Projects and Collaborations
It’s a Surprise Hit: An Evening of Standards, Classic and Modern
Bad Press had the joy of helping friend-of-the-org Spencer Gonzalez bring his cabaret show vision to life via “It’s a Surprise Hit: An Evening of Standards, Classic and Modern”.
The show’s title is a clever nod to Ella Fitzgerald’s 1960 performance of “Mack the Knife”, during which she forgot most of the words to the song. Spencer, alongside Music Director Sam Levine, selected 16 tunes for our program, ranging from jazz and bossa nova classics like “No More Blues” and “Something Stupid” to modern songs like Radiohead’s “15 Step” and Brittney Spears’ “Toxic”.
Sam painstakingly arranged all of the pieces for a six-piece band, turning our modern selections into smokey jazz tunes, and reviving our classics with fresh new arrangements.
The thought and care put into this project was unmatched - Spencer’s attention to detail was crucial for us in helping him achieve his vision, and he was just as thoughtful as he was collaborative. The show’s art, designed by Kelly King, pays homage to the artistic style of albums by jazz legends such as Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Brubeck, and Count Basie.
The end result was a vibrant Sunday evening of live jazz, classic and modern, in an Upper West Side speakeasy.
A collaboration between Bad Press and Spencer Gonzalez.
Music directed by Sam Levine. Art by Kelly King.
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Feel free to reach out via email, or fill out the form to tell us about your project! Whether you’re interested in playing a house show, booking a show at a venue, or need to know where to start with producing your own event, we are here for you!!