CD and DVD Recordings Of POE Set For Release April 6 In The US

Following the recent death of the legendary songwriter and creator of the internationally-renowned Alan Parsons Project, Eric Woolfson, the late composer's musical POE -- about the life and works of Edgar Allan Poe -- is being introduced in the U.S. with the release of the CD, "POE" (subtitled "More Tales of Mystery and Imagination") and DVD, "POE, The World Premiere Showcase Performance at Abbey Road Studios" on April 6, 2010. It is hoped that this release will lay the groundwork for a stage production of Mr. Woolfson's musical POE in the U.S.

The U.S. release of the POE recordings has been planned since the Summer of 2009 but, sadly, comes just four months following Woolfson's death from cancer on December 2, 2009. POE was Woolfson's focus to the very end of his life; in fact, he engaged enthusiastically in a conversation with a U.S. representative about a campaign to release and promote the recordings in the U.S. The Day Before he died.

Having created the revolutionary Alan Parsons Project with Alan Parsons in 1975 - the APP has sold a phenomenal 50 million recordings worldwide - Eric Woolfson turned his attention to writing musicals for the stage in 1990. In addition to POE, his most recent work, he wrote several other musicals, all of which have been given major productions in Europe and Asia over the past decade but have yet to be staged in the U.S.

The release of the POE album and DVD on April 6th represents Woolfson's official American debut in the musical theatre arena, posthumously, as a composer, lyricist and librettist.

The stellar cast of performers from London's West End featured on the POE recordings include Steve Balsamo (as Edgar Allan Poe) -- an Andrew Lloyd Weber discovery who became an overnight sensation when he starred in JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR and NOTRE DAME DE PARIS.

According to Sally Woolfson (Managing Director of Woolfsongs Ltd.), "My father wrote POE with the U.S. market very much in mind, and bringing it to the stage in America is now our main goal so that we can fulfil his dream and ambition for the piece."

A long time devotee of Edgar Allan Poe and his vast literary canon since childhood, Woolfson wrote recently about his decision to return to POE following his earlier compositions about the author - notably the Alan Parsons Project debut album "Tales of Mystery and Imagination": "I felt that the time was right for me to revisit my hero, Edgar Allan Poe. Of all those who have inspired me to write music, Edgar Allan Poe stands alone. His works would inspire anyone, but for me the events of his life are even more intriguing."

It was this fascination with Poe that led to the creation of the Alan Parsons Project in 1975 when Woolfson joined forces with Alan Parsons to engineer and produce a selection of songs inspired by Poe, which Woolfson had previously written.

Their first Alan Parsons Project album 'Tales of Mystery and Imagination - Edgar Allan Poe' was released in 1976 and was a major success, going on to sell over 8 million copies of the album worldwide and establishing The Alan Parsons Project as a musical phenomenon.

At that time, Woolfson had in mind to create a Volume II of 'Tales of Mystery,' having already written additional Poe material, but a change in record labels (from 20th Century to Arista) took The Alan Parsons Project in other directions. Without a Volume I in its catalogue, the new Record Company (Arista) didn't want a Volume II, so this idea was shelved.

A further nine Alan Parsons Project hit albums followed the release of "Tales of Mystery and Imagination": "I Robot" (1977), "Pyramid" (1978), "Eve" (1979), "The Turn of a Friendly Card" (1980), "Eye in the Sky" (1982), "Ammonia Avenue" (1984), "Vulture Culture" (1985), "Stereotomy" (1986) and "Gaudi" (1987). These albums have sold over 50 million copes worldwide.

Woolfson and Parsons worked on their last album "Freudiana" in 1990, marking the end of their partnership, with Woolfson embarking on a musical theatre path as a new vehicle for his songwriting, while Parsons continued to focus on studio work. "Freudiana" was eventually turned into a stage musical, which premiered in Vienna, Austria at the same historic theatre where Beethoven premiered his opera 'Fidelio'.

Eric Woolfson went on to write the musicals "Gaudi" (1993), "Gambler" (1996). These were followed by "Dancing Shadows" (2007) which he wrote with acclaimed playwright and author Ariel Dorfman. "Dancing Shadows" won five Korean Tony Awards including best musical. POE, the last musical created by Mr. Woolfson, depicts the singular life of the brilliant and troubled American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), including songs about his celebrated works "The Bells", "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" and "The Pit and the Pendulum."

All of Woolfson's musicals have received critical acclaim in the various countries where they have been staged, but have yet to be staged in the U.S. GAUDI, which premiered in 1995 ran for over five years in several German productions. GAMBLER premiered in 1996 in Germany, where it ran for over 500 performances and there have also been over seven productions of GAMBLER in Korea, one of which toured to Japan (a first for a Korean production) in 2002.

FACTS ABOUT THE CD RECORDING
of "POE, More Tales of Mystery and Imagination"
- Recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London, mainly in Studio 2 where the Beatles recorded all their albums and where many Alan Parsons Project albums were made
- It took over 6 years and cost over $1.3 million to make
- Features a 40 piece orchestra and 80 strong choir used in the recordings
- Top session musicians were used including John Parricelli (played THE mandolin in Capatain Correlli's Mandolin), Laurence Cottle (performed with Sting, Cher and Seal), Simon Chamberlain (performed with Bjork, Pet Shop Boys, Paul McCartney) and Ralph Salmins (performed with Madonna, Van Morrison, Mike Oldfield)
- Seven of the tracks are sung by the celebrated West End star, singer/actor Steve Balsamo, of whom Eric Woolfson said, "I had the immense good fortune to be introduced to Steve Balsamo. His remarkable voice lifted the tracks to a level I had not previously experienced and I pay full tribute to him and the many other talented and dedicated musicians, singers and studio engineers without whom I could not have fulfilled my dream of making a worthy follow up to the 'Tales of Mystery' album."

FACTS ABOUT THE POE WORLD PREMIERE SHOWCASE PERFORMANCE DVD

- Filmed in Abbey Road Studios
- Studio 1 was turned into an exclusive and intimate performance setting for 300 people - believed to be the first musical to have its world premiere at Abbey Road Studios. A specially-constructed set, lighting and sound systems were installed for the filming
- Top West End musical cast including Steve Balsamo ("Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Notre Dame de Paris"), Anna-Jane Casey ("Chicago"), Juliet Caton ("Martin Guerre") and David Burt (Royal Shakespeare Company) perform in the 2-hour film
- Steve Balsamo who plays POE, shot to fame after Andrew Lloyd Webber chose him to star in a recent West End production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Lloyd Webber described him as the 'most exciting new talent it was ever (his) privilege to have discovered'
- 10 top session musicians (nearly all of whom were involved in the album recording) played live at the performance
+ About the film, BBC Radio 2 said, "What a treat ... we await now to hear when POE takes its rightful place on the musical stage"

Released 6th April 2010 through Limelight Records
POE World Premiere Showcase DVD Catalogue Number: LREC 0698, $33.95rrp
POE, More Tales of Mystery and Imagination Catalogue Number LREC 0374, $15.99rrp

www.ericwoolfsonmusic.com

Eric Woolfson was born in 1945 in Glasgow, Scotland. In his late teens he worked as a session pianist with musicians such as Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones who went on to form LED ZEPPELIN. He was signed by Rolling Stones Producer Andrew Loog Oldham as a songwriter for his publishing company Immediate Records where Eric went on to compose songs for such artists as Marianne Faithful, Frank Ifield and Chris Farlowe. In subsequent years, over 100 artists in Europe and America recorded songs by Woolfson. Later he signed a deal with Southern Music where he worked alongside two then unknown songwriters -Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. As time went by, Woolfson realized how well founded their idea was to turn to the stage musical as a vehicle for their talents rather than trying the more difficult route of trying for covers with the big artists of the day.
The Alan Parsons Project was born in 1975 when Woolfson joined forces with Alan Parsons, who was a recording engineer on many Beatles and Paul McCartney albums, as well as having engineered Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon." Woolfson became Parsons' manager and soon realized that a new collaboration would allow Parsons' engineering skills to be exploited to the fullest and at the same time give Woolfson a vehicle for his talents as a songwriter/lyricist. Woolfson was also the lead singer on numerous Alan Parsons Project hits including "Eye in the Sky" and "Time." The Alan Parson Project recorded 10 albums which have, to date, sold 50 million copies worldwide. In 1990, Mr. Woolfson changed his focus to writing musicals for the stage, all of which have received major productions in Europe and Asia.

The 'POE, More Tales of Mystery and Imagination' CD and POE DVD are released on Limelight Records, a division of Woolfsongs Ltd. The CD and DVD recordings will be available in stores in the U.S. starting April 6, or can be purchased online at www.ericwoolfsonmusic.com or at various online retail outlets.
For additional information visit www.ericwoolfsonmusic.com

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