Veteran singer and choral contractor Sally Stevens has written a book about her life (I Sang That: A Memoir From Hollywood) and, to celebrate, she organized an evening at Herb Alpert’s wonderful jazz club, Vibrato. She performed, presented some video montages of memorable moments in her career, and asked me to join her onstage for a 20-minute Q&A. It was great fun and the house was filled with supportive, enthusiastic friends and family.
John Powell is one of the wittiest composers on the planet. You can’t spend 10 minutes with the composer of Happy Feet, Rio and How to Train Your Dragon without appreciating both his accomplishments and his dry sense of humor. Last night I was privileged to participate in SAG-AFTRA’s fourth “Meet the Composer” event at the Writers Guild Theater, interviewing Powell about writing for voices and choral groups. It was a one-of-a-kind evening that incorporated video clips, Powell demonstrating how he works with singers, and a moving vocal tribute by some of L.A.’s finest. An estimated 500 performers, composers, students and other film professionals attended.