What we need ...

[Blair N. Cummings]

... is a major infusion of new songs.
With all due respect for, and appreciation of, recent archival footage the forum is starting to seem like a mausoleum.
All the twitter over the Lost Horizon DVD just accentuates the dearth of new material. The score was great, the movie sucked; end of it. This discussion was settlIed years ago. Yet I still haven`t received an answer to my query of just what "two complete albums" Burt wrapped up this year. I assume that one was the "Some Lovers" score but have no evidence to support it. Why did Burt assemble a huge orchestra to record his version of "Pennies In a Jar"?
Are we going to swoon over ancient clips of Dionne forever? Isn`t Burt still alive and working?
Come on! This site is stifling!

[someonenameddavid]

Entitled "Nothing Left To Prove".... Featuring the band members.

[BachtoBacharach]

LOL! Blair, reminds me of the Peggy Lee tune "Is That All There Is"...I do like the clips but since there is such little new material, the clips have become filler and place holders. The rapture over Lost Horizon is too...hated the movie, liked the score but some of it was treacle...it wasn't the best Bacharch/David by a long shot. Nuff said!!!

[Blair N. Cummings]

So, somenenameddavid, can we infer from your almost-furtive post above that "Nothing Left to Prove" is the title of Burt`s next album? Are you at liberty to disclose when we might hear this, or the "Some Lovers" album? We`re almost out of oxygen in here. Any encouragement will be warmly appreciated.

[someonenameddavid]

Unfortunately, no: since my role of being "the oracle of Delphi" on this group is over-rated and I only occasionally get snippets of information I can not be considered authoritative on any subject concerning Burt.

But he has nothing left to prove, and in the form of Sinatra's "My Way" it might be nice to have a CD which provides us with his take on his life's work. Most of the band has been with him six years or longer and the respect they have for him comes through in the music.

David

[Blair N. Cummings]

David, you`re right in pointing out that Burt doesn`t "owe" us anything more. I`m afraid that my original post didn`t come off quite as good-naturedly as I had intended it to do. (This happens often in digital communication).Maybe what I was lamenting is that we didn`t have this forum back in the day when there were at least a couple projects a year to share and enjoy.
Last night, for the first time in many years, I listened to all of the Bacharach/David tracks I had ripped from Dionne`s Scepter -and first Warner- recordings. I was stunned all over again at these accomplishments. For some reason, I appreciated Hal`s contribution in a way that I hadn`t before. Kudos to an under-rated artist! Modern Digital technology also illuminated staggering details of Burt`s orchestrations and arrangements.
Perhaps Dionne`s sullied rep will eclipse these recordings for a while; Bach and Vermeer went missing from popular and critical attention for a while as well before being acknowledged as the masters of their respective forms that they were. Pop music may not be quite the equivalent of the Baroque, but Burt, Hal, and Dionne made it sound damn close.
I still want to know about those two unreleased albums, `though

[Steve Schenck]

I heard something, can't remember where, that bothers me a bit. What I heard was that the song "Come in Ogni Ora" which Burt wrote for the Italian singer Karima Ammar, was being inserted (in English) into "The Gift of the Magi." Maybe I'm being too much of a theater purist, but I like to see songs written for musical shows that flow from the script of a play and that are character-and-action-specific. To just insert a song written with no reference to the business of "Gift of the Magi" into that musical bothers me... Of course, maybe Burt had written that song as part of his musings for the "Gift" project, if in fact he was already committed to it. Time will tell... I wish Burt would even record an album of his many songs written over the last 20 years or so for various artists, but which he has never recorded himself. It may be that, into his 80s now, he doesn't want to commit himself to an album of entirely new material. But he has so much material which we've never heard as he wants it to be heard, instrumentally, that is.

[Blair N. Cummings]

I`ve read that too and it disappoints me because, regardless of its relevance to the play, I think it`s an unimpressive song.

[grooverider]

Dear Steve, I agree, would love to hear Burt doing some of music he has written over the years: "In Between The Heartaches", "If I Ever Make You Cry", "Love Light", "Check Out Time, "Who Gets The Guy", "Be Aware", "Love Always" (sorry for going on and on!) and so many more. He could probably do a double cd's worth of music. The only thing is, I wonder if would be considered "marketable"? I have always enjoyed Burt's instrumental versions of his songs, what he brought to "Alfie" and "A House Is Not A Home" (his vocal version) was unique and oh so enjoyable.
You stated it perfectly, "as he wants it to be heard, instrumentally...".
Songs the general public may or may not be aware of, or just to be reminded of how many classic songs he has give us.
Oh, forgot another one, "Making Love"!

[someonenameddavid]

You know that virtually every composer reworks, recycles and reuses themes in multiple forms ... one has only to listen to Bach long enough to learn that Bacharach is in good company....

I did set of a little email/facebook storm with my "Nothing Left to Prove" idea... and if certain friends are reading... it's just an idea, without any inside knowledge.

David

[someonenameddavid]

I`ve read that too and it disappoints me because, regardless of its relevance to the play, I think it`s an unimpressive song.

According to one person who has had the chance to compare Burt's vocalists... Trinitje is perfect in every sense of the word in performance.... Karima is ****s to the wall!

David

[Blair N. Cummings]

Oh, I wasn`t even thinking of the relative merits of singers in my latest snotty comment. I just meant that I found that particular song melodically under par.
I take seriously the idea that this is a discussion forum, not an altar.
I don`t think I would care for "Come in Ogni Ora" even if Nikki Jean (no, I still don`t know her) were to sing it.

[ron hertel]

A very thought provoking topic Blair! ... along with some great replies from our fellow forum participants. .... I'll attempt to gather my thoughts over the next few days and post something on the subject. Hopefully others will do the same!