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Barry Manilow apologized for being late for our interview. Superstars don’t have to apologize, but Manilow is no ordinary superstar. Behind his trademark glitter and showmanship is a man very seriously fascinated by the craft of his art. He was clearly happy to have the opportunity to talk about his concepts as an arranger—something he told me no one had ever asked him about.
Artist/songwriter/arranger Rupert Holmes told me, “Barry Manilow is going to start getting a lot more credit as the years go by for his melodic, memorable records. It’s easy to dismiss Manilow. He’s considered a guilty pleasure. But people have to stop feeling guilty about enjoying him. He made wonderful records. They soar. ‘Tryin’ To Get The Feeling Again’ is one of the greatest records ever made.”
In arranging terms, the contemporary pop ballad was defined by Richard Carpenter and refined by Barry Manilow. To this day, everyone who records a love song has to use Carpenter and Manilow as a reference, even if they are unaware of or reject that reference. The template they laid out can be seen in records by Chicago, Whitney Huston, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey and every boy-band who ever posed on a pubescent girl’s wall.
But whereas Carpenter’s records evoke a kind of ‘Sixties nostalgia for the ballads of the ‘Fifties, Manilow’s express what he calls a “two-fisted romance”, expressing the urban emotional sensibility of the less innocent ‘Seventies. As Manilow says, “I always wanted to have a little edge to my songs. I always wanted more muscle than that.”
His hard-edged baritone voice with its defiant intonation set him apart from other male singers. His performances, a unique blend of explosive showbiz glitz with the intimacy of a singer/songwriter, gained him a wide audience. His controlled use of dynamics, building arrangement to climax after climax has left a legacy of hits.
Few fans are aware that ‘The Voice’ (as Manilow is sometimes called by those not old enough to remember that Frank Sinatra was known by the same nickname) started life as a pianist and arranger, writing jingles by day while moonlighting as Bette Midler’s musical director. I asked him about his early career as an arranger.
This is a unique chance to hear the working methods of a superstar. Enjoy!

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The great pianist/drummer/composer/arranger Gary Husband continues chatting with me about his life, carrer and artstic concepts.
Check out his website at http://www.garyhusband.com/index.php

Some of you have asked why I was holding the guitar very decoratively, but didn’t play. We did play a little but I thought it would be better to let you hear more solo piano from Gary – a different take on his playing in Part 1.

Enjoy and as always, let me know what you think.

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Gary Husband is a musical phenomenon who plays both piano and drums at a virtuosic level of technical mastery. But this is not just a parlour trick. Nor is it the reason why he is one of the most important musicians of our time. For me, it is because everything he plays or writes is energised by his 100% commitment to make a human, emotional statement. He also has a unique voice, managing to communicate the heart of the music while manifesting it in his own way, with liberal doses of fire, tears and the unexpected.

Gary has been a dear friend and a musical colleague since I met him in a rehearsal room in North London in the 1980s (when he was rehearsing with Level 42). His credits include performances with Allan Holdsworth, Eddie Van Halen, Frank Gambale, Vinnie Coliuta, Randy Brecker, Jack Bruce, Billy Cobham, Mike Stern, Jim Mullen, Michael Gibbs and he is currently touring as keyboardist for John McLaughlin. I’ve worked with Gary many times, both on commercial recording sessions and on my own jazz gigs and productions. It is always so deeply satisfying to make music with him.

This interview was conducted in my London Studio April 2012. Two old friends just chatting about where creativity comes from and how it develops – my favorite subject. Gary plays his beautiful arrangement of a standard. In Part 2, he plays it again. I thought it would be instructive for all you NCW members to listen to both versions to see how an artist edits himself.
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CLUSTERS - Voicings in seconds (intervals, not time!)
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Upper Structure Triads (and I pick up the guitar for the first time on NCW!)
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Open voicings, Spread voicings, voicings in 4ths, and a different sweater!
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4 part brass writing – ’4-way-close’ voicing techniques
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4-part brass writing and ‘mechanical’ voicings – watch the screwdriver!
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Forsooth! More 3-part and even 4-part voicings!
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