Mostly it is me but I write with Joshua Robinson and I often write roles for Russell Fisher because I love his instrument. In the months to come you will see some additions from upcoming shows that feature some of my favorite singing actors in New York - people like the amazing Trisha Jeffrey, Kate Pazakis, and many more. SO please check back regularly.
Influences
Cake, Stephen Sondheim, Stevie Wonder, Stephen Trask, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, Etta James, Jamie Cullum, Elton John, George Michael, Adam Guettel, My Chemical Romance, Ray Charles, David Yazbek, Thursday, Ronnie Dyson, Ellis Marsalis, Parliament, Guns and Roses, The Who, The Guess Who, Duncan Sheik, Coldplay, Nina Simone, the Spin Doctors, David Bowie, Sesame Street.
Sounds Like
My musical theatre writing is influenced by Sondheim and sounds like Cy Coleman, David Yazbek, and Henry Kreiger. No, my musicals don’t often sound much like each other so I can’t say for certain what they sound like. My rock stuff is much easier. Pretty much straightforward pop rock with occasional funk and jazz influences. You can draw a line from Little Richard to the Beatles to Elton John to Micheal Jackson to me - sounds like a scary line actually. Maybe I should start over again in hair metal.
So my name is John Bronston. I write music and lyrics and I sing and play the piano. The first three songs on here are from my original musical, Fairy Tale (libretto Joshua Robinson, music & lyrics John Bronston). All three of the songs from that show that are featured here are from the second act of the show and if you would like to have sheet music for any of them, please drop me a line and I will gladly supply it to you. Also, there are songs from my old band, the deepEnd, from Indiana on here just because I really like them and it makes me happy to hear them on occasion. The music you’ll hear on my page will change from time to time (but not as often as I would like) and will likely be a mishmash of all of the music that I love and am working on at the moment. Something for no one likely but if you like it or you really hate it, drop me a line and let me know. My ego can take it. Currently I am writing the arrangements and musical directing the new show "Liberty" by Dana Leslie Goldstein and Jonathon M. Goldstein. We finished a producer’s run off-off Broadway two years ago and recorded the show this winter. Now that the show has acquired producers and a general management company, we are doing another string of readings of the show...stay tuned to find out more information about this project. I find that I often work with the Goldstein’s and their frequent collaborator, director Robert Bruce McIntosh, most recently on Dana’s new musical in development as a cast member of "Ivanhoe." I have previously served as musical director for tours of their shows "Lady of Copper" (which is basically the children’s version of "Liberty"), "Enough For All," and "First Lady," and performed in Dana’s show "Cyclone" at the York Theatre and the National Comedy Theatre in New York. Other than that I sometimes work at the Duplex as a substitute piano player (I have been known to work at the Stonewall as well, and have been known to drop in on the piano at most of the other piano bars in the city) and just recently subbed as the musical director for stops on the tours of Smokey Joe’s Cafe and Five Guys Named Moe for Irving Street Productions. I have a couple of other new musicals in development, one of which ("Idol" libbretto and lyrics by Joshua Robinson) is likely to go up in reading this summer sometime around the time I am conducting Anything Goes upstate and in between trips to Stage Door Manor to teach this summer. I have been very blessed and if all this ends tomorrow I will have no complaints! *****************************************I find it kind of annoying that myspacemusic doesn’t have an area for personal info so I’m going to squeeze it in here. I’m from Richmond, IN amd I moved to the east coast six years ago to work in the theatre and make some music. I am turning thirty this summer and boy am I thrilled about it. I am extremely, excruciatingly, ennervatingly, (anyone know any other ten cent words that start with the letter e) single and have been for quite some time. Anyone interested in helping me change that status can hit me up here. I love to read, (mostly theatre history books, a lot of twentieth century fiction like the novels of Ethan Mordden and James Baldwin, Roald Dahl’s short stories for adults, C.S. Lewis’s writing on spirituality, books I loved as a kid like Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and The Great Gilly Hopkins, and sometimes a trashy/sexy occult book like Density of Souls by Christopher Rice). I love movies - everything from the old MGM musicals like The Band Wagon (actually I have always been an Astaire freak) to goofy action movies like Crank. These are some that come to mind immediately: Crash (not the recent one but the one about people being turned on by car accidents with James Spader - a camp classic), Gay Deceivers, Camp, Yolanda and the Thief, West Side Story, The Umbrellas of Cherbourgh, Bad Eduaction, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Fleshdance - yes Fleshdance and not Flashdance ( Fleshdance is the best/worst straight porn movie from the eighties - don’t ask why I’m so familiar with it), Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Shaun of the Dead, American Beauty (actually I used to love that movie and now I really hate it - it seems inauthentic to me now but instead of re-doing this section of my page I’m just going to add comments to it), Fight Club, Birthrite, Bleed, Delta Delta Die, Psycho Beach Party, Splendor, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Jackie Brown, Mysterious Skin, and Brick (let me add to this list two years later: Seed of Chucky is crazy good fun, The Dreamers is beautiful and hot, Shortbus, which I just loved, and Hot Fuzz which is hilarious). I love music and I won’t do an exhaustive list but I will mention a few people who aren’t influences you probably hear in my music but are there - Fall Out Boy, Stevie Wonder, Garth Brooks, Nina Simone, Oscar Levant, and Axl Rose. People have compared my stuff to Stephen Sondheim, Elton John, Jason Robert Brown (I don’t agree with this one - not that I don’t love his stuff but I think it only sounds like him when I am attempting to sound like him), George Michael, Robbie Williams, and Harold Arlen. I am flattered by all of these comparisons and hope that one day soon I will be half the writer that any of the above are. OH!!! In addition to the stuff listed above, I am also a working vocal coach, accompanist, and occasional director. I also write charts for singers by ear and write full arrangements for a nominal fee. If you would like some of that kind of thing feel free to write me. Actually, just feel free to write me in general - I love making new friends especially if you are here in New York City.
It is believed that Shakespeare was 46 around the time that the King James Version of the Bible was written. In Psalms 46, the 46th word from the first word is shake and the 46th word from the last word is spear.
Had a great time tonight seeing Another Country at Sacred Grounds. I hadn't heard you sing since Elsto's apartment with The Deep End all those years ago. Erin and I really enjoyed the show, and it was cool seeing you again after all these years. Keep in touch, Brian Grimes
You're Invited to The Official 4th Annual (first one you've been invited to) End Of Summer Wilding Friday, September 7, 2007 10pm sharp! All wilding will take place at "The Spark" 161 West 22nd Street btw 6th & 7th Ave This is BYOB So load up and show up!!
Hey - wanted to stop by and say thanks for being our friend! We thought you might be interested to know that our second album is finally done and available for pre-order, and that we've got the album cuts up for listening on Myspace. We'd love to hear what you think!
Hey friend, Just wanted to let you know that I am now offering my songs for free download on my myspace page. I don’t create songs to get rich. I create them to be heard. Now my songs are available for DJ’s to mix, Indie movie soundtracks, all forms of radio and most importantly, to all my friends who have been so supportive of my efforts to be heard. This is my way of saying thank you. The following songs are now on my page for instant mp3 download:
“Faqqot” (Brand new song uploaded days ago with hundreds of listens on myspace)
“Bring It On Impeachment Mix” Hear our president make a complete ass of himself, a new take on an old theme. Aired Internationally on FM radio.
“The Fart Song” You’ve never heard farts sound quite like this. Number 1 on Sony’s Acidplanet comedy chart for weeks, this tune is sure to make you laugh your ass off.
Cheers to you my friend. Download, burn, share, listen in your car, your office, your home or anywhere else. This is just another way for me to say. Thanks for the add!
I need some help spreading the word for my freelance design studio. Could you do me a favor, and tell all your friends? My website is www.modernmomentum.com
Hey John, thanks for the request. I really enjoy your stuff! Have you ever heard of Maktub? I think you would really enjoy their work. Anyway, keep it up man, and I hope you enjoy my tunes !
Thanks for adding me as your friend!! I totally dig your sound--is that really you singing?? You are pretty decent. I especially like the song "Forget and Forgive" on your profile...is it about anyone particular?
Love the sound. Sounds alot like Robert Cray..Love it. Peace &Love to U ..A*T* you could be back up for him on Clayton's tour 07..Good luck and came the dream alive.
