FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
GRAMMY® Award
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
Grammy award-winning artist Zachary James unveils his first full-length classical vocal album, SONG OF MYSELF, bringing to life the timeless words of renowned poet Walt Whitman. The new song cycle is scored for bass-baritone, cello, guitar, percussion and untuned piano. The 12 track, 64 minute album is intended to be listened to as a full performance, composed by James in his classical composition debut with additional music and instrumental arrangements by cellist Wick Simmons, percussionist Ariel Campos, and guitarist Frederick Poholek.
a discovery of the human experience and the interconnectedness of all beings
OPERAWIRE
imaginative, bold, and timeless
TUNEPICAL
A must-listen
CERTIFIED BOP
the classical project of the year
DAILY MUSIC SPIN
a transformative odyssey.
TEMPO STUB
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Zachary James is a 2022 Grammy Award Winner and the 2010-2020 BroadwayWorld Vocalist of the Decade. He has originated in three Broadway shows and has created operatic roles on the world's great stages including The Metropolitan Opera, LA Opera, Teatro Real, Opera Philadelphis, English National Opera and more for composers Philip Glass, Missy Mazzoli, Paola Prestini, Kristin Hevner and more. His debut album was Call Out featuring the works of all female composers and he has gone on to record several albums including Impossible Dream, Intergalactic, Exordium and more. He is a proud member of The Recording Academy, Actor's Equity Screen Actor's Guild and AGMA.
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Ariel Campos is a Los Angeles based percussionist. His diverse musical background includes performances with artists and groups; Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Percussionist Kai Strobel, Country Pop Duo “Brooks and Dunn”, Latin Jazz artists Louie Cruz-Beltran and Poncho Sanchez. He was an original cast member of the Tony and Emmy award winning musical “Blast!,” which premiered in London. He is also currently the Director of Southern California Marimba, (scmarimba.org) a non-profit dedicated to promoting marimba performance.
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Frederick Poholek has had a five decade plus career as a guitarist and bassist in multiple genres spanning classical, jazz, blues, rock and folk music. He has toured the country in several jazz and blues ensembles. A lifelong musician and educator, he maintains a private studio in Spring Hill, Florida and globally online. His discography includes Call Out, Impossible Dream, Intergalactic and Wonder & Joy.
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Wick Simmons is a NYC based cellist. Dubbed “the modern cellist” (The CelloSherpa), Wick uses his classical training under the eminent pedagogue Hans Jørgen Jensen to aggressively engage in the culturally intersecting worlds of creative-technology, dance, film, theatre, kink, sound-art and post-genre music. He made his New York solo debut at Joe’s Pub at THE PUBLIC theater and has performed at The Kennedy Center, The Dolby, The Kitchen NYC, Constellation Chicago, Segerstrom Hall, The Paramount, MASS MoCA, The Greene Space, Carnegie Hall, on New Sounds, WQXR-WNYC, The Longy School of Music at Bard College’s “seen / unseen” digital series, on National Public Radio’s “From The Top” show, and throughout the USA as the cellist of the five “superb” (The San Diego Union Tribune) onstage musicians in the 10-Tony Award winning show, The Band’s Visit First Broadway National Tour.