LOS ANGELES |
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - You wouldn't know it when he talks because he jokes about it, and even his partner admits she investigated his claim before she believed it.
But comedian Paul Reiser, famous as a stand-up comic and star of 1990s TV sitcom "Mad About You," is a classically trained pianist, composer and recently he released his first album with British singer/songwriter Julia Fordham, called "Unusual Suspects."
The title seems appropriate.
He is an American TV star known for cracking jokes. She is a singer who in the late 1980s made U.K. record charts with songs such as "Happy Ever After." Yet, pair them up and they seem as comfortable as the black and white keys of a piano.
"Sometimes you just have to go with your instinct, and it did look a bit peculiar on paper, but it just had this really authentic and natural flow to it," Fordham told Reuters about their collaboration.
Reiser's characterization is a bit different.
"I wanted to drag Julia's career down," he joked in a joint interview. "She was doing so well, why not sully the water."
She laughs, as does he, and the truth is that, at least in person, the pair -- she the singer and writer of lyrics; he the composer of music melody and rhythm -- seem quite like a fit.
"Unusual Suspects" was released in November, featuring 10 contemporary arrangements for songs with titles such as "You Keep Me on My Feet," "Fine," "Stolen Kiss" and "Minefield."
Fordham showcases her sultry voice and wide vocal range, and Reiser puts his skills on the piano to work. He describes the songs as being melancholy and bittersweet, yet she says that in each, there lingers a sense of hope.
"Unsung Heroes," which is getting some support among fans, speaks to the losses endured by families of military men and women fighting wars overseas.
WAITING TO BREAK OUT
"Under every funny guy there's a melancholic chap longing to break out," said Fordham.
"And by the same token, in every beautiful chanteuse, there is Shecky Greene inside. Jerry Lewis lives inside," countered Reiser.
All teasing aside, Reiser, 53, studied music in college and learned about composition for the piano, but on summer breaks comedy was his gig. And he soon found himself making audiences laugh at his jokes.
No comments:
Post a Comment