By April MacIntyre Nov 30, 2008, 23:11 GMT
Sundance continues its fine music programming, post-"Live from Abbey Road" series. Now Elvis lives on Sundance channel this winter.
Elvis courtesy of Sundance channel
The Channel will launch the debut season of the new talk/performance series "Spectacle: Elvis Costello with..." on Wednesday, December 3, 2008.
"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with..." allows viewers to enjoy an in-depth conversation between host Costello and his guests, punctuated by musical performances by Costello, his guests and a wide variety of musicians.
Comprised of 13 one-hour episodes, "Spectacle: Elvis Costello with..." airs on Wednesday nights at 9:00pm et/pt.
Booked are Elton John, Tony Bennett, Lou Reed, Julian Schnabel, Smokey Robinson, The Police (Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers), James Taylor, Herbie Hancock, Rufus Wainwright, Rosanne Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Diana Krall, John Mellencamp, Jakob Dylan, She & Him (Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward), Norah Jones, Jenny Lewis, Renée Fleming and President Bill Clinton.
Costello has written and recorded in musical genres as diverse as new wave, jazz, country, opera, classical and rock/pop. He is noted musicologist, and has contributed articles on music (and musical legends) to Vanity Fair magazine.
Costello’s songs have been recorded by a great number of artists. The list of performers reflects his interest in a wide range of musical styles: George Jones, Chet Baker, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Dusty Springfield, Robert Wyatt, Charles Brown, No Doubt, Solomon Burke, June Tabor, Howard Tate, the gospel vocal group The Fairfield Four and the viol consort Fretwork with the countertenor Michael Chance.
In 2003, he began a songwriting partnership with his wife, the jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall, resulting in six songs included in her highly successful album ‘The Girl In The Other Room’.
Costello also performs, starting each episode with an original, never before seen (or heard) interpretation of a song by the featured guest, or a song connected to them. And on top of all that are extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime collaborations and pairings.
Additional musical special guests include: Davey Faragher, Pete Thomas and Steve Nieve of The Imposters; guitarist James Burton, who played with Elvis Presley; legendary producer, pianist, writer, arranger and singer Allen Toussaint; three-time Grammy® Award winning jazz bassist Charlie Haden; jazz guitarist and composer Pat Metheny, who has collected 17 Grammy® Awards; jazz pianist Bill Charlap; Larry Campbell and Tony Garnier of Bob Dylan's touring band, and violinist/vocalist Jenny Scheinman.
For more information on Spectacle, check out - here
The schedule for Season 1 of "Spectacle: Elvis Costello with..." is as follows:
Wednesday, December 3rd at 9:00pm"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with Sir Elton John" - Elvis welcomes the British pop-rock superstar John.
Wednesday, December 10th at 9:00pm"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with Lou Reed + Julian Schnabel" - Elvis welcomes rock icon and Velvet Underground founder Reed and artist-filmmaker Schnabel.
Wednesday, December 17th at 9:00pm"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with Bill Clinton" - Elvis welcomes former President Clinton.
Wednesday, December 24th at 9:00pm"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with James Taylor" - Elvis welcomes the iconic American singer-songwriter.
Wednesday, December 31st at 9:00pm"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with Tony Bennett" - Elvis welcomes the premier living interpreter of the Great American Songbook.
Wednesday, January 7th, 2009 at 9:00pm"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with The Police" - Elvis welcomes the recently reunited rock trio of Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland.
Wednesday, January 14th at 9:00pm"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with Rufus Wainwright" - Elvis welcomes singer-songwriter Wainwright, one of the most acclaimed new artists of the past decade.
Wednesday, January 21st at 9:00pm"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with Kris Kristofferson, Rosanne Cash, Norah Jones, John Mellencamp" - Elvis welcomes actor/singer-songwriter Kristofferson; singer-songwriter Cash; international sensation Jones; and recent Rock & Roll Hall of fame inductee Mellencamp.
Wednesday, January 28th at 9:00pm"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with Renée Fleming" - Elvis welcomes the great American soprano.Wednesday, February 4th at 9:00pm"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with Herbie Hancock" - Elvis welcomes the jazz legend, winner of this year's Grammy® Award for Album of the Year
Wednesday, February 11th at 9:00pm"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with She & Him, Jenny Lewis, Jakob Dylan" - Elvis welcomes indie duo She & Him, comprised of actress Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward, singer-songwriter Lewis; and singer-songwriter Dylan.
Wednesday, February 18th at 9:00pm"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with Diana Krall" - Elvis welcomes his wife, international jazz sensation Krall; she is interviewed by the program's executive producer, Elton John
Wednesday, February 25th at 9:00pm"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with Smokey Robinson" - Elvis welcomes the legendary Motown singer and songwriter.
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