My good friend Roberto Pinardi just sent me a list of Bacharach/Warwick dates in Italy: July 6, Campione d’Italia
July 8, Milan
July 10, Caserta
July 11, Rome
July 13, Taormina
Does anyone know of any American dates

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Martin Kent just sent me the following:
“4th May 1996, NME reports that ‘king of the lounge lizards’ Burt Bacharach is playing at London Festival Hall on 28th June at 8.00pm. Tickets are 20, 25, and 30 pounds Western union point sterling and half have been sold so far (booked mine today). Box office number is 00+44+(0)171-960-4242.”

Patrick Milligan of Rhino Records is looking for an audio recording of Burt’s Martini & Rossi commercial from the 1970s. Can anyone help him out

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The Rhino re-issue is definitely still in the works, my sources tell me. The Rhino people have met with Burt’s “people” and have moved forward with an agreement; they are now busy trying to license all of the different pieces of music necessary.

The Rhino compilation is going to be 3 CDs.

The theory behind the song selection is that it will have the “original” versions on it – meaning, the versions that Burt was in on the production of, and/or the first known versions of the song. So, for instance, the CD will have Tommy Hunt’s version of “I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself”, and (probably) not Dusty Springfield’s version: Burt was there for the Tommy version, so it can be considered more definitive.

Then again, it will also feature a variety of performers, so compiler Patrick Milligan is trying to include as many non-Dionne versions as possible. He hopes to include Aretha’s version of “I Say a Little Prayer”, Herb Alpert’s “This Guy’s in Love With You” (not Dionne’s “This Girl…”) and Lou Johnson’s “Always Sonething There to Remind Me”. (Lou Johnson is the unsung hero of the Bacharach era – the “male Dionne Warwick”, who also recorded the original versions of “Message to Martha” and “Reach Out for Me”.

Here’s a piece of good news: PBS’s GREAT PERFORMANCES series has licensed that BBC Burt documentary, and is preparing it for a US airing later this year.”

This just in from Uli from Germany: “Check the latest issue of the NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS. It features a two-page interview with Burt. He’s wearing cool shades and sportswear and tells stories about him racing horses.

Keep the faith”

This from Yvonne:

“I have been trying without success to track down the vocal score to his South American Getaway. I have been to publishers in California who claim no knowledge, so I turn to you for any assistance you can give me. I do some singing with some friends, and would so love to do this piece.

Do you have any ideas of where I could start looking – addresses of publishers, archives, or is there a Burt Fan Club I could write to?”

Can anyone help her out?

There’s an interview with Burt in the March edition of the British music magazine Select, as well as a review of the new A&M compilation “The Look of Love.”

This from Howie (with no e-mail address)…
“I just wanted to inform you, that Polydor /A&M Germany have released a compilation called “Easy Loungin’ – Burt Bacharach” in a series of “Easy Loungin'” releases. It contains 20 tracks (which I don’t want to list -I’m too lazy) and brilliant artwork.

A&M UK are also releasing a Burt Bacharach collection with “Love Songs” by Mr. Bacharach. “

Burt recently wrapped up a recording session in New York with Elvis Costello. The two collaborated on the track “God Give Me Strength,” which will be included on the soundtrack to the new film “Grace of My Heart,” a film about the famous Brill Building songwriters.
Rob Mounsey, who played keyboards for the session, says:

“The band was: Elvis, vocals; Burt, piano; Rob Mounsey, synths/organ; David Spinozza, guitar; T-Bone Wolk, bass; Christopher Parker, drums/percussion; plus strings, flugelhorns, alto flute etc. It actually sounds a lot like classic Bacharach stuff to me. Both guys were very nice to work with — real pros.”

“Grace of My Heart” was directed by Allison Anders, produced by Martin Scorsese, and features performances by Sonic Youth, Jill Sobule, Victoria Williams, Dinosaur Jr., Elvis Costello and Flea; and songs by Burt Bacharach, Dave Stewart, Carole Bayer Sager, Elvis Costello, Gerry Goffin, Los Lobos and J.

Mascis. Read an L.A. Times blurb about it here on the Elvis Costello page.

On Jan. 1, 1996, the BBC aired in the U.K. a documentary retrospective on Burt narrated by Dusty Springfield and featuring interviews with Oasis, Dionne Warwick and others.

If anyone knows how to get a copy, please e-mail me. I’d love to see it.