INTERVIEW: Briggs brings Bacharach ballads to Birdland
Photo: Allyson Briggs’ new album is called Promises, Prayers, and Raindrops: Allyson Briggs Sings Burt Bacharach. Photo courtesy of the singer / Provided by Fortune Creative with permission.
In anticipation of Allyson Briggs’ new album, which is centered on the songbook of Burt Bacharach, the accomplished singer will sing the entire album at New York City’s Birdland Theater on Tuesday, July 9. A few days later, on Friday, July 12, fans can grab a copy of the recording, either on CD or digitally.
Promises, Prayers, and Raindrops: Allyson Briggs Sings Burt Bacharach features such hit tunes as “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again,” “I Say a Little Prayer” and “Walk on By,” according to press notes. Two obscure songs that were originally meant for Peggy Lee will also be included: “My Rock and Foundation” and “Uninvited Dream.”
Briggs, who sings in multiple languages, has played a number of historic venues around the country, especially in New York City, where she has graced the stages of Carnegie Hall, the Rainbow Room and Jazz at Lincoln Center, among others. Her band is Fleur Seule, and the players will be by her side at the Birdland concert. New Yorkers may know Fleur Suele because they have been the house band at Tavern on the Green for a decade, according to press notes.
Recently Briggs exchanged emails with Hollywood Soapbox to talk about her love of Bacharach’s songs and her joy of singing in multiple languages. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
When did you first fall in love with the music of Burt Bacharach?
I was always familiar with Burt’s music growing up because my parents played the classics at home, but I truly discovered his work for myself during the pandemic. I had too much time on my hands, and “Close to You” got me hooked. I went down a rabbit hole into his catalogue and created the tribute concert that I performed in L.A. before we recorded the album. I love Burt’s unusual meter and these melodies that really get to your core in a deceptively easy going way. They really have immense staying power (clearly, Dionne Warwick is still performing these hits!), and his music just gets in your head and stays there.
How did you choose these 20 songs for the album?
It really was a challenge! Not because I couldn’t find which songs I wanted to include, but because we were running over one disc. I think there will be a second installment because there are still so many songs I wanted to include. His catalogue is massive, and I wanted to venture into different collaborations: Dionne Warwick, the Bacharach/[Hal] David muse of course, but also Dusty Springfield, Cilla Black, Peggy Lee, so many women that interpreted his music and made their mark with his songs.
Do you feel that Burt Bacharach was able to define love and relationships like no other composer could?
I think that Burt Bacharach and Hal David were a match made in heaven. The way they were able to communicate the same messages cohesively, Burt through melody and Hal through lyric, is something that still amazes me to this day. You feel the joy of new love in the exciting burst of a brisk tempo, the twists and turns of the challenges of life in the odd meters and random two-bar phrases, and the heartbreak at the end with the melancholy lines, all perfectly expressed in word by Hal. It’s why I meet people all around the world who all identify with a different Bacharach/David song that is meaningful to them.
Do you try to put a unique take on each tune? Is that difficult when there are iconic versions that have been released?
Yes and yes! It is that constant challenge of finding the balance between the special quality that made the song a hit initially and putting your own fresh spin on it. I decided to record the album as our jazz quintet, rather than a studio orchestra, because that is how we created the concert, and I liked the intimate take on the repertoire. It allows you to appreciate the intricacies of the lyrics and the challenging arrangements even more.
Is it challenging singing in different languages? How did you learn so many languages?
I don’t think so, but maybe that’s just me! I learned German very young because I was interested in my family history, and once I learned that I could substitute art class with French; that became my third. And I happened to fall in love with a Puerto Rican, so now, Spanish is my fourth language! Living in New York City, I have opportunities to use it all, and I love that I am able to sing in seven languages to explore a wide range of classic music that even more people can connect with and enjoy in my concerts.
What can audience members expect from your Birdland concert?
This is a celebration! We will be performing the album live and sending you home with CDs available after the show. Our fans have been a big part of the creation of this album, and with a sold-out New York debut in February, this album release will be a very special night. I can feel the energy already! Come prepared to sing along, to laugh and to cry, as we remember and reinvigorate this amazing music.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Promises, Prayers, and Raindrops: Allyson Briggs Sings Burt Bacharach will be released Friday, July 12. In anticipation of the release, Briggs will play Tuesday, July 9, at the Birdland Theater in Midtown Manhattan. Click here for more information and tickets.
