The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

Tina with Burt's publicity agency sent me an email to let me know that Burt will be appearing on KCET's L.A. Tonight with Roy Firestone on March 13.

Here's a brief preview where Burt talks about Barbra Streisand and some of the other great vocalists he's worked with.

Not sure how widely distributed the show is (or if it's distributed), so I guess the message is L.A. people should tune in and the rest of us should check our local listings or look online.

Bonjour Mark;

Thanks for the heads up!!!

Take care mon ami.

Vincent

I would REALLY love to see this show!

Interesting when he said about great singers that there was Barbra "on this side" ... and I thought he was going to say "and Dionne on that side".... but, instead, he named Luther and Gladys Knight... but had to be prompted to name Dionne. I would have thought that Dionne would have been his favorite singer.

Interesting, too, when he said that he couldn't believe that he was singing harmony with Barbra Streisand (way back in the early 70's). It shows that you can never really know what a person is thinking when they're performing. I never would have thought that Burt would have been anything less than totally at ease singing harmony to "Close To You" with anyone, including Barbra Streisand.

Bonjour Enormous BB Fan;

Yes I too was taken off guard when Burt did not mention Dionne after Barbara!!! Yes Luther was a good singer, but I don't recall Gladys singing any Burt & Hall songs. But come on, Dionne should have been on the tip of Burt's lips!!! Unless Burt had a senior moment.

P.S. We have to play Golf this year!

Take care mon ami.

Vincent

Bonjour Vincent, I too was surprised that Burt didn't mention Dionne right after acknowledging Barbra! But back to Gladys. Gladys Knight & the Pips released an album in 1987 titled "All Our Love" which featured two (2) songs written, arranged, and produced by Burt and Carole: "Love Is Fire (Love Is Ice)" and the beautiful "Overnight Success". Also, as a solo artist, Gladys recorded "Seconds" which first appeared on Burt's "Futures" album from the late 70's. That particular cut is a rarity and is certainly hard to find. I do hope you get the chance to hear these hidden gems of Gladys'! Take care, mon ami.

Bonjour Bruce;

I stand corrected!

I will try and find those rare gems of Gladys that you mention!

Take care mon ami.

Vincent

I will listen to the excerpts a bit later. Maybe there's plenty of references to Dionne elsewhere in the interview? In any event, Dionne is all but a given. It is almost boring if absolutely every time Burt speaks about a singer or two he should have to mention Dionne. It could almost diminish the value he is perceived to attribute to her, who is such an integral part of so much Burt and Hal did -- and so many people who are interested already know it.

Seconds, GKnight&TPips can be found in The Reel Burt Bacharach. Hip-O Records, a Universal Music company. 1999.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... 6.4.1l11l0

They recorded One Less Bell To Answer too. Great rendition. My parents have the album, which is a great compilation of songs and artists. The cover opens in the middle and it shows a woman undressing a coat. I can't quite recall the rather strange title. In any event, here is the version I refer to -- and mention of, possibly, where it first became available:

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Gladys Knight and the Pips record 'The Look Of Love'?

Dear gillanddon, Yes, on the Motown Salutes Bacharach cd (2002), a European import, Gladys Knight & the Pips sing "the Look of Love" and "One Less Bell to Answer".

Et voilà:

http://www.kcet.org/video/#featured

select VIDEO: Burt

ciao

Roberto

Gillanddon and Grooverider, the other Bacharach songs that Gladys Knight has recorded are 'Seconds' from '74 and 'Love is Fire' (love is Ice), 'Let Me Be The One' and 'Ovenight Success' all from '87. Then of course there was her cameo on 'That's What Friends are For'.

Appreciate Roy Firestone for having Burt Bacharach on a half hour show. I do realize the show was about Burt Bacharach, but, jeez, it just seemed to me that Hal David gets so little acknowledgement/recognition for his contributions to the music art form. Yes, a half hour is so little time to cram all of the history (is it really six decades worth??) of the music of Burt Bacharach but Mr. David contributed so very much to that history. Yes, Burt did acknowledge his great contribution ( the "pnuemonia" lyrics to "I'll Never Fall In Love Again"). Maybe it's time to do a tribute to Hal David, after all, most people do not just hum, but sing "What's it all about, Alfie"...

On another note, does anyone have any insight into the charity that Burt Bacharach talked about that either he created and/or contributes to?

Seeing "LA Tonight with Roy Firestone" is gratifying and heartening to see Burt Bacharach with almost 84 years of age continue to be very up to date, have an enviable lucidity, have an infinite force to speak of her daughter Nikki (and playing the song of the same name) . This is so very, very few. Burt is still fantastic! This is great.