John Forster (musician)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

John Forster (born April 1, 1948)[1] is an American cabaret musician, satirist, songwriter, composer, lyricist, and record producer. He has released several solo and collaborative albums, and has also worked on several revues and musicals.

Career[]

Musicals and revues[]

Forster wrote the music and lyrics for the musical comedy special How to Eat Like a Child,[2] as well as those for the satirical revue .[3] He also founded the satirical revue "The Proposition" while an undergraduate at Harvard University.[4] He also wrote the satirical revue "Both Barrels: A Salvo of John Forster Songs", which ran in Los Angeles[2] and later in Chester, Connecticut[5] in the late 1990s. He wrote the music and lyrics for a musical adaptation of Freaky Friday, for which author Mary Rodgers wrote the book.[2]

Solo career[]

In 1993, Forster released his debut album, Entering Marion, on Philo Records. People reviewed the album and described Forster as "a musical satirist who mixes social critique with a shot of wry."[6] After hearing the album, Tom Lehrer, to whom Forster has often been compared,[4][7] said that "You don't need me anymore, you have John Forster."[8] The album received an Indie Award honorable mention for best comedy album.[9] In 1997, Forster released the album Helium, followed by The Official Bootleg Album in 1998.[4]

Collaboration with Tom Chapin[]

Forster was nominated for a Grammy for his work producing Tom Chapin's 1998 album In My Hometown.[4] Beginning in 1999, Forster began working on a collaborative album with Chapin. This album, entitled Broadsides: A Miscellany of Musical Opinion, was released in 2010.[10]

Discography[]

  • Entering Marion (Philo, 1993)
  • Helium (Philo, 1997)
  • The Official Bootleg Album (, 1998)
  • Broadsides: A Miscellany of Musical Opinion (with Tom Chapin) (, 2010)

References[]

  1. ^ Harris, Craig. "John Forster Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c "John Forster". Rodgers & Hammerstein. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  3. ^ Lyons, Donald (30 July 1999). "Swift Kick Sends You Right Back to the '50s". New York Post. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Hohenadel, Kristen (21 February 1999). "Songs in the Key of Public Life". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  5. ^ Rizzo, Frank (13 May 1999). "Forster Fires A Salvo At Goodspeed In Chester". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  6. ^ "Picks and Pans Review: Entering Marion". People. 2 May 1994. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  7. ^ "Picks and Pans Main: Song". People. 26 January 1998. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  8. ^ Foss, Richard. "Entering Marion Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  9. ^ "John Forster Biography". Johnforster.com. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  10. ^ Hodara, Susan (March–April 2011). "Volleys in F# Major". Harvard Magazine. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
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