Charlotte Moore

some comfort here

In the second year of the Pandemic, Charlotte and Mark Camilleri decided to use their abundant free time from multiple covid-cancelled contracts to put together a collection of cover tunes (mostly pop!) with an off-the-floor feel that captured their artistic selves at that moment in time. Songs of, well, Comfort. 
The two of them spent many happy hours at Mark’s Imagine Sound Studios is Toronto curating and creating this collection for you. 

The album’s title “Some Comfort Here” comes from Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel”, one of the iconic tunes we chose, representing the welcoming, comforting feel we hoped to capture with this project. 

"Moore’s voice is at its best when relaxed in her lower register where tears and laughter can hover near the surface."
Jennifer Parr
The Whole Note
The intimacy created by this ability is inviting and the choice of often wistfully melancholic songs of love and friendship from Joni Mitchell’s Help Me (I think I’m falling in love again) to Tom Waits’ Rainbow Sleeves and Old Friend (from the musical I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking it on the Road), is cathartic listening material after almost two years of living through this seemingly unending pandemic.
Jennifer Parr
The Whole Note

LONG ROAD BACK

This all original album came about as a healing journey–  written and recorded in Charlottetown, PEI over two summers there. It’s a real departure from my Musical Theatre roots. A hard life journey, a harder edge. 

All music by Dianne Latchford, all lyrics by Charlotte. Arranged and produced by Chris Corrigan with world-class musicians from the East Coast. I am thrilled and terrified to share this music with you! 

FRIENDS OF MINE

Over the years I have had the honour and privilege to work on many new Canadian musicals, both in workshop and production. I have been fortunate enough to experience the magic of singing truly wonderful songs only to be left with the disappointing knowledge that these magnificent gifts would not be celebrated beyond the initial production. How do other songs become standards? How could this work be celebrated? How could this work be shared? Then I realized what I could do. I would record my own album of songs from the Canadian musical canon that I have had the good fortune of being involved with. 

“I remember the faces I remember the time
Those were the names of Friends of mine.”

John Gray
Billy Bishop Goes To War

about
FRIENDS
OF MINE

CD Launch Lula CD Launch Friend of Mine Songs from Canadian Musicals 2004

The composers include Neil Bartram, Jim Betts, John Gray, Mavor Moore, Leslie Arden, Allen Cole, Marek Norman & Richard Ouzounian, David Warrack, Joey Miller & James Saar, Jim Crocini & John Bertram, Steve Thomas & Norm Foster, and, of course, the guy who unwittingly started the whole idea, Patrick Rose.

One of the great joys of this project was going over to the various composer’s houses and listening to them play – magical afternoons I will never forget. I had my coat on and was leaving Allen Cole’s with a pile of sheet music under my arm when he said: “Maybe I should play you this one. It’s kinda crazy…” and , of course, that’s the one we’re doing. The two songs of my Dad’s that we’re doing haven’t been heard for almost fifty years – in the States, they’d be part of the jazz lexicon by now and that’s how we’re treating them – as jazz standards.

The reprise of Neil Bartram’s song that opens and closes the CD has since been cut from the show, but he has graciously allowed us to keep it: “consider them to be the ‘Lost In Boston’ lyrics,” said Neil. A lot are from shows I’ve done in the past, and several are from very recent shows I hope to do. The selection is eclectic, fun, and a real cross-section of people who are all writing today and are all, really, friends of mine. Except for the song from John Gray’s Billy Bishop Goes to War – which had its own small release original cast recording – none of the songs had ever been recorded before.

Co-producer Mark Camilleri created some fabulous arrangements – everything from Big Band to solo piano and back again. Some wonderful guest musicians came through Mark’s doors – Paul Sportelli, John Alcorn, and Guido Basso just to name a few.

“An exquisite, jazz-infused collection of Canadian Theatre Songs performed with great gusto and intoxicating passion by Moore.”
Kamal Al-Solaylee
Globe & Mail
“A must for any fan of Canadian Musical Theatre.”
Gary Smith
Hamilton Spectator
“A rare find. Moore treats each one with tender loving care and the result is wholly endearing.”
Richard Ouzounian
Toronto Star

A MATTER OF HEART

Stan Rogers – A Matter of Heart was the greatest musical experience of my career thus far. All four singers (myself, Dan Mackay, Frank MacKay, and Terry Hatty) were treated like fellow musicians by the band – and what a band it was! Paul Mills, Rogers’ own producer and bandmate, and Bob Ashley redid all the arrangements beautifully. Both played with passion and grace.  It was an absolute joy to get to sing this material every night. 

“The sweet purity of Charlotte Moore’s wail, laid raw and bare.”
Gary Smith
The Hamilton Spectator
“Let us now praise Charlotte Moore. Praise her for warmth, depth, stillness, and a single malt voice that pours forth rich and true.”
Richard Ouzounian
Toronto Star