Ray Jessel

Ray Jessel (born Raymond Jessel, 16 October 1929 – 17 July 2015)[1] was a Welsh songwriter, orchestrator, and musical theatre composer. Born in Cardiff, he received a degree in music from the University of Wales. With a one-year scholarship for studying musical composition, he went to Paris and studied under Arthur Honegger.[2] He moved to Canada with his family at the age of 26. He started his career as an orchestrator and composer for CBC Radio and CBC Television. There he met his lifelong songwriting partner, Marian Grudeff, a Canadian pianist. Together they played active roles in orchestral and theatrical compositions.

Their major breakthrough came with the 1964 Broadway musical Baker Street. They were originally noticed by the Broadway producer Alexander H. Cohen, who signed them for the musical.[3] Their next score Hellzapoppin was not a success, but their title song was recorded by Jimmy Durante and Louis Armstrong.[4] He moved to Hollywood and made successful career with musicals and sketches for The Dean Martin Show, The Carol Burnett Show, The Smothers Brothers Show, The Bob Newhart Show, Comedy Factory, and various John Denver specials. He was a story editor of the ABC comedy The Love Boat from 1977 to 1980, and writer and consultant of Head of the Class from 1986 to 1991. He wrote and produced the CBC TV series The Jacksons.[5] He also co-wrote, with Martin Charnin, lyrics for I Remember Mama in 1979.[6]

He was persuaded by Michael Feinstein and Shelly Goldstein. With his original Wanna Sing A Show Tune, he started his first perform with Feinstein. The song was recorded on Feinstein's album Live At The Algonquin.[7] His first stage performance was at age 72. He performed at the Hollywood’s Gardenia Room in 2002.[3]

He married Cynthia Thompson with whom he wrote a number of songs. The most successful are Whatever Happened To Melody?, which was recorded by Michael Feinstein (in Forever), David Campbell (in Yesterday Is Now), and by Masters of Harmony (in California Gold Rush); and I'm All Right Now on John Pizzarelli's CD New Standards. They wrote scripts and songs for the Shari Lewis' PBS show The Charlie Horse Music Pizza.[2]

After a long retired life, at age 84, he auditioned for the America's Got Talent (season 9) in 2014. He performed an original song What She’s Got. It is about a man who has a transgender woman as a girlfriend.[8] While the judges and public loved it, and he qualified for the next round of the competition, it received criticism from the LGBT community.[9][10]

He was a recipient of five MAC Awards for "Original Song",[11] and the 2004 Bistro Award.[12]

He died "of natural causes" at his home in Studio City, California.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "Raymond Jessel". Tributes.com. Tributes, Inc. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Jessel, Raymond". Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  3. 1 2 Petus, Georgica (9 April 2015). "Ray Jessel: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  4. ↑ McCarthy, Sean L. (2014). "Ray Jessel’s audition on America’s Got Talent 2014, and what you may not know about the 84-year-old songwriter’s Broadway and TV past". Comic's Comic. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  5. ↑ "Ray Jessel". emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  6. ↑ Elisberg, Robert J. (12 August 2015). "Remembering Ray Jessel". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  7. ↑ "About Ray Jessel…". LML Music. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  8. ↑ Sisk, Emma (5 July 2014). "Watch the moment a Welsh pensioner shocks judges on America's Got Talent". WalesOnline (Media Wales Ltd.). Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  9. ↑ Molloy, Parker Marie (4 July 2014). "Op-ed: AGT Seems to Believe Trans People Are Inherently Disgusting and Hilarious". Advocate. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  10. ↑ Chhiber, Ashley (3 July 2015). "America’s Got Talent act slammed after transphobic audition song". PinkNews. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  11. ↑ Regan Jr., Joe. "Ray Jessel". theaterpizzazz.com. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  12. ↑ "2014-1985 recipients". BistroAwards. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  13. ↑ McNary, Dave (20 July 2015). "Ray Jessel, ‘Love Boat’ Writer, Dies at 85". Variety. Retrieved 6 November 2015.

External links

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