Josh Groban

[Karin]

http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_ht ... _id=162536


BURBANK, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- September 13, 2006 --

The legions of Josh Groban fans will slumber no more as Reprise Records announced today a November 7th worldwide release of the hotly anticipated "Awake," the follow-up CD to the mega star's previous two albums, the self-titled "Josh Groban" and the multi-platinum "Closer," which collectively sold well over 13 million CDs.

Groban's "hands on" approach in the creative process of "Awake" is reflected in several Groban-penned and -produced songs along with musical contributions from Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Dave Matthews, Glen Ballard, Eric Mouquet, John Ondrasik Vandrasak (Five for Fighting), Marius DeVries, David Foster, Imogen Heap and Herbie Hancock.

"Awake's" 13 new songs, including the just-released first single, "You Are Loved (Don't Give Up)," show the Grammy-nominated Groban's tremendous growth as a vocalist, producer and songwriter since he first appeared on the musical landscape.

"I learned from touring that my fans are really open-minded, musical, intelligent people, and I feel like they want to come on this new journey with me. The music still sounds like it's coming from my heart and my soul and my voice. That is always the most important thing to me. My goal on 'Awake' was to create the music and find the best people to help me create it," commented Groban.

With a lineup of stellar producers including Marius DeVries, Guy Sigsworth, Glen Ballard and David Foster, the album contains songs in Italian, Spanish and of course English.
An early stand-out, "February Song," with Josh on keyboards, came to the 25-year-old Los Angeles native on a sleepless night.
"I wanted to write a song that melodically and lyrically represented the craziness I felt in that moment in the dark, dark space. I walked over to the piano and it just came to me in a half hour in the most magical way."

Additionally, Groban recorded a suite of two stunningly haunting songs where he harmonizes with longtime idols Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The first song, the Groban/Dave Matthews penned "Lullaby," is sung a cappella and the follow-up, the South African song, "Weeping," which Josh first heard on a trip to South Africa.
"The musical tapestry of the country and their heated history, the honor of meeting Nelson Mandela and visiting schools in Soweto was totally inspiring. And, it was a dream of a lifetime for me to sing with Ladysmith in the studio. I've loved them from the moment I heard Paul Simon's 'Graceland.'"

Josh Groban burst onto the international music scene in 2001 with the release of his self-titled debut album featuring the hit single, "To Where You Are." His follow-up CD, "Closer," with the smash hit, "You Raise Me Up," brought enormous success to the young singing sensation. He has made scores of television appearances beginning with "Ally McBeal" and continuing with countless performances on "Oprah Winfrey," "Good Morning America," the "Today" show, two PBS specials, the Super Bowl, the Oscars and the closing ceremonies of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics with an audience of over 2 billion people. His first PBS special went on to become the No. 1-selling DVD of 2002. On the touring front, Groban started out his now legendary 40-city concert tour (which sold out in a record-breaking 20 minutes) and then went straight forward to a two-year arena tour across the US. A Josh Groban tour for 2007 is expected to be announced shortly.

For further information, please contact:
Liz Rosenberg
Warner Bros./Reprise Records Publicity

[Karin]

[Karin]

"AWAKE" first listen at

CanWest MediaWorks Inc. is pleased to announce that canada.com is the exclusive Canadian destination for an online preview of Josh Groban's new CD, Awake, and an online video broadcast of Groban's first single "You are Loved (Don't Give Up)".

Wer eine gute Sound Anlage am PC hat, sollte da echt mal reinhören.

Am besten nach jedem Song den "Stop" Button drücken und dann das Nächste anklicken, sonst vermischt sich alles, zumindest bei mir.

Da ich Joshs Musik als Fan sicher mit anderen Ohren höre, würde mich euere Meinung mal interessieren. Wohl wissend, dass die meisten hier einen völlig anderen Musikgeschmack haben. Aber einen Versuch ist es ja wert.

Dass mir von seinen letzten beiden Alben jeder Song ausnahmslos gefallen hätte, kann ich nicht behaupten, aber doch die meisten.
Bei "AWAKE" ist das irgendwie anders. Man merkt deutlich, dass Josh wesentlich mehr selbst geschrieben, komponiert und produziert hat.
Herausgekommen ist eine wirklich gute Mischung verschiedenster Stile und es ist nach wie vor schwer Joshs Musik einem bestimmten Genre zuzuordnen.



1. Mai

2. You Are Loved [Don't Give Up]

3. Un Dia Llegara

4. February Song - mein "Heullied" Ich habs geahnt, seit ich es in Berlin zum ersten Mal hörte (musste weinen und war sehr erschrocken darüber, da mir noch nie bei einem Lied von Josh die Tränen kamen).
Josh hat es in einer Februarnacht geschrieben, zu einer Zeit als es ihm nicht sonderlich gut ging.

5. L'Ultima Notte

6. So She Dances

7. In Her Eyes

8. Solo Por Ti

9. Now Or Never - entstand in Zusammenarbeit mit Imogen Heap

10. Un Giorno Per Noi [Romeo & Giulietta] - ist nach einer Filmmelodie einer schon etwas älteren Romeo und Julia Verfilmung entstanden

11. Lullaby [with Ladysmith Black Mambazo] - wunderschöner a capella Song, hat Josh zusammen mit Dave Matthews geschrieben

12. Weeping [with Ladysmith Black Mambazo]

13. Machine [with Herbie Hancock] - entstand in Zusammenarbeit mit Eric Mouquet (Deep Forest)

Auf der SE gibt es noch zwei weitere Songs - "Verita" und "Awake" und eine "Making of" DVD.



Josh selbst über AWAKE:

* "I learned from touring that my fans are really open-minded, musical, intelligent people and I feel like they want to come on this new journey with me. The music still sounds like it's coming from my heart and my soul and my voice. That is always the most important thing to me. My goal on Awake was to create the music and find the best people to help me create it."
If his reaction to Weeping - one of the tracks on the album - is anything to go by, it's a journey his fans will be happy to take.
"When I heard the song, I was floored," said Groban. "I heard it in South Africa. It was written by a soldier who was fed up by all he had seen."

* "The most important thing is finding great songs and ways to sing them. On the first album, I was very new and I was too afraid to take risks. But with this one, I had a nagging feeling to start creating my own material, so I did some writing and I co-produced three songs. I wanna keep surprising myself and my fans.
I can't screeming death metal in the middle of a song that's primarily romantic, as much I'd like to --- I'm definiteley in the mood sometimes! (Laughs)"

* He has written and produced songs, sold tens of millions of albums, been backed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra and had guest spots on TV's Ally McBeal and American Dad!
But ask angelic-voiced, 25-year-old Josh Groban if he thinks he has truly arrived as a singer and he points to the one honour he still longs to add to his stellar CV.

A career-long string of No 1 albums? A week of sold-out shows at New York's Madison Square Garden? A career as varied and lengthy as those of singing legends Streisand or Frank Sinatra?
No doubt, Groban aspires to all of those goals. But for now, he'd settle for a spot alongside Homer, Bart and Krusty the Clown on TV's longest-running sitcom.
"My dream is to have a guest role on The Simpsons," he told Channel NewsAsia with a smile, during an interview in London to promote his new album Awake. "That's when you know you've made it!"

[Pennywize_666]

Meine Tochter hat zu Weihnachten die DVD "Der Polarexpress" bekommen und in diesem Märchen singt Josh Groban den Titel "Believe" - dies war mein erster Kontakt mit diesem Sänger und ich muss sagen das gefällt mit eigentlich sehr gut. Als Spezial auf dieser DVD ist auch ein Live-Auftritt von ihm, der mit Bildern des Filmes untermalt ist. Ich poste die Aufnahme mal , für alle die es interessiert.


MfG Penny

[Karin]

Danke für den Link, Penny!
Ich kaufte mir den Film letztes Jahr, weniger wegen dem Film selbst, sondern wegen der "making of" DVD.
"Believe" hat auch letztes Jahr den Grammy gewonnen. Josh hat das Lied auch anlässlich der Oscar Verleihung
zusammen mit Beyonce gesungen, die es leider sehr verhunzt hat.

Obwohl ich kein großer Fan von Weihnachtsliedern bin, werd ich bei "O Holy Night" regelmäßig schwach.

Kann man sich ebenfalls bei Youtoube anhören.
Aufgenommen im Dezember 2002.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIFH0TUWcBA