Al Kasha 2 X ACADEMY AWARD Winner Monday, November 24, 2003 Interview by Dan Kimpel Produced by Denise Bradley The Acoustic Playhouse @Tempest 7323 Santa Monica Blvd. West Hollywood (5 blocks west of La Brea) 6:30pm Open Mic Sign-Up 7:30pm Songwriters Studio featuring Al Kasha 8:30pm Writers round with Sue Barth, Leila, Scott Turchin « previous show | next show »

Two-time Academy Award winning songwriter/composer, Al Kasha, won the coveted Oscar statuette for "WE MAY NEVER LOVE LIKE THIS AGAIN" from The Towering Inferno and for "THE MORNING AFTER" from The Poseidon Adventure. Academy Award nominations include Best Song ("Candle On the Water", from Pete's Dragon) and Best Adaptation Score for Pete's Dragon. With over 30 major motion pictures to his credit, author of several books, film producer ("Take This Job and Shove It"), and executive of his own entertainment company,(The Kasha Entertainment Company), Al Kasha is quite the Renaissance Man.

Born in Brooklyn, NY, Kasha began composing film music with his partner, Joel Hirschorn in 1965 with THE FAT SPY. A couple of their other notable (non-nominated) credits are THE CHEYENNE SOCIAL CLUB (1970) and FREAKY FRIDAY (1976). They have also written songs for several made-for-TV movies and specials. Their Broadway credits include new songs for the stage musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1982) and music and lyrics for Copperfield (1981). Other of Kasha's film credits include, "Rugrats Go Wild", "Eyes Wide Shut", "The Ice Storm", and "All Dogs Go To Heaven".

While head of A&R for CBS Records, Kasha was responsible for the signing of Aretha Franklin, Neil Diamond, Steve Lawrence and Edyie Gorme, Andy Williams, The Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin. Recording artists such as ALL 4 ONE, JAMES INGRAM, MELISSA MANCHESTER, IRENE CARA, ELVIS PRESLEY, FRANK SINATRA, JACKIE WILSON, SHEENA EASTON, JULIAN LENNON, AND DONNA SUMMER have all recorded his songs.

Kasha has authored several books, including How to Write a Hit Song and Two Boys from Brooklyn. He holds a doctorate in theology from the California Graduate School of Theology and is currently working on a 60 million dollar animated musical feature, "The Greatest King" with multi GRAMMY award winner David Foster.

www.alkasha.com

Scott Turchin
"THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE HERE IS THE VOICE - a gravelly, deep, strong storyteller of a voice. He could turn the alphabet into something bluesy and emotive . . . This is raw, acoustic stuff throughout . . . It hurts and it hurts real good."
- Eliot Popkin, The Muse's Muse

SCOTT TURCHIN is an original artist tapping the vein of American roots music with reggae and other world music influences. On guitar, piano and percussion, he brings forth songs evoking powerful feelings of longing, love lost and spirit rising. Pop music with an authentic roots feel, Scott's songs fill the listener with hop e and strength. Nominated by Just Plain Folks , Reggae Song of the Year 2002, and a semi-finalist for the USA Songwriting Competition. His self titled album is now available at HEAR Music in Santa Monica - 3rd Street Promenade!!

www.scottturchin.com

Susan Barth
Although chiming guitars and eminently singable choruses make the music of Susan Barth instantly accessible, beneath an iridescent pop sparkle lies a dense shadowland of emotion, intensity and truth. "I've been a bad girl, a sad girl and good girl," she says. "You'll get to meet all of them -- sometimes in one song."

Sue's new release comes on the heels of a very successful year. Licensing deals inked with a trio of powerhouse companies who keep Hollywood supplied with music (including Opus 1 and 5 Alarm Music) led to song placements in the hit WB series, Smallville. Sue's music has also earned a publishing deal with DSM in New York. Her first two releases, This Thing and Romeo and The Beauty Queen earned accolades from Billboard, merit awards from ASCAP, and airplay on Los Angeles radio, and her newest promises to extend her legacy of ever-evolving songcraft. National music retailer Guitar Center has featured Sue as the only unsigned, female songwriting teacher in their online Guitar School songwriter's workshop.

Leila
Leila possesses a rare and exquisite mix of innocence, edge and insight. With roots in rock, classical, and Broadway, Leila's vocal magic is unmistakable and her songwriting reveals a mind as beguiling as the voice, reflecting the realms of love and life with the jagged brilliance of a wine glass on the verge of breaking.

In the lead role of "Kim" in "Miss Saigon," Leila starred on Broadway, performing in front of packed theaters and admiring fans. Now pursuing a solo career, Leila trades the glitz for a more visceral, uncompromising, intensely personal musical vision.

Dan Kimpel,
one of the media's foremost authorities on pop music and songwriters, contributes to a variety of print and electronic mediums, including LA's Music Connection. 14 million monthly passengers hear Kimpel's interviews with songwriters and recording artists on United Airlines flights. Author of the best-selling book, Networking in the Music Business, Dan has taught a course based on this text at Sir Paul McCartney's Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts since 1998 Dan has produced concerts and events with Sheryl Crow, Sting, Paul Simon, Joii Mitchell, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Quincy Jones, Tom Petty, Burt Bacharach, Kenneth Babyface Edmonds, Glen Ballard and Diane Warren.

www.dankimpel.com