LOS ANGELES (Top40 Charts/ Equilibrium Records) - Recalling a time of patriotism, heroism, and happy homecomings, 'Someone Talked! Memories of World War II' transports listeners back to the era of USO Shows, war bonds, and Victory Gardens. Featuring Grammy Award-winning composer and pianist
William Bolcom, internationally acclaimed soloists Joan Morris and Robert White, and jazz historian Hazen Schumacher, this 'radio show in miniature' includes 19 songs from America's wartime songbook interlaced with 20 narrations that tell the story of life on the battlefront and the homefront, circa 1940s. Produced by Equilibrium Records at Brookwood Studio; official release date: October 13th. Available now through www.equilibri.com.
"Today, many feel the need to express their thanks to our veterans, and that impulse was where the idea for 'Someone Talked!' originated," said pianist William Bolcom. "This recording is also for those who are too young to be in any way connected to war. For them, World War II will certainly be unknown territory, and we wanted this to be a step toward understanding what the war felt like here at home."
A young boy during the post-war years, tenor Robert White sang for veterans' organizations and in veterans' hospitals, and was overwhelmed with those memories during the recording. "Those of us who remember that period have lived long enough to understand ¯ with gratitude ¯ the sacrifices that went into winning the conflict. But I think any and all, young and old, can find a way to relate these songs, which possess a straightforward drive and delivery that never gets mawkish or crude."
Both Bolcom and White were young boys during the Second World War, entertaining troops on the radio and in USO shows. Narrator Hazen Schumacher was a teenager when he served 13 months in the Coast Guard toward the end of the war.
"1939 to 1942 was a special period for jazz and popular music. Like Sammy Cahn's and Jules Styne's 'I'll Walk Alone' and Johnny Mercer's 'G.I. Jive,' the songs were either lovely ballads or up-tempo numbers," said Schumacher. "In fact, the jazz musicians of today still play many of the tunes of this period because of their structure and feeling."
Other songs on the album include Irving Berlin's 'Any Bonds Today?' and 'This Is The Army, Mr. Jones,' Ruth Lowe's 'I'll Never Smile Again,' Frank Loesser's 'Praise The Lord and Pass The Ammunition,' and Sammy Fain's 'I'll Be Seeing You.'
"We had about 30 songs that we thought we couldn't live without, so whatever didn't get all four enthusiastic votes was dropped. As much as we loved them, we didn't do things like 'Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy' because so many people still do them today," explained Morris. "Still, there was plenty left to choose from because a lot of the most prominent songwriters of the time contributed to the list - certain ones often. That also explains why so much of the music survived. Today, people still appreciate the tunes that they first heard from their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents - and, of course, from the old Hollywood war movies of the period that are still popular."
