Our new musical comedy Marry Harry had a reading in July 2011 at New York Stage and Film’s Powerhouse Season at Vassar College.  The book is by Jennifer Robbins and the reading was directed by Kent Nicholson with musical direction by Jeff Caldwell.  This clip is an excerpt from You Opened a Door – the final song in the show.  Sung by Harris Doran as Little Harry and Jill Paice as Sherri.  Fred Lassen is the pianist.

Christine Barbush, J.J. Criss, Jillian Louis, Robin Marcotte, and Seth Peterson sing the Prologue from the 2004 Philadelphia cast recording of our musical Breathe.  Jeff McDonnell is the musical director and pianist.  The Prologue is the first of seven musical “rituals” that introduce each of the show’s musical stories.

From Rob Lester’s CD review at TalkinBroadway.com (2/17/06): “Composer Dan Martin and longtime partner lyricist Michael Biello can dazzle you with a complex, contemporary witty patter song and then turn around and devastate you with naked emotion … The cast embues their multiple roles with personality and open-hearted singing … The music is varied, sometimes presented mosaically in bits that spurt and repeat or come at you in fragments …   Other melodies have a legato elegance and satisfying completeness.  Nothing is pat, but while the melodies are challenging and daring, they are not esoteric or inaccessible.  The listener is allowed to breathe, too.”

The CD is available online at www.cdbaby.com/cd/martinbiello

Hear a clip from Sticks and Stones

Piano music Dan wrote and recorded to accompany an outdoor sculpture show in 2005 – Sticks and Stones: the making of a sculpture garden.  Curated by Eileen Tognini at the home of Lis and Mike Kalogris.  Invitation photo is by Debra Rosenblum.  The music from this except was written to accompany sculptor Martha Posner’s fabulous Red Bed.

Hear a clip from Why Not a Fairytale?

Erin Dilly and Randy Redd sing Why Not a Fairytale from The Cousins Grimm.  Jeff Caldwell is the pianist.  Photo is of Danni Smith as Jackie Grimm and Chad as Leon Grimm in the Chicago production (2009).

Hear a clip from Strange Now

Dan sings a techno-pop song on our 1992 album Human Being (out-of-print).  From Will Grega’s review in the All Music Guide: “Compassionate, raunchy, romantic and beautiful, Martin and Biello’s talents seem unending. Two of the most covered and cherished songwriters in our community.”

Hear a clip from Evening Meditation

Instrumental music for Debi Dunn’s CD of guided meditations.  Susan Hui wrote in New Visions Magazine “… Dan Martin’s floating music transposes one to the peaceful realm of contentment and bliss …”

CD available at Amazon.com

While I do have so much to share, I will use this first writing opportunity to say this…

I always feel like I am transitioning – within my day, within my week, within my year, within my life.  Life just feels like one big, exciting, miraculous, confusing world of change in situations, circumstances, and emotions – childhood, schools, relationships, jobs, weight, body image, fear, anxiety, confusion, happiness, sadness, depression, loss, grief, hopefulness, etc.

Now, as approach my first Saturn Return (Saturn was in Scorpio at the time of my birth), I am surrendering to the journey ahead as I leave my youth behind and (somewhat officially) cross over into my adult life.  And as I experience those surrounding me journeying in, between, within, and out of their own first, second and, some even, third Saturn Returns, I celebrate their lives, delight in their optimism, am in awe of their courage, find amazement in their strength, and have nothing but adoration and gratitude for the teachings that they so willingly (and sometimes unknowingly) offer me and those around them.

Recently, I transitioned to a full-time MBA student at Philadelphia University and also began to work with Biello Martin Studio, where I am assisting (from a business and financial perspective) in changes that are taking place.  There are so many wonderful things happening!  How excited I am to be a part of the Biello Martin Studio family!

I am very much looking forward to this Blog and sharing so much more about my work at Biello Martin Studio, my own Saturn Return, some of my beloved practices (Yoga and S Factor especially) and just simply, my feelings and thoughts as I move through my journey. 

I believe that this blog will be a place where my creativity can flow – through my writing.  And when I feel creative, I am my best and truest self.  Being creative sets me free and allows me to anticipate the good, revel in the miracles of life, and surrender to our beautiful Universe.  More than anything, it allows me to let go of the fear.

Until next time…

Ciao Ciao,
Carlo