Singer/raconteur Stew combines elements of cabaret, soul and subversive pop to create a unique style he's dubbed "Afro-baroque." Frequently likened to Cole Porter and Burt Bacharach, Stew spins songs with hook-filled melodies and taut poetic narratives: "Sophisticated songs that are not likely to be heard on the radio," writes the New Yorker.
He may be underplayed, but he's far from undiscovered. Entertainment Weekly twice awarded him "Album of the Year," and he and his collaborator Heidi Rodewald have been artists-in-residence two years running at the Sundance Theater Lab, developing their musical, Passing Strange, commissioned by New York's Public Theater; the show had an award-winning preview at the Berkeley Repertory Theater in 2006 and played at the Public in 2007 before beginning its current Tony Award-winning Broadway run.
“It's a given that an African-American who fronts a group called the Negro Problem has a well-developed sense of mischief. But it's Stew's lush sense of melody and witty, journalistically detailed lyrics that make his second album ... a true treat for those who care about innovative, thought-provoking lyrics.” — Entertainment Weekly
Stew‘s brilliant musical Passing Strange closes this weekend on Broadway — and Spike Lee will film the final Saturday shows. On July 19, cameras will follow the matinee and evening performance; the show will also be filmed later without an audience. Read Stew’s thoughts about this — and the whole Broadway/Tony Awards/The View experience — […]
Continue readingLast spring, singer-songwriter Stew (whose playful, provocative performance was a highlight of TED2006) rewrote the book on musicals with “Passing Strange,” a groundbreaking show that won rave reviews during its limited, sold-out run. Developed with the Public Theater as part of an ongoing effort to bring non-traditional voices into musical theater, Passing Strange was non-traditional, […]
Continue readingWhat happens when a black man visits Aspen? Singer/songwriter Stew is about to let you know, with the arch humor and clever asides that characterize all his work (Hint: “It’s a winter wonderland in the belly of the beast.”) Stew is joined on stage by his partner/collaborator Heidi Rodewald (bass) and Jon Spurney (keyboard/guitar). (Recorded […]
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