzer Orchestra (December 5th ), Judy Collins with Jimmy Webb (December 8th), Audra Rox Live!(December 9th), and A Christmas Carol (December 15th) , Chef Robert Irvine" (December 16th) and Kenny Rogers with special guest Billy Dean (December 19th).

Rubicon Theatre Artistic Directors KARYL LYNN BURNS and JAMES O'NEIL announced the company's 15th Anniversary Season at a preview event for subscribers, donors and media last earlier this month at the theatre's home in Ventura's Downtown Cultural District. The event was hosted by Rubicon Board President DR. ROZ WARNER and Board of Advisors' Chair/Board Vice-President JEFF SMITH, with onstage appearances by several of the directors, writers and performers for the season.

Anything Barbra Streisand-related is well worth attending (are you kidding?!), and on Friday, October 5, there was an invited dress rehearsal on the Temple University campus in the Liacouras Center as Barbra Streisand: BACK TO BROOKLYN got its feet wet for the first time in front of about a thousand people.

As we come to the fall season on the ever idyllic California Central Coast, I hope you are making plans to attend some of the many productions currently (or soon to be) playing at any number of the various live performance and theatre venues that can be found here on the Central Coast!

Barbra Streisand's longtime collaborator Richard Jay-Alexander is scheduled to appear on QVC Thursday, September 20 at 7 AM and noon (ET) to offer the singer's upcoming album 'Release Me,' which has been specially packaged with a bonus DVD for the multimedia retailer.

Ted Neeley, star of both the 1973 classic film and various Broadway touring versions of Jesus Christ Superstar returns to the road, this time without the robe. Fronting his five piece Little Big Band, Ted returns to his Texas roots and his first love as a "singer in a rock and roll band". Ted will debut new music with the group, which includes Kim Norton, a stellar guitarist who has provided Ted with an underscore of searing riffs on more than 1,000 performances of Superstar, and bassist James Webb, son of famed songwriter Jimmy Webb, and co-founder of the popular Webb Brothers Band.

The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel welcomes back legendary singer/songwriter Judy Collins for her sixth engagement at the iconic venue, Café Carlyle. Ms. Collins' three week engagement runs through September 29 where she is joined by her musical director Russell Walden. Stephen Holden of the New York Times hails Ms. Collins performance as evoking “the kind of ethereal, far-sighted reflection that is her special artistic territory'. Ms. Collins unique blend of interpretative folksongs and contemporary themes have captivated audiences for over fifty years and landed her a spot in the Grammy Hall of Fame. BroadwayWorld brings you photos of Collins in action below!

The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel welcomes back legendary singer/songwriter Judy Collins for her sixth engagement at the iconic venue, Café Carlyle. Ms. Collins' three week engagement runs through September 29 where she is joined by her musical director Russell Walden. Stephen Holden of the New York Times hails Ms. Collins performance as evoking “the kind of ethereal, far-sighted reflection that is her special artistic territory'. Ms. Collins unique blend of interpretative folksongs and contemporary themes have captivated audiences for over fifty years and landed her a spot in the Grammy Hall of Fame. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the concert below!

Today we are talking to a terrifically talented stage and screen performer who has appeared in dozens of film, TV and stage projects over the course of his forty-year career, the thoughtful and charming Treat Williams. In this all-encompassing conversation, Williams and I discuss the many stages of his career thus far, from his early roots co-starring alongside the likes of John Travolta and Marilu Henner in GREASE and OVER HERE! on Broadway in the 1970s, to leading the film adaptation of Terrence McNally's THE RITZ to headlining Milos Foreman's stirring film version of HAIR to starring in handful of other iconic films from his heydey at the top of the Hollywood heap - Steven Spielberg's 1941, Sergio Leone's ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA and Sidney Lumet's PRINCE OF THE CITY included - and even working with Woody Allen on the caustic HOLLYWOOD ENDING. In addition to sharing candid and observant behind-the-scenes stories from the sets of those landmark properties, Williams also reveals his role in the STAR WARS sequel THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and reflects on his brief time in London with Carrie Fisher, George Lucas and company. Plus, Williams shares his recollections of working with many of his most memorable theatrical collaborators, with some especially intriguing anecdotes surrounding his time spent playing Buddy in the 2001 Roundabout revival of Stephen Sondheim & James Goldman's FOLLIES - with some tales involving the man behind the musical, as well as the ghost of David Belasco - and his insights into his work with David Mamet on OLEANNA, BOBBY GOULD IN HELL, TEXAN and others. As if all of that were not enough - most pertinent of all - Williams gives us the 411 on his season-long arc on USA's hit nighttime drama WHITE COLLAR and imparts his enthusiasm for working with similarly multi-talented many-format star Matt Bomer and the rest of cast and crew while also revealing some details on where his dastardly character is headed in tonight's episode and all the way into 2013 when the show picks up after the hiatus coming up. Also, Williams sheds some light on his spate of upcoming projects. All of that and much, much more!

Music industry innovator and VH1 President Tom Calderone was honored tonight by the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function (IMNF) with its 12th annual Music Has Power Award. The award was presented by IMNF Board Member Nick Stern at a musical fete at Feinstein's at Loews Regency, hosted by Michael Feinstein. Check out photos from the event beow!

The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel will welcome back legendary singer/songwriter Judy Collins for her sixth engagement at the iconic venue, Café Carlyle.

Bergen Performance Arts Center in Englewood, New Jersey is proud to announce the new 2012/2013 season which boasts more shows than ever before. All shows go on sale Monday September 10th at 11:00AM and tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 201.227-1030.

In the opening song on Barbra Streisand's stunning new album, RELEASE ME (produced by Streisand and Jay Landers)- a career-spanning collection of rarities and recordings that have been heretofore hidden away in vast vaults and rarely even referenced, let alone ever heard - she powerfully imparts a lyric from the Betty Comden/Adolph Green/Jule Styne score of the Arthur Laurents-directed Tony Award-winning Best Musical of 1968, HALLELUJAH, BABY!, also acting as an oh-so-apt autobiographical summation: 'I'll be the best or nothing at all.' Indeed, so goes the legacy of Barbra Streisand - the voice of a generation; the greatest living recording artist, bar (or, if you prefer, Bar) none; who, now, today, is in the final stages of preparation before embarking on her new tour in conjunction with the release of this new album, directed by longtime creative collaborator and co-director, Richard Jay-Alexander with musical director and conductor William Ross.

Barbra Streisand's private music vault holds all the master tapes she's recorded for five decades. Now, she's sharing 11 previously unreleased songs, spanning a cross-section of her career from 1963 to the present. The collection, titled Release Me, will be available on vinyl (Tuesday, September 25) and on CD (Tuesday, October 9).