Postmodern Jukebox

[My Alter Ego]

^^Interesting find, John. While listening to Morgan sing opera, I wondered why she didn't pursue it. She's certainly got the voice and training for it.

And then the second part of the video plays. Particularly interesting if not revealing, was the "I'm not an actress, I'm a singer. Perhaps, that's why Morgan changed her focus.

[Babbs234]

^^Interesting find, John. While listening to Morgan sing opera, I wondered why she didn't pursue it. She's certainly got the voice and training for it.

What a powerful voice Morgan has! Wowsie!! Kind of strange to watch her singing opera after watching her videos with PMJ.

[john]

^^Interesting find, John. While listening to Morgan sing opera, I wondered why she didn't pursue it. She's certainly got the voice and training for it.

And then the second part of the video plays. Particularly interesting if not revealing, was the "I'm not an actress, I'm a singer. Perhaps, that's why Morgan changed her focus.

According to Wikipedia

After college, James initially struggled to find work and looked for jobs that utilized both her operatic and classical training.[8] James did not make her Broadway debut until 2010 in the musical production of The Addams Family, starring Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth.[7] In 2011, James appeared in Frank Wildhorn's Wonderland[11] and the Broadway revival of Godspell. James was injured in a rehearsal for Godspell in October 2011 and was unable to perform during previews.[12] She recuperated and, by November 2011, was performing in the play at the Circle in the Square Theatre.[13] In 2013, James took on the role of Teena Marie in Motown: The Musical. She stayed with the cast until December 2013, at which point she left to pursue a vocal performance tour.[2][9]

During her time on Broadway, she also moonlighted as a solo artist with a backing band often composed of Chris Fenwick, Matt Fieldes, Damien Bassman, and others.[11][14] She has played at numerous New York City clubs including (Le) Poisson Rouge,[14] 54 Below,[2] Rockwood Music Hall,[12] Birdland,[11] and more. Her first solo album, Morgan James Live: A Celebration of Nina Simone, was recorded at New York jazz club, Dizzy's, and is a collection of Nina Simone cover songs. It was released via Epic Records in December 2012.[1]

Her second solo album (and first studio album), Hunter, was recorded in 2014 and first released via Epic Records in June 2014. The 11-track album was produced by Doug Wamble and is James' first album of all original, solo material.[5][6]

In 2014-2015 James collaborated with Postmodern Jukebox, producing several cover songs on their YouTube channel [15] and joining them on tour[16].

[Tusk]

Hah... that's where she got it from, I didn't know she has a background in theater, but I was pleasantly surprised to see she posted Lyrics from one of my favorite Movie/Musicals "Hair", when PMJ arrived at their first stop in England, early in their European tour.

morganajames
4 weeks ago
"Manchester England, England. Across the Atlantic sea..." Thinking of my #Hair family: @kmoolah @livewhereulive @joeycalveri @salgo10 @official_tamika_lawrence et al

The saddest and most poignant part of the movie as the main character accidentally gets sent off to war while doing a favor for his friend

[john]

It turns out that video sequence was part of a play or a reading for a play.

Master Class is a play by Terrence McNally, with incidental music by Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, and Vincenzo Bellini.

Plot
The opera diva Maria Callas, a glamorous, commanding, larger-than-life, caustic, and surprisingly drop-dead funny pedagogue is holding a voice master class at the Juilliard School. Alternately dismayed and impressed by the students who parade before her, she retreats into recollections about the glories of her own life and career. Included in her musings are her younger years as an ugly duckling, her fierce hatred of her rivals, the unforgiving press that savaged her early performances, her triumphs at La Scala, and her affair with Aristotle Onassis. It culminates in a monologue about sacrifice taken in the name of art.

______

Snippet from an interview

Question: When did performing change from being a hobby to when you knew it was going to be your career?
James: Well, when I was applying for college and auditioning for colleges—there were some great schools in California—so I was applying to UCLA, USC, UOP and PCPA, and, as a pipe dream, I applied to Juilliard. So, when I got into Juilliard, I had to say yes to that. [Laughs.] I moved across the country, and I was really committing to a life in it.
Question: Which department of Juilliard were you in?
James: I was in the voice department, and got a music degree and studied opera. [Laughs.]

Question: Did you want to be an opera singer?
James: Maybe only for a hot second. [Laughs.] I very quickly realized that I don't have a gift for language. I don't think you have any business doing opera if you don't, and I didn't fit in as much in that world. I think the older I get, the more I may find myself coming back to it, especially because a woman's voice matures so much later, but I really was missing theatre when I was at school. I was missing being on stage in that way and studying acting, and, so, I knew pretty quickly that when I graduated I wanted to pursue musical theatre.

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/div...mes-187331

[Tusk]

The opera diva Maria Callas, a glamorous, commanding, larger-than-life, caustic, and surprisingly drop-dead funny pedagogue is holding a voice master class at the Juilliard School.

ped·a·gogue
ˈpedəˌɡäɡ/
noun
a teacher, especially a strict or pedantic one.

A word I had not encountered before... wouldn't a 'funny' pedagogue be an oxymoron?
Maybe why they said it was 'surpringly' funny

[john]

Ariana Savalas "Too Late"

[Himm2]

^^ "LIKE!"

[john]

Abigail Winston ‏@AbigailWinston4 1h1 hour ago
The newest @PMJofficial video was just played on the @TODAYshow!!! #soexciting #ProudFan

[lovinghaleyr]

Scott Bradlee-Radiohead CREEP
I don't know who she is but have a good voice
Haley cover this too?