Cy Coleman Anthology Piano Vocal Guitar Chords.

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Cy Coleman: The Jazz Heart of Broadway – A Comprehensive Exploration

Cy Coleman wasn’t just a composer; he was a vibrant force that permanently altered the landscape of American musical theatre by injecting it with the sophisticated energy, harmonic daring, and rhythmic drive of jazz. While giants like Sondheim explored psychological complexity and Lloyd Webber embraced pop grandeur, Coleman, the child prodigy concert pianist turned jazz club fixture turned Tony-winning composer, brought the cool, the swing, and the unexpected chord change straight from 52nd Street to the Great White Way. His legacy is a treasure trove of unforgettable melodies, sophisticated scores, and a unique sound that continues to resonate.

Biography: From Carnegie Hall to Tin Pan Alley to Broadway

Born Seymour Kaufman on June 14, 1929, in the Bronx, New York City, Coleman’s musical genius manifested astonishingly early. A true child prodigy, he gave his first public piano recital at Carnegie Hall at the age of six, performing classical repertoire. Trained at the prestigious High School of Music & Art and The New York College of Music, his early path seemed destined for the classical concert stage.

However, the vibrant sounds of jazz emanating from New York’s clubs proved an irresistible siren song. By his teens, Coleman was deeply immersed in the jazz scene. He began playing professionally in jazz clubs while still in high school, adopting the stage name Cy Coleman (reportedly inspired by the popular columnist Cy Kendall). This dual identity – the classically trained virtuoso and the instinctive jazz improviser – became the bedrock of his entire compositional career. He led his own jazz trio and became a sought-after accompanist and arranger in the vibrant post-war New York scene, rubbing shoulders with and learning from the era’s jazz giants.

The transition from jazz pianist to songwriter began in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Teaming primarily with lyricist Carolyn Leigh, Coleman found success in the world of popular song and standards. Together, they crafted sophisticated, witty, and enduring songs that became instant classics, recorded by icons like Frank Sinatra (“Witchcraft,” “The Best Is Yet to Come”), Tony Bennett, Peggy Lee, and Nat King Cole. Songs like “Firefly,” “I’ve Got Your Number,” and “Real Live Girl” showcased Coleman’s knack for memorable melodies infused with jazz harmony and rhythmic vitality, perfectly complemented by Leigh’s clever and urbane lyrics.

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While the pop success was significant, Coleman’s restless creativity and theatrical instincts drew him towards the stage. His first foray into Broadway was the revue “Wildcat” (1960), starring Lucille Ball, featuring the rousing “Hey, Look Me Over!” (lyrics by Leigh). Though the show had a modest run, it signaled his arrival. The true breakthrough came with the smash hit “Little Me” (1962), again with Leigh. A vehicle for Sid Caesar playing multiple roles, the score was a dazzling array of pastiche and original numbers (“I’ve Got Your Number,” “Real Live Girl,” “Deep Down Inside”), showcasing Coleman’s versatility and humor.

The partnership with Leigh dissolved after “Little Me,” but Coleman’s Broadway journey was just accelerating. He found a new, legendary collaborator in Dorothy Fields, a lyricist from the golden age of Hollywood and Broadway (known for “The Way You Look Tonight,” “On the Sunny Side of the Street”). Their first collaboration, “Sweet Charity” (1966), was a sensation. Starring Gwen Verdon and choreographed by Bob Fosse, the score pulsated with urban energy and vulnerability. Songs like the defiant “Big Spender,” the yearning “Where Am I Going?,” the exuberant “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” and the poignant “There’s Gotta Be Something Better Than This” became instant standards, perfectly capturing the hopeful desperation of its dance hall hostess protagonist. Coleman’s jazz background exploded here – syncopated rhythms, bluesy inflections, and sophisticated harmonies underpinned Fields’ sharp, character-driven lyrics.

Coleman continued his ascent with “Seesaw” (1973), another collaboration with Fields based on the play “Two for the Seesaw.” Though less successful than “Sweet Charity,” it produced gems like the driving title song and the ballad “It’s Not Where You Start (It’s Where You Finish).” After Fields’ death in 1974, Coleman proved his adaptability, working with various lyricists on diverse projects: “I Love My Wife” (1977) (lyrics by Michael Stewart), a small-scale, contemporary musical comedy; “On the Twentieth Century” (1978) (lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green), a gloriously over-the-top operetta spoof set on a luxury train starring Madeline Kahn and John Cullum, featuring the tour-de-force “Babette” and the hilarious “I’ve Got It All”; and “Barnum” (1980) (lyrics by Michael Stewart), a vibrant circus-themed extravaganza starring Jim Dale that included the infectious “Come Follow the Band” and the tender ballad “The Colors of My Life.”

Later successes included “City of Angels” (1989) (lyrics by David Zippel), a brilliant dual-narrative musical contrasting 1940s Hollywood with a hardboiled detective novel, winning Coleman his first Tony for Best Original Score (“You’re Nothing Without Me,” “Double Talk,” “What You Don’t Know About Women”); and “The Will Rogers Follies” (1991) (lyrics by Comden and Green), a spectacular Ziegfeld-style tribute featuring Keith Carradine (“Will-a-Mania,” “Never Met a Man I Didn’t Like”).

Coleman also ventured into film scoring (Father Goose, 1964, earning an Oscar nomination; The Art of Love, 1965) and television. He remained an active performer, leading his trio and playing his music with undiminished passion until his sudden death from a heart attack on November 18, 2004.

Music Style: Where Jazz Met the Stage

Cy Coleman’s musical style is instantly recognizable and fundamentally rooted in his jazz DNA, yet masterfully adapted to serve character and narrative in the theatre. Here’s a breakdown of its core elements:

1. Jazz Foundation: This is paramount. His harmonic language is rich with extended chords (7ths, 9ths, 11ths, 13ths), altered dominants (#9, b9), chromatic passing chords, and substitutions (like tritone substitutions) common in bebop and post-bop jazz. He rarely settles for simple triads.
2. Rhythmic Vitality & Syncopation: Coleman’s music swings. He infused Broadway with driving, syncopated rhythms – walking bass lines implied in the piano writing, displaced accents, complex cross-rhythms (“Big Spender,” “The Best Is Yet to Come,” “I’ve Got Your Number”). Even ballads often have a subtle rhythmic push or a sophisticated underlying pulse.
3. Blues Inflection: The blues permeates his work. You hear it in melodic turns (blue notes, especially the flatted 3rd, 5th, and 7th), in harmonic progressions (blues form underpinnings), and in the raw emotional quality of many songs (“Where Am I Going?”, “The Oldest Profession” from “The Life”).
4. Sophisticated Melody: His melodies are often intricate, featuring wide leaps, unexpected intervals, and chromatic passing tones that reflect his jazz improvisational background. Yet, they remain incredibly memorable and singable (“Witchcraft,” “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” “With Every Breath I Take” from “City of Angels”).
5. Orchestral Color: While his core harmonic ideas stemmed from the piano, Coleman orchestrated brilliantly (often collaborating with masters like Ralph Burns and Billy Byers). He used the palette to create specific moods – the brassy swagger of “Sweet Charity,” the lush Hollywood strings and noir saxophones of “City of Angels,” the circus bombast of “Barnum.”
6. Versatility & Pastiche: Coleman could effortlessly shift styles to suit the show’s concept. “On the Twentieth Century” parodies operetta with hilarious accuracy. “Little Me” required pastiches of ragtime, tango, and 1920s jazz. “Barnum” incorporated marches and folk tunes. “City of Angels” perfectly evoked 1940s film noir jazz and big band sounds. This versatility stemmed from his deep musical knowledge and skill.
7. Theatrical Effectiveness: Above all, Coleman understood drama. His music always served the character and the moment, whether it was Charity’s wide-eyed optimism, Billy Flynn’s cynical slickness (“Razzle Dazzle” in the Chicago film, though written by Kander & Ebb, exemplifies the type of brash confidence Coleman could capture), Stone’s hard-boiled cynicism, or Barnum’s boundless enthusiasm.

Improvisational Licks and Harmonic Language: Decoding the Jazz in the Score

Coleman’s background as an improvising jazz pianist deeply influenced his compositional language. While fully written out for the theatre, his melodies and accompaniments are infused with the spirit and vocabulary of jazz improvisation:

• Bebop Lines: Listen to the fast, scalar runs and chromatic enclosures (approaching a target note from above and below) in the piano introductions or instrumental breaks of songs like “The Best Is Yet to Come,” “I’ve Got Your Number,” or the vamp sections of “Big Spender.” These are direct descendants of bebop saxophone and piano solos.
• Blues Licks: Melodic phrases using the blues scale (root, b3, 4, #4/b5, 5, b7) are pervasive. The opening riff of “Witchcraft,” the vocal line in “Where Am I Going?” especially on words like “tired,” and the piano fills in countless ballads showcase this.
• Rhythmic Displacement: A key improvisational technique involves playing a familiar melodic pattern starting on an unexpected beat. Coleman often wrote melodies that feel slightly displaced or syncopated against the underlying harmony, creating rhythmic tension and interest (“Big Spender” is a masterclass in this).
• Chordal Embellishment: His piano accompaniments rarely just state the chord. They use jazz voicings (often with the root omitted, played by the bass), rhythmic comping patterns, and constant melodic embellishment within the chords – walking bass lines in the left hand, chord shells with added extensions and alterations in the right, and improvised-sounding fills. Listen to any recording of him playing his own songs.

Chord Progressions and Harmony: Beyond the Basics

Coleman’s harmony is where his jazz roots shine brightest. He rarely took the diatonic path:

1. Extended and Altered Dominants: Dominant 7th chords are rarely plain. They are loaded with 9ths, 13ths, #9s, b9s, and #5s/b13s, creating tension and a distinctly jazz flavor. The intro to “Witchcraft” is a prime example (F7#9, Eb7#9, D7b9, G7b9).
2. Tritone Substitution: A cornerstone of jazz harmony, replacing a dominant 7th chord with another dominant 7th chord a tritone away (e.g., substituting Db7 for G7, as both share the critical 3rd and 7th notes). This creates chromatic bass motion and harmonic surprise. Abundant in “The Best Is Yet to Come,” “I’ve Got Your Number,” and “You Can Always Count On Me” (from “City of Angels”).
3. Chromatic Mediants: Moving between chords whose roots are a third apart but not diatonically related (e.g., C major to Eb major). Creates dramatic shifts in color. Used effectively in ballads like “It’s Not Where You Start.”
4. Secondary Dominants and Diminished Chords: Used extensively, but often with jazz alterations or as part of more complex chains. The bridge of “Witchcraft” is a labyrinth of secondary dominants.
5. Modal Interchange (Borrowing Chords): Freely borrowing chords from parallel modes (e.g., using a iv minor chord from the parallel minor in a major key). Adds poignancy or darkness. Evident in “Where Am I Going?”
6. Unexpected Modulations: Coleman wasn’t afraid of bold key changes, often using the altered dominants or tritone subs as pivots. “Big Spender” features a dramatic shift.
7. Pedal Points and Ostinatos: Often used to build tension or drive a rhythm, over which complex harmonies shift (“Big Spender,” “The Oldest Profession”).

Influences: The Roots of the Sound

Coleman’s influences were a rich tapestry:

• Jazz Giants: Art Tatum (for virtuosity and harmonic density), Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk (for bebop language, angular melodies, dissonance), Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn (for orchestral color, sophistication, blues feeling), Count Basie (for rhythmic swing and economy). He absorbed the language of the piano trios and big bands he played with.
• Classical Music: His early training gave him technique, formal understanding, and an appreciation for counterpoint and development, evident in complex scores like “On the Twentieth Century” and “City of Angels.”
• Broadway Predecessors: George Gershwin (the original jazz-theatre fusion), Richard Rodgers (melodic gift, dramatic sense), Harold Arlen (blues inflection, harmonic richness), Jule Styne (theatrical energy, hit-making ability).
• Popular Songwriters: The craftsmanship of the Great American Songbook (Kern, Porter, Berlin) was ingrained in him, especially during his Tin Pan Alley phase with Leigh.

Legacy: The Enduring Beat

Cy Coleman’s legacy is profound and multifaceted:

1. Jazz on Broadway: He proved definitively that sophisticated jazz harmony, complex rhythms, and improvisational energy could be the foundation of successful, mainstream Broadway musicals, not just a flavoring. He paved the way for later composers comfortable with jazz, like Jason Robert Brown and Jeanine Tesori.
2. A Repertoire of Standards: Dozens of his songs, from the pop collaborations with Leigh (“Witchcraft,” “The Best Is Yet to Come”) to the theatre classics (“Big Spender,” “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” “Nobody Does It Like Me,” “I’ve Got Your Number,” “With Every Breath I Take”) have become essential parts of the American Songbook, continuously recorded and performed across genres.
3. Musical Sophistication: He raised the harmonic and rhythmic bar for Broadway scores, demanding more from performers and audiences while remaining accessible and thrilling.
4. Diverse Storytelling: His shows tackled a wide range of subjects – dance hall hostesses, P.T. Barnum, 1940s Hollywood, modern relationships, Will Rogers – each with a distinct and appropriate musical voice.
5. Inspiration: Countless composers, musicians, and performers cite Coleman as a major influence for his unique blend of jazz integrity and theatrical brilliance, his melodic gift, and his sheer joy in making music.

Major Works (Stage):

• Wildcat (1960) – Lyrics: Carolyn Leigh
• Little Me (1962) – Lyrics: Carolyn Leigh
• Sweet Charity (1966) – Lyrics: Dorothy Fields
• Seesaw (1973) – Lyrics: Dorothy Fields
• I Love My Wife (1977) – Lyrics: Michael Stewart
• On the Twentieth Century (1978) – Lyrics: Betty Comden & Adolph Green
• Barnum (1980) – Lyrics: Michael Stewart
• Welcome to the Club (1988) – Lyrics: A.E. Hotchner
• City of Angels (1989) – Lyrics: David Zippel (Tony Award for Best Original Score)
• The Will Rogers Follies (1991) – Lyrics: Betty Comden & Adolph Green (Tony Award for Best Original Score)
• The Life (1997) – Lyrics: Ira Gasman

Filmography (Composer):

• Father Goose (1964) – (Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song – “Pass Me By”, Lyrics: Carolyn Leigh)
• The Art of Love (1965)
• Garbo Talks (1984) – Song “Home Again”
• Power (1986) – Song “Power”
• Family Business (1989) – Song “Dream Away”

Select Discography (Highlights):

• Cy Coleman Trio (Various early jazz recordings)
• Witchcraft: The Best of Cy Coleman (Compilation of pop/jazz recordings of his standards)
• Original Broadway Cast Recordings: Wildcat, Little Me, Sweet Charity, Seesaw, I Love My Wife, On the Twentieth Century, Barnum, City of Angels, The Will Rogers Follies, The Life.
• The Best Is Yet To Come: Cy Coleman At The Piano (1996) – Coleman performing his songs solo.
• It Started With A Dream: The Cy Coleman Songbook (Various Artists Tribute)
• City of Angels: Studio Cast Recording (2016) – Featuring Hadley Fraser, Samantha Barks, etc.

Documentaries and Video Links:

• Documentary Excerpts/Interviews:
  • American Theatre Wing – Working in the Theatre: Look for episodes featuring Coleman (often archived on YouTube or the American Theatre Wing site). Search: “Cy Coleman American Theatre Wing Interview”
  • The Kennedy Center Honors: Coleman was honored in 2006 (posthumously). Tributes often include performance clips. Search: “Kennedy Center Honors 2006 Cy Coleman”
  • Broadway: The American Musical (PBS Documentary): Episode 6 (“Putting It Together: 1980-Present”) touches on composers like Coleman. May include clips.
• Key Performances & Clips (YouTube Links – Search Titles):
  • Sweet Charity:
    • Original Broadway Cast (Gwen Verdon) – “If My Friends Could See Me Now”: (Search: “Gwen Verdon If My Friends Could See Me Now”)
    • Original Broadway Cast – “Big Spender”: (Search: “Sweet Charity Original Broadway Big Spender”)
    • Shirley MacLaine (Film Version) – “There’s Gotta Be Something Better Than This”: (Search: “Shirley MacLaine Something Better Than This”)
  • On the Twentieth Century:
    • Original Broadway Cast (Madeline Kahn, Kevin Kline) – “Babette”: (Search: “Madeline Kahn Babette”)
    • Original Broadway Cast – “I’ve Got It All”: (Search: “On the Twentieth Century I’ve Got It All”)
  • Barnum:
    • Jim Dale (Original Broadway Cast) – “The Colors of My Life”: (Search: “Jim Dale Colors of My Life”)
    • Original Broadway Cast – “Come Follow the Band”: (Search: “Barnum Come Follow the Band”)
  • City of Angels:
    • Original Broadway Cast – “You’re Nothing Without Me” (Gregg Edelman & James Naughton): (Search: “You’re Nothing Without Me City of Angels”)
    • Original Broadway Cast – “What You Don’t Know About Women” (Randy Graff & Kay McClelland): (Search: “What You Don’t Know About Women City of Angels”)
    • Original Broadway Cast – “With Every Breath I Take” (Dee Hoty): (Search: “With Every Breath I Take Dee Hoty”)
  • Pop/Jazz Standards:
    • Frank Sinatra – “Witchcraft”: (Search: “Sinatra Witchcraft”)
    • Frank Sinatra – “The Best Is Yet To Come”: (Search: “Sinatra The Best Is Yet To Come”)
    • Tony Bennett – “Firefly”: (Search: “Tony Bennett Firefly”)
    • Peggy Lee – “I’ve Got Your Number”: (Search: “Peggy Lee I’ve Got Your Number”)
  • Cy Coleman Performing:
    • Cy Coleman Trio – “The Best Is Yet To Come” (Live): (Search: “Cy Coleman Trio Best Is Yet To Come”)
    • Cy Coleman at the Piano – Medley: (Search: “Cy Coleman Piano Medley”)

Cy Coleman’s music pulses with an irrepressible energy, a sophisticated heart, and an enduring melodic brilliance. He took the language of the jazz club, honed by years of improvisation and collaboration, and translated it into the heightened reality of the musical stage without sacrificing its complexity or soul. From the defiant strut of “Big Spender” to the Hollywood noir of “City of Angels,” from the circus razzmatazz of “Barnum” to the timeless pop perfection of “Witchcraft,” his work remains a testament to the power of jazz to tell compelling stories and stir profound emotions. He was, and remains, the unmistakable jazz heart of Broadway.

Browse in the Library:

Cy Coleman Trio – Why Try To Change Me Now

Album nr. 258 – Coleman Trio – Why Try To Change Me Now

Westminster – WST 15037 (1959)

Track List:
A1 This Time The Dream’s On Me
A2 Little Darlin’
A3 Smile
A4 Gypsy Love Song
A5 Why Try To Change Me Now

B1 Let There Be Love
B2 Tangerine
B3 Just Imagine
B4 Day In, Day Out
B5 Crazy Rhythm

Trio: Cy Coleman – Aaron Bell – Ed Tipghen

Cy Coleman Trio. Piano Patterns.

Benida 1023A. Cy Coleman Trio. Piano Patterns.
Tracks Are: Taking A Chance On Love.
I’m Old Fashioned.