Stephen Pate Bray (Eng. Stephen Pate Bray, born December 23, 1956, Detroit , Michigan , USA) - American songwriter, drummer and music producer. Best known for his collaboration with Madonna , as well as the winner of the Grammy 2017 in the nomination for the best album based on theatrical musical for winning, in turn, the prestigious award " Tony " performance " ." Bray is the owner and director of Saturn Sound recording studios and Soultone Records.
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Birth name | Stephen Pate Bray |
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Career
Bray began teaching music through private lessons in his hometown of Detroit, attended Washtenaw Community College on the Ann Arbor campus, and later continued his studies at Berkeley College of Music in Boston.
Collaboration with Madonna
Bray met Madonna long before fame came to her. This happened at the University of Michigan , located in Ann Arbor , where Madonna studied choreography. He moved to New York two years later, accepting Madonna’s invitation to take the place of a drummer in her new group. At that time, she was still a member of the New York-based Breakfast Club group, but was already planning to create her own team. Their new group was called Emmy and the Emmys.
Soon Madonna was given a solo record label with Gotham Management under the direction of Camille Barbone. Breya also took the team of musicians of the Madonna, but after a while. The music created by management was more rock-oriented, but a breakthrough in the form of a contract with a major label did not happen even after a year and a half of effort. Madonna turned her attention to dance music. She and Bray continued to work on a parallel project focused more on club music. Having already signed a contract with Sire Records , Madonna continued her collaboration with Bray.
Together they wrote and produced many hits of the 80s, including some of the most popular hits of Madonna. Of the joint songs were often composed according to a characteristic pattern: the repetition of the second verse and bridge before moving to the chorus. Their collaboration ended on the 1989 Madonna album Like a Prayer .
The Breakfast Club
After the glory came to Madonna, Bray decided to join her former group Breakfast Club . The quartet signed a contract with , and then with MCA . The team's debut album of the same name was released in early 1987. It was preceded by the release of the first 100 single Hot 100 called “Right on Track”. Bray co-wrote most of the songs along with Dan Gilroy and also produced some of the tracks. The second album of the band never came out and soon after the band broke up.
The Color Purple
Bray made his debut on Broadway as a composer and songwriter in 2005, having worked on the local version of Alice Walker's book [3] . For this work, he was nominated for a Tony Award [4] .
Personal Life
He is married to film producer Stephanie Alleyne, in whose track record the films " Vanity and Motion " and " Black Snake Moan ".
Discography
Selected references
Singles
- "Ain't No Big Deal" - Barracuda Performer (original demo of Madonna ) for Epic Records 1982
- " Angel ", Madonna
- "Stay", Madonna
- Pretender, Madonna
- "Over and Over", Madonna
- " Into the Groove ", Madonna
- Say It, Say It, EG Daily
- "Baby Love", Regina, later covered by Danny Minogue
- " True Blue ", Madonna
- Jimmy Jimmy Madonna
- "Where's the Party", Madonna
- Spotlight , Madonna
- "Cross My Broken Heart, The Jets
- Sendin 'All My Love, The Jets
- "Each Time You Break My Heart", Nick Kamen with Madonna (original demo - Madonna
- "Right on Track", Breakfast Club
- " Causing a Commotion ", Madonna
- "Can't Stop", Madonna
- " Express Yourself ", Madonna
- Keep It Together Madonna
- "Baby Gonna Shake", Royalty
- "Get Over", Nick Scotti (original demo - Madonna)
- “Count the Days”, “Rhythm Of Love”, Kylie Minogue
- "Little Black Book", Gina G
- “That's Why”, The Party
- "Needin 'Someone", The Party
- Change on Me, The Party
- "Most of All", Jody Watley
Unpublished
- "Warning Signs", Madonna
- “Desperately Seeking Susan”, Madonna
- "Working My Fingers to the Bone", Madonna
- "Pipeline", Madonna
- "Love Attack", Madonna
- "First Is a Kiss", Madonna
See also
- Patrick Leonard
- Shep Pettibon
Notes
- ↑ Internet Movie Database - 1990.
- ↑ Freebase - Google data upload .
- ↑ Azizian, Carol . Broadway musical 'The Color Purple' heading to Fox Theater in Detroit (English) , Flint Journal (May 17, 2008). The appeal date is October 19, 2013.
- ↑ Complete list of nominees for Tony Awards (eng.) , USA Today (May 17, 2006). The appeal date is October 19, 2013.
Sources
- Sclafani, Tony . Madonna true blue enough for Rock Hall , Today.com (March 7, 2008). The appeal date is October 19, 2013.
Links
- Bray, Stephen (Eng.) On the Internet Movie Database (Eng.) On the Internet Movie Database
- Pop Up and Seminar Video at American Theater Wing.org, September 2005