The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

From the same press launch gig last month here's their performance of a shortened 'Almost Persuaded', the utterly sublime title track of the new album. Not even the amateurish nature of the recording can obscure or diminish this song's sumptuous chord sequence: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ug6x2Pzb...

SOS did a London club gig a few weeks ago to preview the new album and here they are performing one of my favourites from it, the Michel Legrand influenced 'Everybody's Here':

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8mUtnyskJOs

... Blair and Martin: I've just been lifted out of "the rut" referred to here. ... Often forget how compelling a voice Randy Crawford possesses and I do pick up on the "sounds like BB" vibe - especially with the 2 words "People Alone". ..... Easy to imagine how Dionne ...

Although we're all aware how performing Bacharach can unravel those not accustomed to his ways, I was sorely tempted by this show on the evening of the great man's 90th birthday. However, an 'unmissable' jazz gig closer to home and featuring some of the cream of London's jazz musicians has won the d...

Very nice. Your voices blend well together.

It's no coincidence that Tony Hatch is by far and away the most featured composer/arranger in this thread and here's another one of his superbly crafted gems, words and music. As soon as we hear the intro we know we're in Bacharach influenced territory once again and the way the female backing vocal...

Scenes of Swing Out Sister in the studio last summer recording one of the new album's many beautiful and haunting tracks, 'All in a Heartbeat':

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wHbQ5yWcJps

I better not say that I'm also going to be away from London on those days or there might just be a spate of burglaries!

I`m sure I posted this years ago but we`re in such a rut here anyway another rerun can`t hurt. The song was actually composed by Lalo Schifrin whose major claim to fame (as American Baby Boomers will recall) was writing the theme for the TV show Mission:Impossible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7...

I visited Tokyo last week for the first time in fourteen years and discovered amongst other things that Swing Out Sister seemed to have lost none of their popularity and for instance twenty years after it was a huge hit in Japan I was still hearing 'Now You're Not Here' on the radio. I know it's bec...

I was sent this by a friend who described it as "archetypal Bacharach & David" and who thought it obscure enough for me not to know it. Well, I know the song but not this recording by Leslie Uggams. I think this is very good but my personal favourite version is by Jackie Trent from an ...

It's always a joy to hear Thelma Houston and her 'Sunshower' is still my favourite album written, arranged and produced by Jimmy Webb. Maybe if he'd also arranged and produced his songs on 'Breakwater Cat' the results would have been better. However, I think that 'Gone' has stood the test of time bu...

Nice one, Jennie.

I've seen all four musicians play in many different bands but never with each other. As for the venue, I've been just the once and it has the two most important prerequisites for a jazz club and that is it's within staggering distance of a tube station and that there's a bar in the music room. At le...

I don't really have a favourite Swing Out Sister track but my wife's favourite is 'Where Do I Go" and being a sensible chap I commend her on her choice. I think we're firmly back in Bacharach territory with this one:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xNjdeq0QjkE