Playing it cool

Billy Joel Broadway musical 'Movin' Out' opens Wednesday in Chicago

Darren Holden admits there are still times he gets a little nervous when he knows Billy Joel in the audience while he's onstage in front of a piano singing the famed songwriter's most popular hits.

But one look at Holden's splashy Web site www.darrenholden.com and you see a floating quote by Joel: "It is an honour for me to have you sing my songs."

With five years of Broadway experience and a glowing endorsement from "the Piano Man," Holden doesn't have to worry.

He's one of the original New York Broadway cast members returning to Chicago this week when the popular musical "Movin' Out" returns to Chicago.

The Tony Award-winning musical conceived, choreographed and directed by Twyla Tharp and based on 24 classic songs by Billy Joel, first premiered in Chicago in 2002 before selling out performance after performance on Broadway, is now on national tour.

It opens Wednesday at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University for a limited engagement through July 9.

In addition to Holden, Elizabeth Parkinson and Keith Roberts return to Chicago to reprise their roles as "Brenda" and "Tony". Both were part of the original pre-Broadway and Broadway cast and both received Tony Award nominations for their performances.

Born in County Kilkenny, Ireland, the boyishly charming Holden is showcased in the musical spotlight as the piano man while the story unfolds.

"I have a lot of people who come up to me and say 'oh, wow...you're playing the part of Billy Joel,' " Holden said in a telephone interview last week.

"I have to remind them that this musical isn't Billy Joel's life story told on stage. It's a story of the people mentioned in the lyrics of Billy Joel's songs woven in a story told by dance, song and music."

As Holden explains, audiences recognize the musical's main characters, since they come straight from Joel’s lyrics. For example, there’s Brenda and Eddie from "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant," Tony and Sergeant O’Leary from "Movin’ Out," Judy from "Why, Judy, Why," and James from "James" -- and their story is told completely through dance, with no dialogue whatsoever.

Since so much of the story is told through dance to communicate with the audience, Holden said it's not unusual to see legendary choreographer Tharp in the audience during performances or rehearsals, even during this national tour, to help refine moves and assure the musical continues to unfold smoothly as it moves across country from venue to venue.

Holden is also an accomplished performer who receives critical raves for his own popular selling albums, including his debut solo album "Suddenly" in 1998 and his well-received 2005 single "Through Hell and High Water" dedicated to the Hurricane Katrina victims.

onstage

"Movin' Out" starring Darren Holden, Elizabeth Parkinson and Keith Roberts

When: Wednesday through July 9

Where: Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 East Congress Parkway

Cost: $18 - $80.

FYI: (312) 902-1400 or www.BroadwayInChicago.com

Ballerina Says Harassment About Big Breasts Led To Suit

Broadway Dancer Claims Increased Breast Size Led To Harassment, Firing

Follow the link in the heading above to view the news broadcast.

MIAMI -- A Miami-raised dancer and actress is now suing the Actors' Equity Association for more than $100 million.

Alice Alyse, who was touring with Broadway's "Movin' Out" musical, claims she was harassed for having large breasts and for injuring her toe in 2004.

Alyse said that the union failed to address her complaints against the managers of Billy Joel's hit show.

Alyse alleges that she was repeatedly humiliated and intimidated before other cast members by the show's production stage manager about an increase in the size of her breasts, which caused alterations to her costumes.

Alyse said that while she was recovering from a toe injury, her breasts became larger, but that the increased size was not the result of weight gain or pregnancy.

She said that she was wrongly fired and that the show was a hostile workplace.

Alyse also filed a suit against the tour company's owners and managers, including famed choreographer Twyla Tharp. Joel, whose songs are provided for the show, is not named in the suit.

Dancer Sues, Claiming Large Breasts Got Her Fired

Alice Alyce of Miami Sues Musicians Union Over Firing
Alyce Claims The Union Ignored Her Complaints
Dancer Says She Was Forced Out Of Billy Joel's 'Movin Out'

First, she complained because her large breasts got her fired from a a traveling musical company. Now, a Miami dancer and actress is suing a stage actors' union for more than $100 million, saying it was responsible for not taking her issues seriously after she was allegedly forced out of the Billy Joel musical “Movin’ Out”.

Alice Alyse says in the lawsuit that the New York-based Actors Equity Association failed to address her complaints of sexual harassment and sexual and ethnic discrimination, violated union grievance procedures and conspired with the show's owners and managers to damage her financially, emotionally and physically.

She also alleges that she was wrongly fired from the Tony Award-winning show in February in retaliation "for having spoken up about the pervasive hostile work place environment at 'Movin' Out."'

Alyse, 29, sued the owners and managers of the musical's touring version of in March for more than $100 million. Named as defendants in that lawsuit were a number of the show's owners and managers, including famed choreographer Twyla Tharp.

The new lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Miami, adds federal claims of sexual harassment and discrimination on basis of sex and national origin against those defendants. Alyse's mother is Nicaraguan.

Singer Billy Joel, whose songs are the basis of "Movin' Out," is not named in either lawsuit.

An attorney for the stage actors' union said in an e-mail late Wednesday he could not comment because he had not seen the lawsuit.

"It's a sad day when an actress cannot count on her own union to protect not only her rights but also the rights of all entertainers," said Alyse's attorney, Larry Klayman.

Alyse claims she was repeatedly humiliated and intimidated before other cast members by the show's production stage manager about an increase in the size of her breasts, which necessitated alterations to her costumes.

She also contends that the show's managers falsely told fellow cast members that she was "faking her injury and had lied" about the need to take a leave of absence to let the toe heal. Alyse said her right big toe was seriously injured in a fall during a Sept. 23, 2004 performance in Los Angeles.

The baby step for 'Movin' Out' actress

Elizabeth Parkinson has been many things, but for the past five years in workshop and onstage in Billy Joel and Twyla Tharp's dance musical "Movin' Out," the 41-year-old primarily has been known as Brenda, the leggy "Uptown Girl" with the red dress and the six-pack.

The show returned Wednesday night to Chicago for the first time since its pre-Broadway engagement here in 2002. It has evolved since then, its dialogue-free plot and dance sequences tightened. But the biggest change for Parkinson is one audiences won't notice.

In between garnering a Tony nomination for best actress in a musical (she lost to Marissa Jaret Winokur from "Hairspray") and winning an Astaire Award (given annually to one man, one woman and one choreographer for extraordinary achievement in dance), Parkinson took time out from a hit show to have a baby.

Elizabeth Parkinson says her son, James Wise, 21 months, is already showing a dancer's agility, but his parents aren't pushing him toward a hoofer's life.

I have had a long and complete career. I was a dancer and I definitely wanted to be a mother," Parkinson says. "Getting pregnant was my priority, and I wanted to take the risk and see how things landed."

It was a decision not without risk.

"Historically with ballet companies, women didn't get pregnant mid-career because it basically meant the end of your career," says Sean Kelly, dance captain for the touring company of "Movin' Out." "Over the last 15 years, it's become more and more accepted, though. Most of the time, their bodies look more amazing than when they went out on maternity."

Right around the time Parkinson made the announcement she was pregnant, Anastasia Volochkova was fired from the company of Moscow's Bolshoi Ballet for being too fat (she tipped the scales at 110 pounds). Another dancer affiliated with the touring company of "Movin' Out" has filed a suit alleging she was fired because her breast size increased while on disability.

When Parkinson first announced her pregnancy to the Broadway company of the show, it was met with cheers and support from both cast and producers -- with one notable exception.

Tharp -- the show's creator, choreographer and director -- was less than thrilled. As reported in March 2004 by the New York Post, Parkinson's husband, Scott Wise, was fired as the show's assistant director and choreographer after Tharp learned the news. However, Wise continued to dance in the show for the duration of his Actors Equity contract.

Parkinson would like to put that all behind her, refusing to comment on her husband's termination. "I have nothing but love and respect for Twyla," she says. "Obviously, I'm here [in the show], so we are on good terms."

She added that she felt she was treated fairly by both producers and Joel with regard to her pregnancy. "I was also under an Actors Equity contract, so I knew my job was protected," she says.

Contract or not, one of the show's executive producers, Manny Azenberg, says it was a no-brainer to let Parkinson return to the show after maternity leave.

"Liz is terrific in the show and is special all the way down the line," Azenberg says. "As a woman and a dancer, she knows how to place value on both your personal and professional life. Faulting her for wanting a balanced life was never an option.

"In all the years, she never once gave a stiff performance," he adds. "And she did the show through the first three months of her pregnancy."

The dance industry is known to be very body-conscious. And Kelly admits few choreographers are willing to hire anyone who doesn't have a lean body type.

"There is still a certain body aesthetic that is expected of both male and female dancers," Kelly says.

Though Parkinson wasn't worried about getting back in shape after she gave birth, she spent the first trimester of her pregnancy burning calories in the show and then, when on maternity leave, did prenatal pilates and prenatal yoga up to the seventh month.

She returned to the Broadway show in February 2005 five pounds heavier than when she had left 11 months before.

"I know a lot of celebrities seem to have babies and lose the weight immediately," Parkinson says. "I can assure you it was hard to lose the weight."

Elizabeth Parkinson, the "Uptown Girl" in "Movin' On," did the grueling show through the first three months of her pregnancy.

And the last five pounds? Well, the grueling show quickly had Parkinson back in shape -- six-pack abs and all.

"Movin' Out," Parkinson says, is the ideal show for a new mother. Because it is so physically demanding, all the dance roles are double cast, with each lead dancer only required to perform in four shows a week as opposed to the normal eight.

Taking her son James on the road with her wasn't an issue for the dance company, either. Darren Holden, one of two vocalists performing Joel's music nightly on the tour, also brought his young son along.

"We haven't been able to arrange a playdate yet, but soon," Parkinson says with a laugh.
Parkinson says she faces the same challenges all working mothers do. "Like all mothers, there's a part of me that wishes I could just be with him 24 hours a day, but I know it's important to continue to do what I do because it makes me a well-rounded person and a better mother."

Like any mother, Parkinson beams with pride when discussing her son's accomplishments.

"He started walking at 10 1/2 months. He's even beginning to show a dancer's agility," she says.
"We certainly haven't encouraged him to be a dancer, though. While a part of me would love it if he were to become a dancer, the mother in me thinks it's too hard a life."

Southerly, Estate of the Day

I always know two things when I see a new listing from Daniel Gale, it will be gorgeous and it will be pricey. This estate, Southerly, is a ten acre estate in the picturesque region of Centre Island, New York, a peninsula that faces both the Bay and Cold Spring harbors. The secluded area has been home to both Billy Joel and Rupert Murdoch.

Southerly sits on ten acres and has beautiful waterviews as well as a deep water dock. The home itself is a brick Georgian with a white columned facade. The 10,000 square foot manor was built in 1958 and seems a bit dated but still charming. It is listed at $19.75 million. After the jump, just what everyone needs, a deer head on the sunporch.

For 'Movin' Out' cast, it's all about the story

For 'Movin' Out' cast, it's all about the story

Salt Lake Tribune - United States

Like his counterparts in America, Irish-born Darren Holden grew up listening to Billy Joel songs on the radio, iconic hits such as "Just the Way You Are" and ...

Like his counterparts in America, Irish-born Darren Holden grew up listening to Billy Joel songs on the radio, iconic hits such as "Just the Way You Are" and "Only the Good Die Young."

As a lad, the County Kilkenny native was always playing piano and writing songs before he formed his first country-rock band, Wanted, at 16. Later, when Holden developed a solo piano act, he mostly played Joel and Elton John covers.

Fast-forward about 15 years to 2003, when Holden landed the starring role as narrator of Joel and Twyla Tharp's Broadway show "Movin' Out," a song-and-dance story about lifelong friends who come of age during the turbulence and fallout of the Vietnam era. Just before the curtain for Holden's third performance in the role, Joel came backstage and said he'd be watching the show.

Afterward, Joel offered Holden some valuable advice: "Most of the songs are stories. Be direct enough to sing to every person in the auditorium, if you can manage it. Don't impersonate me, be yourself. Because when you leave this show, you're not going to be Billy Joel. I am."

Followed by this: "I hear your 'r's creeping into the music, and I hear your brogue. The show's about a Long Island guy."

The next day, Holden received a package from the Piano Man himself, a DVD from the first season of "The Sopranos," with a note: "Just listen to Tony."

Holden laughs in a phone interview as he tells the story, and about what followed next - how he became so addicted to the HBO series that his wife had to remind him when he was offstage that it wasn't necessary to impersonate a New Yorker.

Holden brings three years of experience in "Movin' Out" - "one song after another," he says, "and you don't get a chance to catch your breath" - to Salt Lake City as the Broadway tour comes to the Capitol Theatre, opening on Tuesday and playing through Sunday.

One notable in the cast is Troy Edwards Bowles, who plays James in the show. Bowles grew up milking cows and winning a state gymnastics title in Preston, Idaho - "Napoleon Dynamite town," he writes on his Friendster profile page - before studying ballet from 1995 to 1997 at the University of Utah.

Another notable is Elizabeth Parkinson, who received a Tony Award nomination for creating the role of Brenda in the Broadway show. Parkinson was one of the original five dancers who worked with Tharp as she developed the show's innovative choreography.

Parkinson says audiences should watch for Tharp's distinctive mash-up of dance styles. "She's famous for mixing all different kinds of dance genres, from ballet to jazz to hip-hop," says Parkinson, who began her career dancing classical works with the Joffrey Ballet. "She can somehow pull it all together and make it blend in one distinctive style, which is her style."

For the dancer, the show's narrative storytelling presents the interesting challenge of performing as a character. "In classical ballet, you're always presenting an idealized form, not only physically, but also as a character where you're a queen or a fairy," Parkinson says in a phone interview from Denver during a seven-week stint back on the tour. "In 'Movin' Out,' all of the characters are flawed human beings who are trying to find their way. In the end, we're all redeemed."

Her character, Brenda, serves as a sponge for all the cultural changes affecting the country; she is a woman always looking for love in the wrong places. What's interesting about the choreography of "Movin' Out" is how the characters change over the course of the two-hour show. "When we start the show, we're youngsters, in our late teens and early 20s, and the way we move is how young people move," she says. "As we get older, not only do we mature, but the way we dance matures. The steps are more classical, less childish and more adult."

As standout numbers, she lists "Goodnight Saigon," which marks a turning point in the characters' lives, and "Shameless," a powerful pas de deux for her character that includes what Tharp has termed some of the most beautiful choreography she ever created.

Holden describes the 24-song show as "a very fast emotional roller coaster."

"A typical high school rock 'n' roll musical takes a very sharp detour to Vietnam," he says, "and all of a sudden the war becomes reality, a reminder that this is part of American history."

Equally real is the more recent suffering caused by Hurricane Katrina. Holden has donated the proceeds of a new song, "Hell and High Water," to storm victims. It's the first single of his fourth album, "Roadworks," which was recorded in hotel rooms while on the tour. The song, which has been available for a few weeks on the singer's Web site (http://www.darrenholden.com), has raised $9,000 for hurricane victims.

And every night he watches audience members, who hear their own stories in "Goodnight Saigon" and other songs. "You see couples crying, and you think 'They've got a son or daughter in the war, this one or the last one,' and you think it's amazing to be a part of this," Holden says. "I don't know what other show is out there that would make you feel that right now. In a nutshell, it's relevant."

---

Contact Ellen Fagg at ellenf@sltrib.com or 801-257-8621. Send comments about this story to livingeditor@ sltrib.com.

It's still rock 'n' roll

* "Movin' Out" opens Tuesday and runs through Sunday at Capitol Theatre, 50 W. 200 South, Salt Lake City. Curtain is at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 7 p.m. Sunday; 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets, which range from $30 to $72.50, are available by calling 801-355-ARTS.

Billy Joel 'Fantasies' will go symphonic at music festival

Paying his respect
Winston-Salem Journal (subscription) - Winston-Salem,NC,USA
By Ken Keuffel. Billy Joel is never movin' out of the pop-music world that inspired him to write hit after hit since the 1970s. But ...

Billy Joel 'Fantasies' will go symphonic at music festival

Sunday, June 18, 2006

By Ken Keuffel

JOURNAL ARTS REPORTER

Billy Joel is never movin' out of the pop-music world that inspired him to write hit after hit since the 1970s. But in 2001, he stepped out just long enough to write solo-piano fare that sure wasn't rock 'n' roll.

The music is derivative of the 19th-century sounds of Chopin and Schumann, with lush harmonies, extreme differences in dynamics and songlike melodies. It became a classical album of 10 short pieces called Fantasies and Delusions and was recorded by Richard Joo, a classical pianist.

Now, another classical-piano man, Jeffrey Biegel, has taken up the Fantasies cause, having reworked some of the album's material into a four-movement piano concerto, with orchestrations by Phillip Keveren. On Saturday, he'll solo in the premiere of the piece, called Symphonic Fantasies for Piano and Orchestra, when the Eastern Philharmonic Orchestra performs it in War Memorial Auditorium at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex.

Stuart Malina will conduct the performance, part of this year's Eastern Music Festival. He used to be music director of the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra. In 2003, he and Joel shared a Tony award for Movin' Out, which features Joel's songs.

Biegel said he took about three weeks to transcribe the music of Joel, who studied classical music in his youth.

"I literally took the solo pieces and treated them as architectural blueprints," Biegel said on the telephone from his home in New York. "When people who know the original Fantasies and Delusions listen to the concerto, they're just going to hear a much bigger version of those original melodies and harmonies."

That bigger version has meant something less "basic," and more appropriate for virtuosos, Biegel said.

"They (the original pieces) are playable," Biegel said. "Would I program them in a solo recital against Scriabin and Rachmaninov? If I doctored them up a little, yes."

In the end, what listeners will hear Saturday amounts to what Biegel called "a homage to all the great composers."

"I think that Billy's respect for Schubert and Debussy and Chopin and the like - it came out," he said. "He wanted to try and pay his respect to them. That was his intention; he didn't go out of his way to imitate them."

Biegel said that Fantasies and Delusions ultimately needed the "second step" of being transcribed for solo piano and orchestra.

Malina, who is now the music director of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra in Pennsylvania, seemed to agree.

"They're very nice pieces," he said. "I like them better as orchestra pieces."

• Under Stuart Malina's direction, the Eastern Philharmonic Orchestra will perform Symphonic Fantasies for Piano and Orchestra at 8 p.m. Saturday in War Memorial Auditorium at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex. Jeffrey Biegel will solo. The rest of the program will include Johann Strauss' Overture to Die Fledermaus and Mozart's Symphony No. 39. Tickets are $25 to $75; call 1-888-397-3100.

'Movin' Out' brings dancer home

Troy Edward Bowles grew up in Preston, Idaho, and wanted to be gymnast. Then in high school, he discovered dance.

Bowles took a dance class in Logan and then found himself at the University of Utah on a ballet scholarship from 1995-97. Soon after, he was a member of Derryl Yeager's Odyssey Dance Theatre.

So how did Bowles — called "Eddie" by his friends — wind up in the Billy Joel/Twila Tharp musical "Movin' Out"? "I auditioned," Bowles said with a laugh. "After I finished my dancing in Utah, I moved to New York three years ago and began working shows. The last show I was in was closing, and I was called in to audition for 'Movin' Out.'

"The producers had seen a videotape that I made earlier and were interested. I went in for my audition and landed the role of James. I was asked to join the tour for 10 weeks. I have six weeks left."

Bowles has liked the character of James ever since he first saw "Movin' Out" a couple of years ago. "He's the American idea of youth. He is the type of guy that will always look out for his friends and family. He's a good-natured guy.

"Interestingly enough, I was not a Billy Joel fan while growing up. But I am a fan now, after hearing the songs over and over again. I like the fact that each of his songs tell a little story."

"Movin' Out" began its Broadway run 2 1/2 years ago. The critically acclaimed Joel/Tharp collaboration is all music and dance, with no dialogue. The story is about the lives of five characters. Four of whom are culled from a few of Joel's songs.

There's Brenda and Eddie, from Joel's song "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant"; James, from the song "James"; and Anthony, from the show's title track "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)." The fifth is Judy, the one character who is not from a Joel song. The story takes place during and after the Vietnam War.

"Since the show has been in production for some time," Bowles said, "Billy and Twila aren't as involved as they were in the beginning. I haven't met Billy yet. But I've auditioned for Twila before. But the dance coaches have worked with Billy and Twila, and they know what to look for when it comes to the dancing.

"The roles are created in a way that each actor can bring a little of their own interpretations to the characters. And it's very rewarding to be able to develop your own role in a production like this. There are other productions that I've been in where the director or producers are sticklers for a character they have in mind."

After "Movin' Out," Bowles will move on to another job he already has lined up. "I'll be in the production 'Pirate Queen,' which is a musical by the creators of 'Les Miz' and 'Miss Saigon.' So I'm looking forward to that.

"However, let me say that I'm pretty excited to be coming back to Salt Lake City. I have family and friends that are looking forward to seeing me dance. My grandparents, who are getting up there in age, have told me when I moved to New York that they probably wouldn't get a chance to see me dance. And now, since I'm coming back to Utah, they can."

Then Bowles said with a laugh, "I remember getting my ticket request list ready for the Salt Lake City run and the tour manager told me, 'You may be able to get a group discount.' "

Joel's dozen much cheaper than seeing his live show

Joel's dozen much cheaper than seeing his live show
Charleston Post Courier (subscription) - Charleston,SC,USA
BY DEVIN GRANT. It was really no surprise when Billy Joel recently sold out New York City's Madison Square Garden. After all, the ...

Billy Joel - 12 Gardens Live - (Columbia)

It was really no surprise when Billy Joel recently sold out New York City's Madison Square Garden. After all, the Long Island-born singer-songwriter has long been a favorite son of the Big Apple. But the amazing thing about Joel's recent residence at the Garden is that he sold the huge venue out not once, but 12 nights in a row. That's enough to impress even the most jaded New Yorker, and in fact it was the first time an artist had ever done that.

For the few of us out there that apparently couldn't make it to NYC for the live show, Joel has thoughtfully released "12 Gardens Live," a 2-CD live set of songs from the series of concerts. There are plenty of songs one would expect from Joel's catalog, including "My Life," "Allentown," "Goodnight Saigon," "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)," "Big Shot," "The River of Dreams" and "We Didn't Start the Fire." Joel also throws in some more obscure tunes, including "Everybody Loves You Now," "The Ballad of Billy the Kid," "Laura" and "She's Right On Time."

"New York State of Mind" is sort of expected, given the venue, and Joel ends with what has become his traditional closer, "Piano Man," before returning for an encore of "And So It Goes." Although it has been years since Joel released a proper rock album, and the artist only performs occasionally nowadays, "12 Gardens Live" proves that Joel is still relevant as a rock artist. Chances are that he could set up shop for a month in New York City, and he would have no trouble selling tickets. Don't be surprised if he tries that in the future. (B+)

Download These: "Angry Young Man," "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant," "Piano Man"

Drumming up ideas for camp

Drumming up ideas for camp
Houston Chronicle - United States
... His talent? How about playing drums for Billy Joel's band for 30 years? ... The kids may not know who Billy Joel is, but their parents certainly do. ...

WHEN I went to camp, my counselor was a high school senior whose main talent was teaching kids how to make a clay ashtray.

Camp Jam, starting next week at St. John's School on Westheimer, has a different breed of counselor.

Liberty DeVito, for example. His talent? How about playing drums for Billy Joel's band for 30 years?

"It's the greatest feeling in the world — to share my experience in a rock band with children and maybe help one or two fulfill their dream," DeVito said. "I have a passion for music. I like to share it.

"I've had kids tell me that they saw me on a Billy Joel video and that's when they decided they wanted to play the drums."

Camp Jam, quite simply, is camp for future rock stars. And the counselors have been there. The camp was created by former .38 Special guitarist Jeff Carlisi, who calls on his gold-record friends to teach children the fine art of rock 'n' roll.

The motto of Camp Jam: No Canoes — Lots of Rock.

There are four sessions: June 19-23, June 26-30, July 10-14 and July 17-21. Each session costs $499. You can register online at www.campjamusa .com.

Camp Jam is open to budding superstars ages 11-17. Camp hours are 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each day.

"Ten or 20 years ago, you wouldn't have been able to do this," founder Carlisi said. "But parents today are way more accepting of the notion and even encouraging their kids to pursue rock music, either as a career or a lifelong hobby. At Camp Jam, kids learn more than how to rock out on their guitar or drums. They're developing essential life skills such as teamwork, communication and concentration.

"It's a powerful thing for them. The kids may not know who Billy Joel is, but their parents certainly do. I play with passion and power," DeVito said.

"Kids are floored when they see me. They can't believe how hard I hit the drums. They always ask if I break the drums, that's how hard I'm hitting them. I'm a real rock drummer. They look at me and say, 'I want to do that.' And I help them do that," DeVito said.

Does he break the drums?

"Nah, I know what I'm doing," he laughed.

Stars Help Bennett Celebrate 80th On 'Duets'

Stars Help Bennett Celebrate 80th On 'Duets'
Billboard - New York,NY,USA
26 via RPM/Columbia and boasts guest appearances by Bono, Dixie Chicks, Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, Sting, Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, Barbra Streisand, Elvis ...

June 13, 2006, 10:30 AM ET

Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

As first reported here in February, some of the biggest names in music have joined Tony Bennett for his 80th birthday celebration album, "Duets -- An American Classic." The 18-track project arrives Sept. 26 via RPM/Columbia and boasts guest appearances by Bono, Dixie Chicks, Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, Sting, Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, Barbra Streisand, Elvis Costello and Elton John, among others.

"I'm just so thrilled that all these contemporary artists want to sing with me," Bennett told Billboard in February from Capitol's Studio A, where he was recording "Rags to Riches" with John. "They're all making me feel so good."

All of the songs were recorded with the guest artist in the same studio with Bennett. The track list includes "The Very Thought of You" with McCartney, "I Wanna Be Around" with Bono, "Smile" with Streisand and "For Once in My Life" with Wonder. Bennett has also revisited his signature song, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," accompanied only by pianist Bill Charlap.

"Duets" will be available in an exclusive edition at Target featuring additional duets and a behind-the-scenes DVD. Target is also sponsoring a prime-time special, to air in the fall with guests to be announced.

In addition, Legacy Recordings is at work on a limited-edition boxed set of Bennett's work and is planning to reissue several albums that have never been available on CD. Finally, actor/director Clint Eastwood is executive producing a Bennett documentary, due for completion in 2007.

Here is the track list for "Duets -- An American Classic":

"Boulevard of Broken Dreams," with Sting
"Smile," with Barbra Streisand and Pinchas Zukerman
"Put on a Happy Face," with James Taylor
"The Shadow of Your Smile," with Juanes
"Rags to Riches," with Elton John
"The Very Thought of You," with Paul McCartney
"Lullaby of Broadway," with Dixie Chicks
"Cold, Cold Heart," with Tim McGraw
"The Best Is Yet To Come," with Diana Krall
"For Once in My Life," with Stevie Wonder
"Are You Havin' Any Fun?," with Elvis Costello
"Because of You," with k.d. lang and Chris Botti
"Just in Time," with Michael Buble
"Sing You Sinners," with John Legend
"The Good Life," with Billy Joel
"I Wanna Be Around," with Bono
"How Do You Keep the Music Playing," with George Michael
"I Left My Heart in San Francisco" with Bill Charlap

Tony Bennett marks 80th birthday with 'Duets'

Tony Bennett marks 80th birthday with 'Duets'
LiveDaily.com - USA
... Bennett: Duets/An American Classic" features Bennett sharing the mic with Bono, Michael Buble, Elvis Costello, Dixie Chicks, Juanes, Billy Joel, Diana Krall ...

Tony Bennett will celebrate his 80th birthday with the release of a duets CD featuring the legendary singer teaming up in the studio with a virtual who's who list of the music industry.

"Tony Bennett: Duets/An American Classic" features Bennett sharing the mic with Bono, Michael Buble, Elvis Costello, Dixie Chicks, Juanes, Billy Joel, Diana Krall, k.d. lang, John Legend, Paul McCartney, George Michael, Sting, Barbra Streisand, James Taylor and Stevie Wonder.

Trumpeter Chris Botti and violinist Pinchas Zukerman also guest on the album, which is due in stores Sept. 26.

The performances were recorded in three different studios on two continents, with producer Phil Ramone supervising the sessions, during which each guest artist performed live, side by side with Bennett.

"Each duet artist brought their own soul and sensibility to their song performance and it was a wonderful gift for my birthday to be able to record with these talented musicians," Bennett said in a press release.

The CD's first single will be released on Bennett's 80th birthday, Aug. 3. Target stores will be involved in a co-promotion of the album, with the chain offering "value-added" versions of the CD, as well as a making-of disc.

A prime-time network TV special (also sponsored by Target) documenting the making of the album and featuring Bennett performing with some of the guest artists on the disc is expected later this year.

Billy Joel: The Latest

Billy Joel: The Latest

12 Gardens Live - In Stores and Online June 13th! Pre-order Billy Joel's incredible 12 Gardens Live right now at SonyMusicStore.com and get a free bonus gift with your order! This extraordinary double-CD release from Billy Joel was recorded live at Madison Square Garden during his recent record-breaking TWELVE sold-out shows in New York City and features amazing live versions of greatest hits and fan favorites! Billy Joel Live in London Trip Giveaway ATTENTION NEWSDAY SUBSCRIBERS - Win a trip for 2 to see Billy Joel "Live in London" in celebration of the CD release of Billy Joel "12 Gardens - Live". Plus, 5 additional qualifiers will win an entire Billy Joel CD catalog, including "12 Gardens - Live." Limit of one entry per person, per household, and per e-mail account. Cd in stores and online Tuesday, June 13. Enter now! Billy Joel Videos Now Available on iTunes Visit the iTunes Music Store now to download all your favorite Billy Joel videos including Piano Man (live), Uptown Girl, Honesty and many more! FIRST DATES ANNOUNCED FOR BILLY JOEL SOLO TOUR Pop music icon Billy Joel will launch his first solo major concert tour in nearly seven years beginning with concerts in Florida in January 2006. A handful of additional dates have also been announced, with tickets going on sale as early as this month (itinerary follows). A full Billy Joel national tour itinerary is TBA. The new Billy Joel tour dates... Read full press release here... MY LIVES, THE ULTIMATE CAREER-SPANNING BILLY JOEL COLLECTION MY LIVES BOXSET In Stores Now! Get 10% off your entire order when you purchase Billy Joel's My Lives (boxset) and use the coupon code "MYLIVES" at checkout! Order online now! Billy Joel fans have been waiting for the ultimate collection. The wait is now over! For the first time ever, experience the complete career of Billy Joel through this behind-the-scenes journey, from the 60's through to his Classical work, as he reveals some of his most intimate musical moments in this unprecedented box set. 4 CDs, over 5 hours of PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED tracks including demos,live versions, alternate takes, covers and much, much more.Also included is a completely unreleased DVD, live from Frankfurt: "A Voyage On The River of Dreams - Live From The River of Dreams Tour" featuring Billy Joel performing his biggest hits of all time. The deluxe booklet features in-depth liner notes from Anthony DeCurtis, track-by-track annotations of the unreleased material and photos and memorabilia from Billy's own archives. Every track was chosen by Billy...from his early days with the Hassels, his metal moments with Attila and so much more. This is the ULTIMATE must-have for any Billy Joel fan. Read full press release here... BILLY JOEL LAUNCHES MUSIC EDUCATION INITIATIVE The Billy Joel Endowment Fund To Provide Seed Money, Scholarships & Endowments To A Variety Of East Coast Colleges, Universities & Music Schools As part of his long-term commitment to music education, Billy Joel has recently launched an ongoing initiative to provide gifts of seed money, musical scholarships, and endowments to a variety of East Coast colleges, universities, and music schools. Awards, scholarships and endowments granted by the Billy Joel Endowment Fund will be announced at the discretion of the individual institutions. Read full press release here... Goodnight My Angel: A Lullabye Billy Joel has signed a major publishing contract with Scholastic to create two books for children. The first book, Goodnight My Angel: A Lullabye is a picture book based on Joel's hit song written for his daughter, and will hit stores in mid September. Joel's second book will be based on his classic song "New York State of Mind" and is tentatively scheduled for release in fall 2005. A track on Joel's highly acclaimed "River of Dreams" album which was released in 1993, "Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel)" was hailed by Billboard as "…a humanistic hymn of the highest order; a natural stroke of inspirational songwriting." The review goes on to say, "two million plays from now it will still create a universal hush, first note to last." Billy Joel wrote "Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel)" for his daughter Alexa when she was seven and he was in the process of a divorce. Goodnight My Angel: A Lullabye is a heartwarming lovesong from parent to child. Billy Joel's words will assure readers young and old that the love between a parent and child lasts forever. Classic paintings by acclaimed artist Yvonne Gilbert illustrate the relationship between a father and daughter and the profound ways that small moments - like tucking a child into bed - affirm parents' devotion to their children. Billy Joel invited 12 children with cancer from the Long Island Cancer Alliance to spend an afternoon cruising around Long Island Sound aboard Billy's boat, the Redhead. (source: NY Daily News) Billy Joel Wins a Tony! Billy Joel and Stuart Malina won the Best Orchestrations trophy for Movin' Out at the 57th Annual Tony Awards. Billy Joel opened the awards show by playing "New York State of Mind" in Times Square. What the press is saying about "Movin' Out": "Billy Joel's music shines" - NY Post "Classic rock on Broadway never sounded so good" - Time Magazine ". ..may surprise even Joel's most ardent fans" -- USA Today "It's Billy Joel's music that shines as the brightest star of "Movin' Out...like watching a favorite book turned into a movie." - New York Post Movin' Out Movin' Out is a new musical conceived, choreographed, and directed by Twyla Tharp. It is based on the songs and music of Billy Joel. Find out more about Movin' Out. The Movin' Out Original Cast Recording is in stores now! Time Magazine reviews "Fantasies & Delusions" "Billy Joel's latest CD collection is a collection of 10 pretty solo-piano miniatures with such earnest titles as "Invention in C Minor" and "Fantasy (Film Noir)" ..these pieces are modest in scale, as well as unabashedly romantic, and pianist Richard Joo plays them as if they were spun gold.." Multimedia Updated 10.9.01 Send an e-card featuring music from Fantasies and Delusions.