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| 1. |
Friends |
| 2. |
Our Time |
| 3. |
Change In Me |
| 4. |
What A Wonderful World |
| 5. |
Our Kind of Love |
| 6. |
Walking On Water |
| 7. |
Summer Is-A Coming |
| 8. |
I Am Changing |
| 9. |
Heartbeat It's A Lovebeat |
| 10. |
If I Can Dream |
| 11. |
Dog Passages |
| 12. |
Ten Feet Off the Ground |
| 13. |
All That I Can Do |
| 14. |
One Power |
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Orchestrations by Andy Belling
1. FRIENDS (Maltby/Shire) (from "Closer Than Ever")
Special Lyrics by Wayne Moore
2. OUR TIME (Stephen Sondheim)
(from "Merrily We Roll Along")
3. CHANGE IN ME (Carol Hall)
(from "Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public")
4. WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD (Weiss/Thieve)
5. OUR KIND OF LOVE (Webber/Elton)
(from "The Beautiful Game")
6. WALKING ON WATER (Moore/Father Leo Booth)
7. SUMMER IS A COMIN' IN (Wilder/Barer)
8. I AM CHANGING (Henry Krieger & Tom Eyen)
(from "Dreamgirls")
9. HEARTBEAT - IT'S A LOVEBEAT
(Greg Williams/Mike Kennedy)
10. IF I CAN DREAM (W. Earl Brown)
11. DOG PASSAGES (Mark Winkler & Shelly Markham)
(from "Too Old For The Chorus")
PREMIERE RECORDING
12. TEN FEET OFF THE GROUND (Sherman/Sherman)
(from "The One and Only, Genuine,
Original Family Band")
13. ALL THAT I CAN DO (Mark Winkler & Marie Cain)
(from "Too Old For The Chorus")
PREMIERE RECORDING
14. ONE POWER (Daniel Nahmod)
So, who are these four friends?
BRENDA SILAS MOORE - Born and raised in Los Angeles, Brenda started singing in church, winning awards in inter-city competitions. With Liz Torres and Deborah Tranelli, Brenda starred in the hit show 3 Broads 3 in Los Angeles and was featured soloist in the shows Much Moore, Freeway Dreams and Music Drives Me Crazy. She starred as "Hattie McDaniel" in Good Morning, Hollywood at the Taper, Too and as "Queenie" in Showboat for Musical Theatre West. Non-musical roles include a featured role in The Vagina Monologs at UCLA. Brenda stars with Richard Kiley and Leslie Uggams (singing a duet with Ms. Uggams) on the CD Her First Roman. Other recordings include the original cast recording of Freeway Dreams and the all-star Christmas compilation Cabaret Noel for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids.
BRYAN MILLER - Bryan is a popular piano bar performer in the Los Angeles area. His extensive repertoire includes over 2000 songs, ranging from nostalgia of the 30?s and 40?s to contemporary hits. Bryan also specializes in songs with an affirmative message and is a much-requested church soloist. He is the Musical Director for the growing congregation at the Sierra Madre Church of Religious Science. His rich baritone can be heard on two cast albums for the Gershwin estate: Lady Be Good and Pardon My English and as the voice of "The Big Bad Wolf" in the Disney syndicated series Sing Me A Story. Bryan?s talents as a songwriter were used for the Disney video Sing Along With Pooh Bear.
GILMORE RIZZO - Gilmore's television credits include guest starring roles on Rosanne, Matlock, Step By Step, Ellen, Murder She Wrote, Living In Captivity and 8 ? years in a recurring role on Murphy Brown. He has starred in productions of The Fantastiks and Evita and was awarded Northern California's "Elly" Award, The Bank of America Theatrical Award, The American Theater Excellence Award and the International Pierce/Stanfeld Vocal Award. He created his own show - a tribute to the sights and sounds of 60?s and 70?s "Bubblegum" music - called Chew On This at the Cinegrill. Currently, Gilmore is simultaneously working on two projects: his musical entitled "Sinesterella" and a children's television show called Kidistory (pronounced "Ka-Distory") for PBS.
WAYNE MOORE - Wayne is a singer, songwriter, actor and musical director. His musicals Freeway Dreams (The Gardenia), Much Moore (Erika?s) and especially There?s No Place Like Hollywood (The Stella Adler Theater) have played to packed houses in Los Angeles. His TV composing includes music for the Emmy-nominated Down for the Count (PBS) and the Emmy-winning Whatever Happened to Childhood? As an actor, Wayne starred in the hit musical Too Old For The Chorus (Celebration Theater) and played "W.C. Fields" in Hollywoodland and "Schimmer" in American Twistory. Wayne was the national radio spokesman for "Wickes Furniture" and "Faces, International", worked puppets for The Curiosity Shop (CBS) and starred in the horror film Thermometers.
Once upon a time four busy friends (who were also popular
Los Angeles cabaret performers) put together a show so they could spend more time together. Their concerts were a great success, so they made an album full of show tunes, original songs, inspirational songs, and even a "bubblegum" song - music that meant something special to each of them.
And they all lived happily ever after!
This joyous CD captures the spirit of their friendship and showcases their wonderful talents. Everyone sings on everyone else's songs and no two tracks are alike! From Broadway Belt to intimate ballad, this album has it all.
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 | What do you get when you mix together four diverse singers and multiple musical styles and pour the mixture into a CD? You get “4 Friends”: Who Are Very Vocal About It” – a captivating new album from Ducy Lee Recordings. The liner notes tell us that these four performers wanted to spend more time together and so formed an act. It was a good choice. Their different personalities come through clearly through their choice of music and they support each other well. The one woman, Brenda Moore, has a warm rich voice and an obvious sense of humor while her three male cohorts are excellent singers in their own styles. Bryan Miller swings through “Change In Me” like a band singer from the 1940’s while Gilmore Rizzo (who I would guess was the youngest of the bunch) re-interprets the 1980’s “bubblegum” sound in “Heartbeat, It’s A Lovebeat.” Wayne Moore’s version of the ballad “Dog Passages” is simply heartbreaking (pet owners, be warned!) and Ms. Moore’s rendition of “What A Wonderful World” makes me forget Satchmo. I have only one quibble. Although they ably sing back-up vocals for each other on their various solos, they only sing together in harmony on two songs, the fun opening number “Friends” and Daniel Nahmod’s world peace song “One Power.” I would like more group numbers, for it’s there you can really sense the friendship that’s behind this CD. Jason Blume – NASHVILLE STAR
These four friends happened to be performers who wanted an excuse to see each other more often. So what did they do? They did what anybody else would do, they started a singing group. Ducy Lee, that purveyor of stellar musical theater recordings, has produced their first album. With music by composers David Shire, Richard Maltby Jr and Wayne Moore, it would be hard to go wrong. The talent is all there, the songs are great, and the singing is wonderful. There's "Our Time", which is beautiful in its simplicity, or "What a Wonderful World" sung by Brenda Silas Moore with a pop feeling that seems to flow naturally. It's moments like these that make me want more and I look forward to their next CD. William Gregory MIDWEST URSINE
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| What do you get when you mix together four diverse singers and multiple musical styles and pour the mixture into a CD? You get “4 Friends”: Who Are Very Vocal About It” – a captivating new album from Ducy Lee Recordings. The liner notes tell us that these four performers wanted to spend more time together and so formed an act. It was a good choice. Their different personalities come through clearly through their choice of music and they support each other well. The one woman, Brenda Moore, has a warm rich voice and an obvious sense of humor while her three male cohorts are excellent singers in their own styles. Bryan Miller swings through “Change In Me” like a band singer from the 1940’s while Gilmore Rizzo (who I would guess was the youngest of the bunch) re-interprets the 1980’s “bubblegum” sound in “Heartbeat, It’s A Lovebeat.” Wayne Moore’s version of the ballad “Dog Passages” is simply heartbreaking (pet owners, be warned!) and Ms. Moore’s rendition of “What A Wonderful World” makes me forget Satchmo. I have only one quibble. Although they ably sing back-up vocals for each other on their various solos, they only sing together in harmony on two songs, the fun opening number “Friends” and Daniel Nahmod’s world peace song “One Power.” I would like more group numbers, for it’s there you can really sense the friendship that’s behind this CD. Jason Blume – NASHVILLE STAR
These four friends happened to be performers who wanted an excuse to see each other more often. So what did they do? They did what anybody else would do, they started a singing group. Ducy Lee, that purveyor of stellar musical theater recordings, has produced their first album. With music by composers David Shire, Richard Maltby Jr and Wayne Moore, it would be hard to go wrong. The talent is all there, the songs are great, and the singing is wonderful. There's "Our Time", which is beautiful in its simplicity, or "What a Wonderful World" sung by Brenda Silas Moore with a pop feeling that seems to flow naturally. It's moments like these that make me want more and I look forward to their next CD. William Gregory MIDWEST URSINE
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| These four friends happened to be performers who wanted an excuse to see each other more often. So what did they do? They did what anybody else would do, they started a singing group. Ducy Lee, that purveyor of stellar musical theater recordings, has produced thei first album. With names like David Shire, Richard Maltby Jr and Wayne Moore as composers, it would be hard to go wrong. The talent is all there, the songs are great, and the singing is good. Sonheim's "Our Time" is beautiful in its simplicity, and "What a Wonderful World" is sung by Brenda Silas Moore with a pop feeling that seems to flow naturally. It's moments like these that make me want more! William Gregory MIDWEST URSINE
"I love your CD! I've been a fan of "4 Friends" since your first concert and this album captures some of my favorite songs that you sing. I especially like your recording of Daniel Nahmod's "One Power." I start every day with that track, just to get me going! I look forward to more concerts ... and more CDs!" Lori Suleski - Life Councilor
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