Great American Songbook talk

About the talk

Join fellow Boundless members for another engaging talk this October.

Roger Browne is a professional raconteur, writer, director and pianist. He has appeared in jazz clubs and jazz festivals in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Norway, The Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and across North America and Canada, and provided piano accompaniment for many national and international legends such as Stefane Grappelli, Marion Montgomery, Wild Bill Davison, Scott Hamilton, Ray Nance, Bud Freeman, Humphrey Lyttleton, George Melly, George Chisholm, and many more.

Roger presents several talks on various aspects of American popular music from the early part of the twentieth century. In this presentation, he focuses on the history, roots, and influences of “The Great American Songbook”, the lives and fascinating back stories of the composers, lyricists and publishers who created this iconic genre during the first half of the Twentieth Century. He discusses the influence of Jewish Immigrants from Central and Eastern Europe to New York, who went on to form what became known as Tin Pan Alley.

The talk covers the roots such as: blues, music hall. ragtime, operetta, variety shows, minstrel music, jazz, and classical music. The presentation includes live performances of the compositions of Jerome Kern, Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein, and others.

There is free parking and complementary refreshments at the hotel.

Everyone is welcome to what promises to be a fascinating talk.

Price

This event is free to attend.