Paul's Blog

Garrett and Kelly again in Ireland!
I was back in Ireland last week, this time as guest soloist with Lesley Garrett. It was a double whammy because I love singing in Ireland and I've also grown to love singing with Lesley.

We sang a concert at the National Concert Hall in Dublin on Thursday night, then were driven to Limerick for another concert there on Friday night.

Our conductor was a brilliant Irish lad named David Brophy. Not only a terrific conductor who could swing with the various styles that an LG program requires but also a great guy, fun to be around.

Lesley knocked me out completely by taking a nasty fall in her dressing room just as David was about to begin the first number. She sprained an ankle and badly bruised an elbow but went on and sang brilliantly. An amazing pro! We were able to share a couple pints of Guinness after the show in Limerick and a friend snapped the shot of us above.

Here's the program for anyone interested:

BIZET - Prelude & Aragonaise (Orch)
DELIBES - Le Fille de Cadix (LG)
PUCCINI - O Mio Babbino Caro (LG)
CANTELOUBE - Pastourelle (LG)
VERDI - La Donna e mobile (PAK)
CILEA - Io son l'umile ancella (LG)
DONIZETTI - Una furtiva lagrima (PAK)
VERDI - Prelude to Act 1, La Traviata (Orch)
VERDI - Parigi, o cara (LG & PAK)
VERDI - Brindisi (LG & PAK)

Interval

BROWN - Love is Where You Find It (LG)
YOUNG/HAYMAN - When I Fall in Love (LG)
PORTER - In the Still of Night (LG)
WRIGHT/FORREST - And this is my Beloved (LG)
WRIGHT/FORREST - A stranger in Paradise (LG & PAK)
MEREDITH WILSON - Till there was you (PAK)
KERN - The Song is You (PAK)
SAMPLE/JENNINGS - One Day I'll Fly Away (LG)
BAERWALD/GILBER - Come What May (LG & PAK)
RODGERS arr Bateman - You'll Never Walk Alone (LG)

Encores

Tonight (West Side Story) (LG & PAK)
What a Wonderful World (LG)

This weekend it's another concert with Lesley on the Isle of Man. Stay tuned.
8th May 2008

"The Song is You" CD review
Paul Austin Kelly performs a program of American standards (as well as a few original songs) with the Kenny Clayton Trio. It is hard to review because it is really a groundbreaking album, not easily categorized.

It combines the talents of Kelly, a world renowned tenor in the "bel canto" repertoire (who was a rock musician before embarking on his operatic career), with the jazz-oriented Kenny Clayton Trio (with Kenny Clayton having a classical background).

What emerges is an uncommonly well sung jazz album. Kelly successfully reigns in his voice, avoiding the overblown "operatic" sound of others who have attempted similar "crossovers", while bringing uncommon ease and sweetness to the upper range of these numbers, impeccable diction, and a smooth burnished sound to the lower range. An album for those who like standards really sung, without being oversung.

Its really hard to think of a male comparison - though old-timers m ight find some similarity to the jazz albums of Eileen Farrell.

Though the CD contains some of the favorite songs of the "standards" repertoire, the most successful cut may well be an original song by Kelly - "Settle Down with You". An obviously very personal song, it successfully toes the thin line between being "old fashioned" and self-consciously hip. Given a heart-felt performance by Kelly it is one of those songs that I think everyone can identify with, if not in the details, in the overall theme of dealing with life's choices and finding happiness in the choices one has made. It suggests that of Mr. Kelly's many talents, song writing may be the most notable.

Mike Begley - Ebay Store, Historic Classical and Opera
15th April 2008

Kelly & Clayton in Newsound March flyer
Here's our very cool ad in the Newsound distribution flyer for March '08. Apparently there was quite a bit of hubbub in the graphics department there because the graphics in our ad were very pleasingly unconventional. I like that no end! ;-)
24th March 2008

Jagz and DVD
Our Jagz gig went very well albeit with a small audience. It was a great experience and education working live with the trio for the first time.

The studio experience was so totally different. I felt quite at ease on stage and yet there is the necessity to be constantly on your toes??a state of heightened awareness.

Alex Green, our cameraman that evening should be delivering our promo DVD to us this week, which was the main reason for doing this gig to begin with. Meantime, I'll be posting a few audio cuts so you can hear some of what went on at Jagz.

PK
3rd March 2008

Back in DC
I know I was here within the last two years but I can't for the life of me remember what the music was that I was performing. I know it was a concert and I know it was at the Kennedy Center. Beyond that, I'm a typical blank-headed tenor.

Aside from that, it's good to be back here. I've always like Washington. It's rainy. The rain started the day I arrived. Warm, though. I had a bit of a cold the day before I left but it's mostly gone now, thankfully. Luckily for me I'm well taken care of here with a great hotel-apartment??little kitchenette for making meals and a Trader Joe's just a few blocks away.

Rehearsals yesterday with conductors Norman Scribner and Anthony Walker went very well and, though I was something akin to a dead horse when it was over, everyone was very pleased.

Stay tuned for more.
25th October 2007
link: http://www.kennedy-center.org