Don Black Tribute on 3-10-13... London...

[gra7890]

London's Royal Festival Hall will present an evening celebrating the work of West End and Broadway lyricist Don Black

The Oct. 3 concert, which is titled A Life in Song: Lyrics by Don Black it will begin at 7:30 PM.

Michael Grade will host the evening, which will feature the BBC Concert Orchestra. Lyricist Black will also take to the stage to chat with host Grade about his award-winning career.

Others scheduled to be part of the tribute, which will be recorded for a future BBC broadcast, include Michael Ball, Marti Webb, Only Men Aloud, Mary-Jess Leaverland and Richard Stilgoe.

Tickets on sale NOW

www.eventim.co.uk/Tickets.html?affiliate=EUK&fun=search&action=search&doc=search%2Fsearch&detailadoc=erdetaila&detailbdoc=evdetailb&kudoc=artist&sort_by=score&sort_direction=desc&fuzzy=yes&suchbegriff=don+black


Graham C

[gra7890]

From the BBC website......

Don Black also takes to the stage to talk with Michael Grade about his life, the inspiration for his songs, the composers he has worked with and telling anecdotes about how some of the songs came about.

A truly special evening where you can only hear these fabulous songs performed but also get the chance to step into the life and mind of one of the country's most repsected songwriters.The show is also being filmed for broadcast by the BBC at a later date.

The last bit is really good news.......Sounds like a Christmas Special

Graham C

[Admin]

I hope it is televised and available to download or view online.

Sent from my GT-N8010 using proboards

[John]

Rather belatedly booked my ticket. ;D
Very few seats left

A celebration of one of the world's most versatile lyricists, the Oscar-winning Don Black, with the man himself in attendance.

Black has written many of the greatest and most instantly-recognisable songs of the last 60 years. He has written for TV, Film and Musical Theatre. His world-wide success has taken him from his roots in Hackney all the way to Hollywood.

This show, hosted by Michael Grade and featuring an array of very special guests artists, celebrates the work of Don Black in which a selection of his most renowned songs are performed live and accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra.

Don Black also takes to the stage to talk with Michael Grade about his life, the inspiration for his songs, the composers he has worked with and telling anecdotes about how some of the songs came about.

A truly special evening where you can only hear these fabulous songs performed but also get the chance to step into the life and mind of one of the country's most repsected songwriters.

Special Guests
Michael Ball
Elaine Paige
Katie Melua
Eliza Doolittle
David Arnold
Only Men Aloud
Laura Wright
Marti Webb
Marc Almond
Preeya Kalidas
Gregory Porter
Frances Ruffelle
Mary Jess Leaverland
Richard Stilgoe

Please note that this event is being filmed for unlimited live and recorded use in all media throughout the world. By attending, you give consent to the use of your likeness in connection with this.

Performers
BBC Concert Orchestra
Michael Grade presenter
Don Black
with special guests

[dazza]

I'm really looking forward to seeing Mary-Jess again on Thursday... It has been too long!

I'm in London next week to see Katie Melua so when I saw this on the following night and that as well as Mary-Jess we will get to see Laura Wright too (and for me Katie again!) I couldn't resist snapping a ticket up!

[gra7890]

[



Two photo's from M-J

Graham C

[John]

.... and a transformed Mary-Jess after the performance



She was brilliant.

[gra7890]

The new Mary-Jess with Laura Wright

Graham C

[gra7890]

Well here is the TV Special ........

3rd January 2014:
Don Black Tribute Concert,
Recorded at The Royal Festival Hall in London,
BBC Four,
7.30pm.

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER: THE DON BLACK SONGBOOK
Don Black, the great lyricist behind a huge collection of popular hit songs including Diamonds Are Forever, Born Free, Ben and Love Changes Everything shares some fascinating insights into his life's work with Michael Grade, in between live performances of his songs by Brian May, Eliza Doolittle, Frances Ruffelle, Gary Wilmot, Gregory Porter, Katie Melua, Kerry Ellis, Laura Wright, Marc Almond, Maria Friedman, Marti Webb, Michael Ball, Only Men Aloud and Richard Stilgoe.

But no mention of Mary-Jess

Graham C

[John]

Thanks for finding this, Graham
We were told it would be broadcast 'around Christmas'. I suppose that just about qualifies
Let's hope Mary-Jess has only been left out of the write-up, and hasn't been cut from the programme

[Graham]

Probably bad news I'm afraid

It would seem that because Mary-Jess sang the theme from Downton Abbey (an ITV show) at the concert, the BBC in their wisdom have decided to cut it from the program - rather petty but they needed to cut out some performances due to timing constraints and that would seem to have given them an excuse to do so.

Here's the list of performers as shown in the current BBC4 schedules

Brian May
Eliza Doolittle
Frances Ruffell
Gary Wilmot
Gregory Porter
Katie Melua
Kerry Ellis
Laura Wright
Marc Almond
Maria Friedman
Marti Webb
Michael Ball
Richard Stilgoe
Only Men Aloud

If it does come to pass then that is a real shame, will still be worth watching anyway (Diamonds Are Forever: The Don Black Tribute, Fri 3 Jan 2014, BBC4 at 7:30pm)

[John]

Well, at least Mary-Jess was seen briefly on stage during the closing credits.