FrankP316 on Dean Friedman

Dec. 19th, 2018 01:52 pm
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Ariel was a top 30 hit in 1977. It was the only chart single for singer songwriter Dean Friedman. He went on to write jingles and music for films and TV. He was born May 23, 1955 in Paramus, NJ. As a teen he played the New Jersey wedding and bar mitzvah circuit with Marsha and the Self Portraits. He majored in music at City College of New York. One of his teachers was guitarist David Bromberg. Bromberg sent him to the New York City club The Bottom Line and owners Allen Pepper and Stanley Snadowsky agreed to manage him. This led to a record deal with Lifesong Records owned by the duo of Terry Cashman and Tommy West who recorded as Cashman and West. Friedman's 1977 debut album Dean Friedman was produced by Lifesong house producer Rob Stevens. They used session musicians like Jim Ryan on guitar, Tony Levin on bass and Rick Marotta in drums. The sax solo is by George Young who was in the Saturday Night Live band. Ariel reached #26 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is Friedman's tongue in cheek tribute to life in the suburbs of New Jersey. It could have been a bigger hit but some radio stations refused to play the song because Ariel was described as Jewish in the second verse. Friedman's second album "Well, Well" Said The Rocking Chair did well in England as the single Lucky Stars, a duet with Denise Marsa, reached #3 on the British chart. Ace Records has released both albums on one CD. Friedman continued to record occasionally on his own label. He wrote the music for the British TV series Boon and he wrote for Eerie, Indiana and Nick Arcade. One guy clearly influenced by Friedman is Barenaked Ladies lead singer Steven Page who ,appeared on one of Friedman's albums. He still performs and records on his own label. Here's Dean Friedman performing Ariel in Asbury Park, NJ July 23, 1977.
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