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Ben & Brad - Biography
Sears & Conner are known for their research in the music and lyrics of Tin Pan Alley, Broadway and Hollywood. In 1996 they rediscovered a long-lost Irving Berlin song from 1916, "Santa Claus: A Syncopated Christmas Song," which they subsequently gave its modern premiere and first recording. Other research has led to the creation of a program of songs by "Girl Gershwins" including Dana Suesse, Kay Swift, and Ann Ronell. Their expertise on cabaret and popular song led to an invitation to be guest commentators for a special cabaret program of the AEI In-Flight entertainment, Overture, heard on USAirways domestic and international flights during May and June, 1999. Ben & Brad have had many "firsts" - see them here! Shows by Ben & Brad
Biography | Firsts | Back to Top |
Benjamin Sears & Bradford Conner are among those rare performers who combine entertaining performances with outstanding historical research and who can claim Irving Berlin and George & Ira Gershwin premieres. In 1997 they made music history with Oh Kay, Oh George, a first-time concert pairing of songs and music by romantic and musical colleagues Kay Swift and George Gershwin, featuring many rarely heard Swift songs along with premieres of two unpublished George & Ira Gershwin songs. Their reputation as Gershwin performers was honored by the selection of their recordings to be part of the Interactive Kiosk at the new George & Ira Gershwin Room at the Library of Congress.
Sears and Conner are the first cabaret act to be featured at Boston's Emerson Majestic Theatre, and at Boston's Wang Centre for the Performing Arts they revived a show-biz tradition by presenting a pre-show concert of Irving Berlin songs for a showing of Berlin's classic film, White Christmas. Other appearances include the Mabel Mercer Foundation Cabaret Convention (Town Hall, New York City), Don't Tell Mama (New York), The Gardenia (Los Angeles), the International Fringe Festival (Orlando, Florida), Cabaret at Windows (Washington, DC), the Chicago Public Library (Chicago, IL), Scullers Jazz Club (Boston), the Upstairs at the Pudding Cabaret Series (Cambridge, MA), Club Cabaret (Boston), Clark Art Institute (Williamstown, Massachusetts), Mechanics Hall (Worcester, MA), and at colleges, concert series, and other venues throughout the Northeast. On radio they have appeared as performers on MusicAmerica (WGBH-FM, Boston), The Jazz Songbook (WGBH-FM), Standing Room Only (WERS-FM, Boston), Second Stage (WMBR, Cambridge), WICN-FM (Worcester), WBET-FM (Brockton), Curtain Up (WDVR, New Jersey), and on the nationally
syndicated The Connection (WBUR-FM, Boston) as commentators on the Gershwins, Noël Coward, and Fred Astaire. In 1999 they joined forces with voice and piano duo Valerie Anastasio & Tim Harbold to create and tour a Noël Coward centenary program, Noël and Cole - Together With Music.
Sears and Conner are Producing Directors of