Thirteen Stories Down: More music you must listen to!

 Kirk Webeck – actor, singer, casting consultant and vocal coach introduces us to new composers, musicals and repertoire!


About 5-6 years ago I was lucky enough to be cast as a vocalist for the Walt Disney Company and I received my first assignment: Tokyo, Japan.  It was in Tokyo that I began to musically explore – and I discoverd that there is so much more to musical theatre than I had even known. I had the pleasure of working with so many amazing artists –  not just vocalists but composers, directors and just overwhelmingly amazing people, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity.  One late-night discovery I made was not only an amazing vocalist, but an awesome composer! Four months into my contract, I arrived back at home in E-village (affectionately known as E-vil) with one of my work mates, Kat, and I began to raid her iTunes library.  Kat was incredibly excited to be expecting a visitor from home, and while we discussed his upcoming visit, she jumped up and said: “Oh my god, you should listen to his music you’d love it.”  So she pushed me out of the way scrolled down the iTunes playlist and found some of the most beautiful music I had ever heard. Amazing songs, amazing voice… Ok. Now I was getting excited about the visit from her friend!!!  Her friend is the one and only amazingly talented New York composer, Jonathan Reid Gealt. I was amazed. I had met some pretty amazing people while working in Tokyo but this guys music was like nothing I’d ever heard before. Maybe it had nothing to do with the fact that it was like nothing I had heard before, and everything to do with the fact that I didn’t know a lot of material at this point… Or maybe the music was just really bloody good! Who cares?! From this moment on, I was hooked on his music and was extremely lucky to be able to purchase some of his songs (so I could learn them myself before he became really popular!). Anyway here we are nearly 6 years later, and I am thrilled to introduce some you to the work of Jonathan Reid Gealt. Those who already know of him will be aware of his brilliance, but for those of you who don’t please take the chance to get to know him! “How?” I hear you ask! Late last year Jonathan released his debut album Thirteen Stories Down, featuring 13 stories (tracks) Jonathan felt he needed to share with world. Showcasing the fabulous vocals of Natalie Weiss, Zak Resnick, Lauren Kennedy, Tituss Burgess and even Jonathan himself this album is just a beautiful emotional and spiritual journey and has something that everyone will be able to relate to, somehow, in one way or another! I really hope you enjoy Thirteen Stories Down as much as I have and hope you fall in love with the work of this amazing composer, I can guarantee you while this is the “debut” album he has plenty more material waiting in the wings which is just as good and better! (Some of the music from his song cycle Forward is just stunning). I feel extremely privileged to have known about Jonathan’s work for as long as I have, but I am ecstatic to be able to introduce him to you! His album is available on iTunes – as are the individual songs listed below for male and female voices.   Download the album by clicking on the iTunes button:  Female Songs: Quiet – Thirteen Stories Down – The Songs of Jonathan Reid Gealt  (Aithout a doubt one of his most popular and beautiful songs) I Am Yours – Thirteen Stories Down – The Songs of Jonathan Reid Gealt (A fun number for any girl to sing) Male Songs:
September of ’92 – Thirteen Stories Down – The Songs of Jonathan Reid Gealt (A great solo number for a guy) Stay / I’ll Never Go – Thirteen Stories Down – The Songs of Jonathan Reid Gealt (A gorgeous duet for 2 guys) www.jonathan-reid-gealt.comSheet music available from the above website in transposable keys.