Joseph Leo Bwarie, Vocal jazz Artist
His debut album “Nothin’ But Love” is being heard by listeners around the world, and the popularity of his voice is growing with his starring appearance as Frankie Valli in the show, “Jersey Boys.” Meet this week’s Featured Artist, traditional pop-jazz singer, and actor – Joseph Leo Bwarie.
Born in Pasadena, California, USA.
Genre: Big band, Traditional Pop-Jazz.
Hollywood icon, director/producer Garry Marshall recently declared ‘Joseph Leo Bwarie’ as: “Three of the most exciting words in show business.” With the release of his debut album, NOTHIN’ BUT LOVE (now 15 weeks at #1 on popjazzradio.com) and his current starring role as Frankie Valli in “Jersey Boys,” Bwarie’s voice is already being heard by hundreds of thousands.
Born in Pasadena, California, to a family of entrepreneurs, Bwarie got his first “gig” at four years old: little Joey was put to work organizing the sprawling candy aisle at his parents’ store – a job that sometimes found his face smeared with “missing” chocolate bars. But from the start, he had an audience: employees, customers, salespeople and the celebrity clientele that would frequent the family business. It was routine for Joey to be asked to sing, and sing he did.
At just nine years old, Bwarie sang his first studio session for Highway to Heaven followed by Michael Feinstein’s children’s album “Pure Imagination.” By twelve years old, his resume showcased “Radio Flyer,” “The Power of One,” “Last of the Mohicans,” “Alien 3,” and “Batman Returns.” He voiced the theme to the TV series seaQuest DSV; and sang countless songs on the new Sherri Lewis’ “Lamb Chop’s Play-Along.”
By sixteen, Bwarie was a seasoned studio singer and had recorded with “The Manhattan Transfer” and with Michael Crawford on David Foster’s “The Christmas Album” – sealing the deal that the world of entertainment was not a hobby, but a dream becoming reality. After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from Boston’s Emerson College, he returned to California where director/producer Garry Marshall recognized Bwarie’s onstage talents, and in 2005 cast him as Fonzie’s cousin‘Chachi’ (opposite Joey McIntyre) in the world premiere musical “Happy Days.”
Legendary singer/songwriter Carole King stopped Bwarie after a performance of “Happy Days” and told him he should be playing in a show they are trying out in La Jolla called “Jersey Boys.” In 2007, Bwarie landed the coveted role of iconic, falsetto-singing Valli. 1500 days, 1000 shows, and 3,000,000 audience members later, JLB continues to sing 27 hit songs a night, six nights a week across America. It seems all of the above lead to 2010 when (after a chance meeting) Bwarieteamed with Billboard hit-man, arranger/producer Charles Calello, (renowned arranger for Sinatra, Streisand, Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow, Laura Nyro and Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons) and began work on his debut album NOTHIN’ BUT LOVE. Recorded in Miami at Criteria Recording Studios (The Hit Factory), NOTHIN’ BUT LOVE features legendary jazz guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, world famous Brazilian percussionist Paulinho da Costa, plus Calello conducting a 40-piece orchestra. The session dates were recorded live capturing the authentic big band swing sound and vintage microphone bleed – as Bwarie knew the album should feel (and sound) like the records he played in his grandparents’ home.
He has performed live at the 63rd Academy Awards, the 63rd Annual Tony Awards and the 63rd Annual Horatio Alger Awards. (JLB hopes to break the streak of “63″ as the 63rd Grammy Awards are not until 2021.)
JOSEPH LEO BWARIE (to pronounce Bwarie, the BW is the sound in ‘Buenos’ and ARIE rhymes with ‘airy’ or The Four Seasons’ song “Sherry”).
Biographical information courtesy of: Joseph Leo Bwarie