Out of Context #1

It's been far too long since I've updated things here - especially with all of the things I've been up to since my last post. Where to start, where to start...? How about here - I've spent much of the spring and summer planning for, recording and completing my first album, Out of Context: The Songs of Michael Patrick Walker. It's a collection of thirteen songs, pulled out of context from the shows they were written for and sung by an incredible group of Broadway singers. Make no mistake, putting together an album like this is a lot of work - both for me and the other people involved - but it's also a lot of fun to do!

Picking which songs to include, figuring out who best to sing them, arranging and orchestrating the songs, recording the band, the vocals, the overdubs, figuring out the cover art, mixing, re-mixing, etc, etc and on and on! It's a lot of work but I couldn't be happier with how it's all come out and I can't wait for everybody to hear the finished product. The official release date is Tuesday November 8th, 2011 and the album is being released on the Yellow Sound Label. It will be available on Amazon.com and iTunes as well as out of the trunk of my car...if had a car.

The album itself features a few songs from The Distant Bells, a few songs from my trunk, a song from being theo and maybe even a re-imagined version of an old favorite. I'll be talking alot about the album in the coming weeks but for now I want to share two things with you all. First, the cover which hasn't been widely released yet - and here it is:

I kind of love it and big thanks to Asaf Shakham, the graphic designer on the album who did a wonderful job bringing my concept for the cover to life. By the way, you haven't lived until you've spent a half hour "picking a penguin"...

The other thing I want to share right now is that I'll be doing a live concert at Birdland here in NYC on Monday November 7, 2011 at 7pm. Featuring live performances of many songs from the album, it will also be the first place you can buy a copy of the album - so I know you'll want to check that out! Info for the show is here:

Monday November 7th and 7pm

Broadway at Birdland, 315 West 44th Street

For reservations call 212-581-3080 or visit http://www.birdlandjazz.com/event/71183/

Broadway at Birdland Presented by Jim Caruso

I hope to see everybody there and check back often (must more often than every six months!) for updates on this and several other exciting projects I've got in the works!