Note: The Great American Songbook

How many people know that global hits such as ‘I Say a Little Prayer’, ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head’ and ‘Walk on By’ were written by Burt Bacharach? The American composer, arranger and pianist, who passed away recently, was one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th century. With *The Great American Songbook – The Next Generation*, the Flemish Radio Choir pays tribute to Bacharach and some of his contemporaries. Each and every one of them created iconic songs that still resonate today, not least in the interpretations by contemporary pop artists such as Lady Gaga, Madonna, Coldplay and Beyoncé.

Just as he did for the first edition of *The Great American Songbook*, composer and professor of pop music Jeroen D’hoe set to work on these timeless songs, as well as one of his own compositions. He arranged them for choir, a vocal soloist and a small jazz orchestra. It promises to be a nostalgic road trip back to the vibrant America of the 1950s and 1960s, an era of freedom, resistance and cultural upheaval.