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Randy Newman in Concert
With songs that run the gamut from heartbreaking to satirical and a host of unforgettable film scores, Randy Newman has used his many talents to create musical masterpieces widely recognized by generations of audiences.
After starting his songwriting career as a teenager, Newman launched into recording as a singer and pianist in 1968 with his self-titled album Randy Newman. Throughout the 1970s he released several other acclaimed albums such as: 12 Songs, Sail Away, and Good Old Boys. In addition to his solo recordings and regular international touring, Newman began composing and scoring for films in the 1980s. The list of movies he has worked on since then includes The Natural, Awakenings, Ragtime, all three Toy Story pictures, Seabiscuit, James and the Giant Peach, A Bug’s Life, and most recently, Disney/Pixar’s Monsters University, the prequel to Monsters Inc. (which he also scored).
The highly praised 2008 Harps and Angels was Newman’s first album of new material since 1999. The Austin Chronicle wrote “the characters are memorable, the satire sharp, the music luxurious, and the arrangements maybe the most gorgeous in all pop music.”
The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 2, which is the second in a series of new solo piano/vocal recordings of his songs spanning his five-decades, was released in 2011. Time Out New York said of the series, which will receive a third volume soon, “The Songbook records strip away the orchestrations of his regular albums, leaving Newman alone at the piano, singing...three-minute masterpieces from throughout a half-century career.”
That same year, Nonesuch Records released a live CD and DVD recorded at London’s intimate LSO St. Luke’s, an 18th-century Anglican church that has been restored by the London Symphony Orchestra, where he was accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra, conducted by Robert Ziegler. The 22-song set features some of his best-known songs like “Short People,” “Louisiana 1927,” and “I Think It’s Going to Rain Today,” as well as newer songs such as “A Few Words in Defense of Our Country” and “Laugh and Be Happy.”
Randy Newman’s many honors include six Grammys, three Emmys, and two Academy Awards, as well as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013—the same year he was given an Ivor Novello PRS for Music Special International Award. Mostly recently, Newman was presented with a PEN New England Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence Award in June 2014.
Great performance by one of America's foremost social critics who just happens to know a thing or two about music as well. The LPO supported him wonderfully, was as good as any orchestra anywhere. Nice venue, but entry and exit to the parking lots left a lot to be desired and needs to be reworked for the benefit of those of us who don't have access to public transit.
I thought the show was wonderful. Randy played his solo classics, great movie scores and combined it all with unique and funny stories. The PLO, as always, was just incredible. I think that they are the "BEST". I only wish that they would play a few more dates during the season at the MJ Theater. I travel so if I miss one show, it's few and far between next shows. They are wonderful!!!!!!
It was part comedy, part concert, part symphony. An incredible display of his talents and his sharp sense of humor. At one point he said he'd dig up his mother for a joke. When he took a break he told the crowd, "I'm going to go in the back, shoot up, and then I'll come back out." Only regret is he did not play Rednecks but understand that the irony of the lyrics may be lost on some. A courageous songwriter with a talent for using satire to make ourselves look at our own hypocrisy. Highly recommend!
This performance was very good. The mixture of Mr. Newman's eclectic songs and the beautiful scores for motion pictures gave us a new perspective of the tremendous talent and scope of his work. The orchestra was also very good, both in the support role for his individual songs and the movie scores.
The overall performance was very good. The fact that Randy performed with the LA P O made the evening very good.
An evening with Randy Newman was about as intimate one can get in a auditorium filled with hundreds of people, and still provide the feeling you're in Randy's living room listening to him casually play many of his top hit songs. With the exception of his tickling the ivory and accompanying the tune, the auditorium was silent. Everyone in attendance appeared to appreciate the musical genius who has continued to bring "true to life," no nonsense music to the world for the past 30 years or so. "You love LA," Randy and LA loves you! We understand that you weren't feeling up to par last night and yet that made the concert more real. 5 Stars all the way!!!
After buying tickets that were billed as (obstructed view), was thrilled that the balcony seats were right above Newman and we could see his hands play the piano. They were fine seats. Newman was wonderful, even his "mistakes" were charming and one could hear a pin drop. The audience was glued to every word of every lyric and Newman had us singing with him on a new song which was funny since the song was filled with his sardonic wit. And the audience part made it funnier. The show was a great mix of old and new. Am a big fan of "Harps and Angels" his last c.d. and was glad he performed songs from it. EXCELLENT!
When you spend a lot of money for an evening out on the town, a nice dinner, and then a concert in the beautiful Royce Hall at UCLA, one expects a magical night. Not so last night. Randy Newman was absolutely horrible and owes everyone either their money back or a new concert. His excuse for forgetting the lyrices to many songs or forgetting how to play the notes to a song was that he'd been working on his compositions for "Toy Story 3" all day, had a cold, and was just plain having trouble concentrating. I would say that the reason he performed so poorly is that he's been doing this for so long he thought he could skate by without rehearsing. How unprofessional is that? I want my money back!
It left me sad and angry and groping for answers. I am a life long fan and had seen Randy Newman numerous times. But last night......sigh.... There were missed chords and forgotten lyrics. And when you are playing to people who have listened to you for almost 40 years there is no way to fake it. At first he joked about it. He admonished his left hand that would not bounce around the lower keys. At one point he stopped and noted, oh I already did that part. He had to know how badly it was going. I don't know if he felt poorly or was just unprepared. It was like watching a former champion who was taking one fight too many. We walked out into the night air at intermission and kept going...
Poet, musician, sage, philosopher/clown are only some of the descriptive words evoked by his masterful performance. It didn't matter that he forgot a few lyrics here and there and that his hands did not always perfectly trace the composed pathways through the keys. Audience members were more than willing to fill in lines with nostalgic whispers. His songs still stand the test of time and are anthems for generations. If you have young adult children, take them to see this legendary artist. I took my life-partner who is also a soul stirring songwriter. I feel grateful for the gift of those who follow their muse and delight us all with the dance.
