I STUMBLED upon your website today whilst researching singer Don Heller. I am a record producer in Japan (tho I live mostly in L.A. and telecommute to work) and have been mulling over the possibility of reissuing his Epic album. Others I produce include Sue Raney, Frankie Randall, Jack Jones and many many more.
In all modesty, I have “ears” and am a hard sell when it comes to singers, but your youtube vids really are the berries. Sorry that it has taken so long for me to catch up with you. Congratulations on all the wonderful musical and extra-musical things that you are up to. I’m especially impressed by the background vocals with which you sing along. I know of no one else who takes this approach. It really cooks. Is it all your voices, or you and part synth, or . . . .? I would really be curious to know. If you don’t mind I would like to put one of your youtube vids on my blog. Please advise.
Oh, and by the way do you happen to know very much about Don Heller. I was told by songwriter Ray Passman that his final days were not happy ones. But Ray could not recall exactly when Don passed away. If you have info on Don, I would appreciate your passing it along. Ray said that Don had a brother who he thought was still alive, but wasn’t entirely certain. I would guess that you don’t know much more about Don that I do, but I ask on the offchance… Did you know, by the way, that in 1968 Don recorded exactly one chorus of Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most on an album with a very fine singer by the name of Stella Levitt. After that, he disappears from google radar.
I look forward to spending some time with your blog.
Thanks in advance for your kind attention to this email.
Dear Bill,
(If I may call you that). It is so utterly kind and generous of you to write what you wrote. Thank you for noticing the things that important to me. The voices. This is how and why I do it. I have a contrapuntal mind. When I play, my brain is split in two. When I found a piano that had jazz voices on it, I bought it at once. I was and am able to play the contrapuntal voices on the piano as I sing. The piano/jazz voices and my singing voice together then get the contrapuntal sound. So, it’s me – all the way. Me singing and accompanying myself. All spontaneous and improvised. (I am a jazz musician after all.)
As for Don Heller, when I spoke to Fran (Landesman – she passed away recently) last, she’d told me that Don was into drugs and probably died of them. How much do you know about the Nervous Set? In the original production he was married to this gorgeous German girl. Fran told me that the marriage didn’t last. I just, and I mean just received a photo of my I didn’t know existed from the Columbia recording session of Set. I’ll enclose the link. Of course I still do “Spring”. I did it at a master class I held here in Gothenburg. It was a great version. I was sorry that my video fan wasn’t there to get it.
The video you may have liked was done in a performance to commemorate the 100th birthday of Johnny Mercer – especially first husband so, since my first husband Bob Corwin, married Johnny’s daughter Mandy and my son grew up with them. So, since we’re all friends and I knew Johnny, I thought I’d really honor him with a program consisting solely of his songs.
I adore Sue Raney and Blossom was a good friend of mine (so I loved that photo you have of her – one I’ve never seen.)
Hello Arlene,
this is Michael De Tomasso from Hello Poetry. I have been trying to get in touch with you after your wrote to me. After reading your entire BIO i’m Flattered to have read your kind words, and your enjoyment of my work. I left you my phone # on your FaceBook Personal page. If by any chance you haven’t received it allow me to give it to you once again. 972-595-2430 Looking forward to your reply.
With Love.
God Bless,
Michael…..
Der Michael,
Although I probably won’t call,I’m happy to have your phone number. I much prefer email correspondence. It’s slower and gives me time to think. So if there’s anything you want to say or ask at any time about anything do, do email me. I have one or two ‘pen pals’ whose correspondence I value. I’m delighted that we seem to share a common interest in writing poetry.
Warmly,
Arlene
Dear Michael, My best advice is to self-publish. I use Xlibris and Authorhouse. See which has the best offer. In the end I’ve preferred Xlibris because you get more perks. Both have produced top-notch books for me. But don’t expect them to do any marketing. They’re in the business of making money and will charge for every little service. So, if you want to sell, be prepared to work hard and/or spend time and money. You’ll get some free books from them both. About 6 (I don’t remember) and some posters, postcards and business cards from Xlibris.
You can always contact me for more information. It helps me too. And if you find out anything I don’t know, you can provide me with information too. Let me know how it goes. Arlene
Arlene Corwin Poetry
Feb 04, 2012 @ 22:28:21
I STUMBLED upon your website today whilst researching singer Don Heller. I am a record producer in Japan (tho I live mostly in L.A. and telecommute to work) and have been mulling over the possibility of reissuing his Epic album. Others I produce include Sue Raney, Frankie Randall, Jack Jones and many many more.
In all modesty, I have “ears” and am a hard sell when it comes to singers, but your youtube vids really are the berries. Sorry that it has taken so long for me to catch up with you. Congratulations on all the wonderful musical and extra-musical things that you are up to. I’m especially impressed by the background vocals with which you sing along. I know of no one else who takes this approach. It really cooks. Is it all your voices, or you and part synth, or . . . .? I would really be curious to know. If you don’t mind I would like to put one of your youtube vids on my blog. Please advise.
Oh, and by the way do you happen to know very much about Don Heller. I was told by songwriter Ray Passman that his final days were not happy ones. But Ray could not recall exactly when Don passed away. If you have info on Don, I would appreciate your passing it along. Ray said that Don had a brother who he thought was still alive, but wasn’t entirely certain. I would guess that you don’t know much more about Don that I do, but I ask on the offchance… Did you know, by the way, that in 1968 Don recorded exactly one chorus of Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most on an album with a very fine singer by the name of Stella Levitt. After that, he disappears from google radar.
I look forward to spending some time with your blog.
Thanks in advance for your kind attention to this email.
Best,
Bill Reed
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Feb 05, 2012 @ 18:15:25
Dear Bill,
(If I may call you that). It is so utterly kind and generous of you to write what you wrote. Thank you for noticing the things that important to me. The voices. This is how and why I do it. I have a contrapuntal mind. When I play, my brain is split in two. When I found a piano that had jazz voices on it, I bought it at once. I was and am able to play the contrapuntal voices on the piano as I sing. The piano/jazz voices and my singing voice together then get the contrapuntal sound. So, it’s me – all the way. Me singing and accompanying myself. All spontaneous and improvised. (I am a jazz musician after all.)
As for Don Heller, when I spoke to Fran (Landesman – she passed away recently) last, she’d told me that Don was into drugs and probably died of them. How much do you know about the Nervous Set? In the original production he was married to this gorgeous German girl. Fran told me that the marriage didn’t last. I just, and I mean just received a photo of my I didn’t know existed from the Columbia recording session of Set. I’ll enclose the link. Of course I still do “Spring”. I did it at a master class I held here in Gothenburg. It was a great version. I was sorry that my video fan wasn’t there to get it.
The video you may have liked was done in a performance to commemorate the 100th birthday of Johnny Mercer – especially first husband so, since my first husband Bob Corwin, married Johnny’s daughter Mandy and my son grew up with them. So, since we’re all friends and I knew Johnny, I thought I’d really honor him with a program consisting solely of his songs.
I adore Sue Raney and Blossom was a good friend of mine (so I loved that photo you have of her – one I’ve never seen.)
Yes, of course use my videos. They’re only amateur, as you can see, but since you seem to hear behind the amateur quality, I’m delighted.
You can write to me a arlene.corwin@gmail.com.
The link I referred to is http://www.masterworksbroadway.com/artist/images/29731
By the way, I received you letter on my Poetry site Arlene Corwin Poetry.
Really flattered,
Arlene
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Jul 27, 2016 @ 18:40:24
Hello Arlene,
this is Michael De Tomasso from Hello Poetry. I have been trying to get in touch with you after your wrote to me. After reading your entire BIO i’m Flattered to have read your kind words, and your enjoyment of my work. I left you my phone # on your FaceBook Personal page. If by any chance you haven’t received it allow me to give it to you once again. 972-595-2430 Looking forward to your reply.
With Love.
God Bless,
Michael…..
LikeLike
Aug 11, 2016 @ 22:32:08
Der Michael,
Although I probably won’t call,I’m happy to have your phone number. I much prefer email correspondence. It’s slower and gives me time to think. So if there’s anything you want to say or ask at any time about anything do, do email me. I have one or two ‘pen pals’ whose correspondence I value. I’m delighted that we seem to share a common interest in writing poetry.
Warmly,
Arlene
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Aug 12, 2016 @ 14:17:03
Hello Arlene,
Thank u for getting back to me. Just wanted to know if u had some advice how i can get my poems published.
God bless,
Michael.
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Aug 12, 2016 @ 14:55:42
Dear Michael, My best advice is to self-publish. I use Xlibris and Authorhouse. See which has the best offer. In the end I’ve preferred Xlibris because you get more perks. Both have produced top-notch books for me. But don’t expect them to do any marketing. They’re in the business of making money and will charge for every little service. So, if you want to sell, be prepared to work hard and/or spend time and money. You’ll get some free books from them both. About 6 (I don’t remember) and some posters, postcards and business cards from Xlibris.
You can always contact me for more information. It helps me too. And if you find out anything I don’t know, you can provide me with information too. Let me know how it goes. Arlene
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Jun 25, 2017 @ 10:34:24
All 15 of my books can be found on Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, Xlibris.com. Simply type in my name.
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Jul 04, 2019 @ 17:25:20
lcLo9uTJ
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