BroadwayRadio Special Episode: ‘Billy Joel Project’

Featuring Phil Geoffrey Bond of the Broadway Ensemble
Release Date: August 20, 2025
Host: Matt Tamanini

Overview

This episode features an in-depth interview with Phil Geoffrey Bond, Grammy-nominated creator and director of the Broadway Ensemble, discussing their latest album, "The Billy Joel Project." The album presents 24 Billy Joel songs performed by 11 accomplished Broadway singers, offering a blend of reverence to Joel's originals with the emotive, storytelling strengths of Broadway performers. The conversation explores the album’s inception, process, song selection, the unique value Broadway interpretations bring to Joel’s music, and the ensemble’s vision for future projects.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

How the Billy Joel Project Came to Be

• Origin Story: The project emerged after the Sondheim Unplugged album received a Grammy nomination. Bond wanted a project under a unique ensemble name and decided to revisit and expand upon an earlier Billy Joel show performed at 54 Below.
  • [03:36] "They were announcing the nominees, and it was like Bruce Springsteen and...various artists. This is before we became the Broadway Ensemble. And I thought, I don’t want to be various artists. I want to be a name." — Phil Geoffrey Bond
• The album took over a year in the making, involving a handpicked ensemble and careful studio work starting in October of the previous year.

Curation and Song Assignment

• Song Selection: With Joel's extensive catalog, curation was a collaborative process that balanced Bond’s knowledge and the performers' personal connections to songs.
  • [04:50] "The one thing that I like to say that I'm pretty good at is matching the right song with the right singer...It was Farah Alvin's idea to sing A Matter of Trust, for example. It was Annie Golden's idea to sing Turn the Lights Back On." — Phil Geoffrey Bond
• The team remains open to future volumes, hinting at even more Billy Joel music to potentially explore.

Arrangements and Artistic Choices

• Stylistic Approach: Unlike typical cover projects that seek radical reinterpretation, the intent here was to closely honor Joel’s original sound while allowing the Broadway artists’ strengths to shine through.
  • [07:19] "We didn't want to reinvent the wheel with this...simply putting Broadway Voices and a Broadway sentimentality and a Broadway storyteller to interpret these songs was plenty." — Phil Geoffrey Bond
• Arrangements were kept religiously close to the originals, with minor tailoring for individual singers.

Broadway Storytellers & Song Meaning

• Theatrical Interpretation: The storytelling skills of Broadway actors infuse Joel’s sometimes autobiographical, sometimes ambiguous lyrics with new resonance, allowing for broader interpretation and emotional impact.
  • [08:26] "Something that's so specific to him can be universal to so many people." — Phil Geoffrey Bond
• Songs like "You're My Home" take on new shades of meaning based on the performer’s own interpretation and life experience.

Track Listing Structure

• Album as Theater: The album is designed like a Broadway show, complete with Act 1, Act 2, an intermission (“entre act”), and curtain call bows.
  • [10:04] "We have the entre act, and then we have the bows at the end...if you went to see a Broadway show performed by these Broadway performers, what would be a healthy mix of material for act one? And what would be a healthy mix...for Act 2?" — Phil Geoffrey Bond
• Each act features a well-balanced mix of energy, tempo, and emotional range, echoing the ebb and flow of a live theater experience.

Assembling the Ensemble

• Casting: Performers were chosen based on their compatibility—vocally, emotionally, and in terms of storytelling—with specific songs.
  • [11:04] "Every time the Broadway ensemble does a project, it won’t necessarily be these 11 people...what’s paramount is who’s the right singer for the right song, be it vocally or sentimentally or from a storytelling standpoint." — Phil Geoffrey Bond
• The ensemble includes newcomers like Nicholas Edwards alongside mainstays from the Sondheim Unplugged series.

Billy Joel: Accessibility and Legacy

• Younger Audiences: The album is intended to help new generations appreciate Joel’s songwriting diversity and narrative power.
  • [13:00] "A lot of people, even 30 and under, don’t really know Billy Joel’s music...There’s a treasure trove of material." — Phil Geoffrey Bond
• The Broadway approach exposes nuances and lyrics that might be missed in Joel’s own iconic performances.

Signature Tracks and Notable Performers

• Standouts: "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" gets special praise for its theatrical structure and expert performance by Quarter Simmons.
  • [15:02] "I prefer to think of it as a three act play...Quarter Simmons is a brilliant actor and the perfect, the perfect fit for that song." — Phil Geoffrey Bond
• The album features both household and lesser-known Broadway talents, all "undersung and worthy of recognition" (16:22).

Why Broadway Voices for Billy Joel?

• Theatrical Structure: Joel’s songs often follow a narrative arc—beginning, middle, and end—making them uniquely suited for Broadway-style interpretation.
  • [17:30] "Billy Joel is beyond a pop and rock...He’s almost a musical theater writer...Each song has a beginning, a middle and an end." — Phil Geoffrey Bond

Future Projects and “Modern” Music

• Possible Next Steps: The ensemble is eyeing potential projects featuring Joni Mitchell, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Elton John, Annie Lennox, Seal, Laufey, Adele, and even Billie Eilish—focusing on artists who write structured, story-rich music.
  • [19:53] "We look more to like a Laufey...someone who's writing structured music, which is what attracts us as actors." — Phil Geoffrey Bond
• Pop artists whose songs lack a narrative arc (e.g., Britney Spears) are less likely to receive this type of treatment.

Audience Experience & Intent

• Immersive Listening Goal: Bond wants listeners to enter a "Billy Joel land" for the album’s 24 tracks and discover new joy—whether as longtime fans or newcomers.
  • [21:18] "I just hope that they're able to immerse themselves in it and have as good a time listening to it as we had making it...What's great about an album like this is 24 tracks. You can really just...immerse [yourself] in Billy Joel land." — Phil Geoffrey Bond
• New interpretations and vocal clarity might reveal lyrics or emotional nuances that listeners had missed in Joel’s recordings.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the album’s philosophy:
  • [07:19] "We didn’t want to reinvent the wheel with this...Broadway Voices and a Broadway sentimentality and a Broadway storyteller to interpret these songs was plenty." — Phil Geoffrey Bond
• On storytelling:
  • [08:26] "Something that’s so specific to [Billy Joel] can be universal to so many people." — Phil Geoffrey Bond
• On track list structure:
  • [10:04] "We have the entre act, and then we have the bows at the end...that's the only way I know how to structure something is theatrically." — Phil Geoffrey Bond
• On Billy Joel’s legacy:
  • [17:30] "Billy Joel is beyond a pop and rock...He’s almost a musical theater writer." — Phil Geoffrey Bond
• On immersive listening:
  • [21:18] "Billy Joel has created a whole world with his music...I hope that they’re able to just put their seatbelts on and go there." — Phil Geoffrey Bond

Important Timestamps

• [03:36] — How the project started and naming the ensemble
• [04:50] — Collaborative song selection and performer input
• [07:19] — Decisions around arrangements—honoring the originals
• [08:26] — Power of storytelling and biography in Joel’s work
• [10:04] — Structuring the album as a Broadway show
• [11:04] — Assembling the ensemble: the right singer for the right song
• [13:00] — Introducing Billy Joel to new generations
• [15:02] — Behind-the-scenes on "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant"
• [17:30] — Why Joel’s songs make sense for Broadway voices
• [19:53] — Criteria for future artists and albums (focus on story structure)
• [21:18] — Phil’s hopes for listener experience

Final Thoughts

The Billy Joel Project encapsulates the joy of combining Broadway’s storytelling prowess with the enduring, diverse songbook of an American legend. Though closely tied to Joel’s original compositions, the Broadway Ensemble’s interpretations bring new shades of meaning accessible to new and seasoned fans alike. Looking to the future, the team’s commitment to theatricality and narrative ensures whatever comes next will be rooted in passionate, actor-driven storytelling.

Listen to the full album on your favorite streaming service. Physical CD available September 26, 2025.