By AUDREY PARENTESTAFF WRITER
Matthew Friedman, formerly a lawyer, whose part time music career included playing at Billy Joels wedding, has the lead spot as Piano Man, in a show based on the music of the legendary Billy Joel.
While, the Hall of Fame singer might be known for his 33 Top 40 hits and 23 Grammy nominations, Joel's career has spanned four decades, and he also won a Tony Award for Best Orchestration for the Broadway hit "Movin' Out."
The shows national tour company will perform at Peabody Auditorium on May 4. The love-interrupted-by-combat story about six characters from Joels songs has a twist. The orchestra on stage, and the tale is told entirely through dancers choreographed by Twyala Tharp, considered dance-world aristocracy. Joel's lyrics are sung by Friedman, 40, and The News-Journal caught him on the phone between shows.
You sang at Billy Joel's wedding in 2004. How'd you get that job, and how intimidating was that?
It was purely blind luck. I played and sang the dinner all by myself. He (Joel) heard me a week before at a showcase. He said play anybody's music except his so not to put that kind of pressure on me. After, he ended up coming up and singing for two hours songs he liked growing up.
Did that help you get the "Movin' Out" gig?
It was the deciding factor, but back in 2002 I met Chuck Burgi, the drummer on "Movin' Out" on Broadway. They were just going to Chicago, and I happened to play some Billy Joel at this wedding (where Burgi also played). He said, "You should get involved in this show. Its perfect for you."
You were a lawyer. Why were you playing at a wedding?
I grew up in a traditional family go to school, get a degree. I was a lawyer on Wall Street in-house insurance accident no-fault, but I was in a band playing bass guitar with three of my brothers. Daniel is a doctor; he played guitar; Evan, a lawyer, was co-lead and played saxophone and harmonica; and Cary, an executive at a financial company, was the drummer. We would perform at various clubs around the city and do weddings.
You did other gigs and just happened to be in the right place at the right time to get this one. What's it like?
"Movin' Out" is a Broadway show, but with no spoken dialog. It's told completely through choreography and the music of Billy Joel. Its about friends growing up in Long Island in the 60s some have just broken up, some just getting together. Then Vietnam breaks out. Some men come back and some don't, and there's the aftermath on their lives; it ends happy. People always leave the show exhausted and exhilarated.
Are you in the orchestra?
One of the special aspects of this show is, the band is featured just as much as the dancers. The band is on stage at the beginning and never leaves. I sing 24 Billy songs. This is our fourth year on tour.
You've been on the road for four years. Aren't you burning out?
As far as the show is concerned, I will never get sick of doing it. I love it, from the second I get on stage to the second I get off. I don't so much enjoy the travel and being away from home, and my 7-month-old son.
WHAT: "Movin' Out" a musical with music by Billy Joel and choreography by Twyla Tharp
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. May 4
WHERE: Peabody Auditorium, 600 Auditorium Blvd., Daytona Beach
TICKETS: $40, $45 and $55 with surcharge of $4; available at ticketmaster.com or 800-745 3000
PARKING: County parking $5 to $9, including valet parking $8
It was purely blind luck. I played and sang the dinner all by myself. He (Joel) heard me a week before at a showcase. He said play anybody's music except his so not to put that kind of pressure on me. After, he ended up coming up and singing for two hours songs he liked growing up.
Did that help you get the "Movin' Out" gig?
It was the deciding factor, but back in 2002 I met Chuck Burgi, the drummer on "Movin' Out" on Broadway. They were just going to Chicago, and I happened to play some Billy Joel at this wedding (where Burgi also played). He said, "You should get involved in this show. Its perfect for you."
You were a lawyer. Why were you playing at a wedding?
I grew up in a traditional family go to school, get a degree. I was a lawyer on Wall Street in-house insurance accident no-fault, but I was in a band playing bass guitar with three of my brothers. Daniel is a doctor; he played guitar; Evan, a lawyer, was co-lead and played saxophone and harmonica; and Cary, an executive at a financial company, was the drummer. We would perform at various clubs around the city and do weddings.
You did other gigs and just happened to be in the right place at the right time to get this one. What's it like?
"Movin' Out" is a Broadway show, but with no spoken dialog. It's told completely through choreography and the music of Billy Joel. Its about friends growing up in Long Island in the 60s some have just broken up, some just getting together. Then Vietnam breaks out. Some men come back and some don't, and there's the aftermath on their lives; it ends happy. People always leave the show exhausted and exhilarated.
Are you in the orchestra?
One of the special aspects of this show is, the band is featured just as much as the dancers. The band is on stage at the beginning and never leaves. I sing 24 Billy songs. This is our fourth year on tour.
You've been on the road for four years. Aren't you burning out?
As far as the show is concerned, I will never get sick of doing it. I love it, from the second I get on stage to the second I get off. I don't so much enjoy the travel and being away from home, and my 7-month-old son.
WHAT: "Movin' Out" a musical with music by Billy Joel and choreography by Twyla Tharp
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. May 4
WHERE: Peabody Auditorium, 600 Auditorium Blvd., Daytona Beach
TICKETS: $40, $45 and $55 with surcharge of $4; available at ticketmaster.com or 800-745 3000
PARKING: County parking $5 to $9, including valet parking $8
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