COMPOSER-LYRICIST DANIEL MATÉ
Musical Theatre and beyond...
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MY CONTACT INFO
Questions? Comments? Requests? Looking for sheet music?Drop me a line.
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And thanks for visiting my site!
MY BIO
Daniel Maté (B.A., McGill, Psychology; M.F.A., Tisch/NYU, Musical Theatre Writing) writes music, lyrics, and book, in various permutations and combinations. He is the lyricist and co-bookwriter, with composer Will Aronson, of The Trouble With Doug, a modern comedic musical inspired by Kafka's The Metamorphosis (staged reading, Goodspeed Festival of New Artists '08; workshop production, CAP 21 Theatre Company, NYC, '09.) As a composer, his collaboration with lyricist Maggie-Kate Coleman has been featured as part of the York Theatre's NEO (New, Emerging, Outstanding) concert series. As a composer-lyricist, his song cycle The Longing and the Short of It was presented by Barrington Stage Company in August '09, curated and directed by Tony-winning composer/lyricist William Finn. Daniel's work has been performed at numerous NYC venues such as Joe's Pub and the Duplex, and his sold-out concert Marry Me, America at the Laurie Beechman in February 2009 was a Time Out New York "Critics' Pick." In addition he runs a custom songwriting service and teaches songwriting to young people. Daniel is the recipient of a 2006 Tisch Achievement Award and a 2010 Jonathan Larson Foundation Grant. He is also a two-time finalist for the New York City Hip Hop Karaoke Championship, a distinction of which he is most jiggy.Representation: Sarah Douglas, Abrams Artists, NYC
MY MISSION STATEMENT
"I've always appreciated well-crafted songs that tell stories and express character, no matter the genre. I think that there is so much that is inherently theatrical – emotional, clever, fascinating, evocative, thrilling, surprising, immersive, immediate, human – in all kinds of popular (and less popular) music and lyrics. I'm drawn to songs and stories that depict the human experience from the inside, with all its intensity, contradictions, strivings, and absurdities. If properly combined, I think that music, lyrics and theatre might just save the world."MY EARS ARE BURNING
"Maté's songs are a combination of classical music, jazz and rock, made thrilling by his unique voice. He makes dazzingly audacious choices in his music and lyrics that are always surprising yet inevitable." -William Finn, Tony-winning composer/lyricist"A songwriter on the rise, he is quite a gem... [T]he genuine article... Not to be missed." -Larry Murray, BerkshireFineArts.com
"[The Trouble With Doug had] possibly the best set of theatre lyrics I've heard in years – dramatic and emotional and funny, sometimes all at once." -Bruce Pomahac, Director of Music, The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organazation
"[A] remarkable and heartfelt new show... [about] a family of loving, smart people who genuinely care about each other. The places Aronson and Maté take us here are constantly surprising... Maté's lyrics are witty and literate..." -Martin Denton, nytheatre.com
(Click here to read the full 'Doug' review)
MY WORK
A. The Trouble With Doug: a modern-day Metamorphosis
A full-length musical, originally presented as a staged reading at the 2008 Goodspeed Festival of New Artists. Doug subsequently ran as a workshop production at New York City's CAP 21 Theatre Company in June 2009 (click here for photos; and click here for a video interview with Will and Daniel).
The Trouble With Doug, a modern comedic musical inspired by Kafka's short story "The Metamorphosis", tells the story of 27-year-old Doug Gregory's sudden and inexplicable transformation into a giant slug, and its consequences for him and his family: his parents Jim and Lynn, his older brother Vince, and his fiancée Vanessa.
Book by Will Aronson and Daniel Maté
Lyrics by Daniel Maté
Music by Will Aronson
The following selections feature Donna Lynne Champlin as LYNN; Alexander Gemignani as DOUG; Adam Heller as JIM; Krysta Rodriguez as VANESSA; and Jason "SweetTooth" Williams as VINCE. The band is Greg Brown (piano); Jackie Henderson & Bill Sneddon (woodwinds); and Joshua Mark Samuels (drums/percussion)
- Prelude / Trouble [all]
- What Can I Say? [Jim, Lynn, Vince]
- Brand New Habitat (It's Go Time!) [Doug, Vanessa, Lynn, Jim]
- Sticks To You [Vince, Doug]
- Falling Apart [Jim, Lynn]
- What Can I Say? (Reprise) [Vince]
- It's On! [Doug w/ the family]
- Doug Revealed [all]
- Slug In The House [all]
- Everything We Could [Jim, Lynn]
- Not This! [Vanessa]
- Word For Word [Jim, Doug]
- Feel Better [Lynn]
- I'm Not Crying [Vince]
B. Other Songs
Music and Lyrics by Daniel Maté, except where noted.
All instruments on studio (mp3) versions performed/programmed by Daniel Maté, except where noted
Musicians on video versions:
Rob Broadhurst (beatbox)
Eric Day (bass)
Christopher D. Littlefield (piano)
Carl Oman (bass)
Joshua Mark Samuels (drums/percussion)
-
All I Want
mp3 and video performed by Jason Tam -
I Don't Think Of You (It's All Good)
mp3 performed by Marie-France Arcilla;
video performed by Donna Lynne Champlin -
Finally Me
mp3 performed by Grace McLean;
video performed by Marie-France Arcilla -
If I Wrote A Song
mp3 and video performed by Daniel Maté;
video features backup vocals by Jason "SweetTooth" Williams, Marie-France Arcilla and Heath Calvert -
Long Time Coming
(music by Eric Day)
mp3 performed by Eric Day;
video performed by Heath Calvert -
Starting Shit With You
mp3 and video performed by Daniel Maté -
Three Sisters (Eena Patti Kathy)
(lyrics by Maggie-Kate Coleman)
mp3 performed by Donna Lynne Champlin with Carmel Dean (piano);
video performed by Marie-France Arcilla -
You Make My Brain Work Right
mp3 performed by Heath Calvert;
video performed by Alexander Gemignani -
Kissing Women Left and Right
mp3 performed by Daniel Maté w/ Eric Day;
video performed by Jason "SweetTooth" Williams w/ Heath Calvert and Daniel Maté -
Ali Abu Jeffrey's Great Escape
mp3 and video performed by Danny Gardner -
February's Coming
mp3 and video performed by Daniel Maté -
I'm Your Central Park
(lyrics by Nikos Tsakalakos)
mp3 and video performed by Alysha Umphress -
Marry Me, America
mp3 and video performed by Daniel Maté -
If You Would Be So Kind
video performed by Marie-France Arcilla -
Name That Tune (Hipster's Delight)
video performed by Daniel Maté, Jason "SweetTooth" Williams, Marie-France Arcilla and Heath Calvert -
On My Wall
video performed by Heath Calvert, Marie-France Arcilla,and Jason "SweetTooth" Williams
MY CUSTOM SONGWRITING SERVICE
A custom song is tailor-made to honor someone special in your life, or an important event. It's always an unexpected and much-appreciated gift. Check out www.startspreadingthemuse.com/audio.html for a great collection of past custom songs I've written for people; and drop me a line if you want to discuss creating a custom song all about someone you care about, or for any type of gathering or event.
MY ALTER EGO
In addition to writing musical theatre and custom songs, I also rap as "RDJ" at a New York City event called Hip Hop Karaoke. It's a place where enthusiasts like me gather to pay tribute to the amazing lyricists and beat composers that have made hip hop arguably the most vital and dynamic musical-lyrical form of the past thirty years.I've even been fortunate enough to compete twice in the city's Hip Hop Karaoke Championship, in front of celebrity judges such as Dres (Black Sheep), Prince Paul (Stetsasonic, De La Soul, Gravediggaz), Buckshot (Black Moon), and the legendary Big Daddy Kane.
To watch me rock the mic and move the crowd, search YouTube for "Hip Hop Karaoke RDJ" and you'll find plenty of video footage. Here's a tidbit:
MY FAVORITE THINGS (ON THE WEB)
Family...
Rae Maté, artist (Mom)Dr. Gabor Maté, physician/author/speaker (Dad)
Democracy Now!, independent and unembedded news show (Brother Aaron)
M & R Environmental (Uncle George)
Friends, Colleagues, Collaborators...
Will Aronson , composer (my co-creator on The Trouble With Doug -- be sure to check out tracks from his Korean pop-horror musical My Scary Girl)
Tony Asaro, composer-lyricist
The Day Family Band, husband-and-wife singing-songwriting team
Gordon Leary, lyricist-librettist
Julia Meinwald, composer
Ryan Scott Oliver, composer-lyricist
Rob Shapiro, composer-lyricist
Anna K. Jacobs, composer-lyricist-aussie
Creighton Irons, composer-lyricist
Gaby Alter, composer-lyricist
Tommy Newman, composer-lyricist-bookwriter
Joe Iconis, composer-lyricist
Jenny Giering, composer
Kerrigan & Lowdermilk, musical theatre team
CAP 21, developmental theatre company and big supporters of The Trouble With Doug
Goodspeed Musicals, East Haddam, CT
Barrington Stage Company, Pittsfield, MA
iHart Photography, which took all the stylin' photos on DanielMaté.com
Jeremy Gruman, long-time friend and webmaster
Other Sites I Dig...
The Landmark Forum / Landmark Education (the best education money and a weekend can buy)Hip Hop Karaoke NYC (rock rock y'all)
Jewish Voice For Peace (a change is gonna come)
Noam Chomsky (the bombsky)
Ayahuasca Wasi (shamanic journeys in Perù)
Vancouver Canucks (‘Nucks in 2010, eh?)
Yerba Maté (the drink so nice they named it after me)