SENSATIONAL SONGS/SENSATIONAL SONGWRITERS Part 1 (40)
Prestwick Chase, 100 Saratoga Blvd., SS

Wednesdays, 11:30am-1pm, October 7, 14, 21, 28, November 11, 18 (no class November 4)

How did America become the song capital of the world?  The “melting pot” that was America at the turn of the twentieth century brought together all the creative elements that would turn New York City into an American song machine. Tunes like Over the Rainbow, I Got Rhythm, Alexander’s Ragtime Band and Night and Day are still sung and performed more than a hundred years after they were composed. The focus of this course will be on the sensational songs and songwriters, both renowned and unknown, who made American songs the most loved and performed in the world. We’ll survey the best songs and the composers of these songs from the turn of the 20th century to the present day. We will include Great American standards, rock and roll, jazz, R and B, country and the best “pop” hits from 1900 to the present day. Many of these wonderful songs were composed by lesser-known writers who have very interesting backgrounds that we will explore. This course will be presented over the entire 2026-2027 academic year in three successive terms.

Leader: Ken Blatt has devoted the past thirty-five years to the study and practice of singing, piano performance, songwriting, acting, directing, and lecturing on the performing arts. He actively performs a wide range of musical styles and genres for audiences throughout NYS and Florida, with a strong presence in the Albany Capital District and Saratoga County. His passion for music encompasses the Great American Songbook, jazz & swing, classic rock & roll, Broadway show tunes, movie songs, & pop hits from the 1930s to the present. Ken has served on the faculty of several colleges and universities, and he has led lectures, workshops, and discussion groups for students of all ages.