Josh Groban will put his own songs aside to tackle musical theatre classics on his new album ‘Stages’.
‘Stages’ will pay homage to the great movie and musical songs which Josh says “have stood the test of time.”
“Nothing has inspired me more in my life than the energy that is shared in a theatre when great songs and great art are on the stage,” he says. “I wanted this album to pay tribute to those inspirations and memories,” Groban said in a statement.
Josh recorded ‘Stages’ in both Los Angeles and London with producers Humberto Gatica and Bernie Herms. Parts were recorded at the famed Abbey Road studios using a 75-piece orchestra.
“Stages is an album I’ve wanted to make since I signed to Reprise/Warner Bros. Records during my freshman year as a Musical Theatre student at Carnegie Mellon,” Groban says. “I knew in my heart that, at some point, I would visit the songs I love from that world as an album. Having lived in New York City the last few years, seeing as much theatre as I could see, and having so many great friends in the theatre community, it became really inspiring to take this on. It was time.”
‘Stages’ will feature three duets. Kelly Clarkson is featured on ‘All I Ask of You’; Audra McDonald sings on ‘If I Loved You’ and trumpeter Chris Botti plays on ‘Old Devil Moon’. “All of these duets have great meaning to me and I’m honoured to have them on this album,” Josh says.
The first taste of ‘Stages’ is a ‘What I Did For Love’, a song first a hit in Australia in 1977 for Marcia Hines.
Josh Groban – Stages Track Listing
1. Pure Imagination – Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory
2. What I Did For Love – A Chorus Line
3. Bring Him Home – Les Miserables
4. Le Temps Des Cathédrals – Notre-Dame de Paris
5. All I Ask From You (w/ Kelly Clarkson) – The Phantom of the Opera
6. Try to Remember – The Fantasticks
7. Over the Rainbow – The Wizard of Oz
8. Children Will Listen/Not While I’m Around – Into the Woods/Sweeny Todd
9. You’ll Never Walk Alone – Carousel
10. Old Devil Moon (w/Chris Botti) – Finian’s Rainbow
11. Finishing the Hat – Sunday in the Park with George
12. If I Loved You – Carousel (w/ Audra McDonald)
13. Anthem – Chess
14. Gold Can Turn to Sand – Kristina Fran Duvemala (Deluxe Edition)
15. Empty Chairs at Empty Tables – Les Miserables (Deluxe Edition)
16. If I Can’t Love Her – Beauty and the Beast (Target exclusive track)
17. Dulcinea – Man of La Mancha (Target exclusive track)
‘Stages’ will be released through Warner Music in Australia on April 24.
REVIEW: Josh Groban in Melbourne
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