Album Notes

Dick Pyatt Former WNYC Program Director Releases New Christmas CD

Release Date: 2008-11-19
Category: Entertainment


“A Christmas Gift” is a Collection of Christmas Standards and Songs of Faith
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New York vocalist, actor Dick Pyatt and DPP Productions have released a new compact disc, entitled “A Christmas Gift,” that contains works by noted composers including Irving Berlin, Sammy Cahn, and Kurt Weill. Pyatt includes in this collection traditional Christmas favorites such as Oh Christmas Tree, White Christmas, and Christmas Waltz. Expanding the spirit of Christmas to go beyond the usual commercial CD, Pyatt includes songs of deep faith such as I Believe, Ave Maria, and Bless This House.
A dramatic and emotional rendering of two traditional songs of the Jewish faith, Eli, Eli and Kol Nidre, are a highlight on the CD as they are seldom performed in a secular music environment “I took time to carefully select songs that would be appropriate to the season and to the need for feelings that inspire and give deeper meaning to our lives.” I find it is difficult to locate new music for vocalists today that evoke the same quality and feelings as those of the masters,. said Pyatt.
In this context, one of the delights included on the CD is composer Al Petrone’s A Christmas Gift recorded a few years ago by among others, Julius La Rosa . His writing style fits in with the classic standards but with an unmistakable contemporary sound. Pyatt performs each song with exquisite tone and nuance with a wide vocal range, and an artistic awareness for the lyrical message and distinct need required for the variety of songs selected. The music arranged and produced by the talented musician Robin Foreman.
A native New Yorker splitting time in Florida, Pyatt has been a favorite radio personality for over 20 years in New York City as producer and director of programming for WNyC-AM-FM radio and host of a weekly radio feature at WFAS in Westchester.. On stage, he has directed Susan Strasberg and Ruth Warrick in classic drama. As a writer, he has published three books on health and medical advances. He has also been on the faculty of numerous colleges in New York including Pace University, Elizabeth Seton College and Iona College in New York teaching speech and media.
His artistic style and rich baritone voice has been described by audiences as unique and a distinctly different sound in the popular music scene but reminiscent of the panorama of great vocalists that included the voices of Dick Haymes, Vic Damone, and of course, Frank Sinatra.


Contact Info:
DPP Productions
New York, 212-502-0322