Jim Brochu As "Character Man"

Bear with me.. this is a big un'
The Biggest I've Ever Done!
:-)

Regular readers of this blog should be somewhat familiar with Steve Schalchlin. I've featured several of his performances on this blog and who's work I've become acquainted with many years ago on YouTube and Steve's blog. I would like introduce to my readers Steve's other half, Jim Brochu.

67 year old Brooklyn native Jim Brochu may not be the most well known performer but he certainly is one of the most knowledgeable when it comes to Broadway's rich history. Jim has done mostly bit parts in ads and on TV. He was the dancing raisin for Post Raisin Bran and then as the "Lemon from Outer space" with Madge the Manicurist for Palmolive. He's once was a regular on 'All My Children' appearing as Father James. Judge Julius Weyburn on "The Young and The Restless," Officer Jerry Chandler on the cult-classic "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman"

Other one time bit parts he played on TV: Law & Order-1976, Kojack-1976, Cheers-1991 and Wings-1993 to name a few. Also in several made for TV movies. Both Jim & Steve perform their original stage productions off and on whenever the spirit moves them or are requested.

What follows is Jim's latest performance onstage at New York's Metropolitan Room on June 29, 2013 entitled 'Character Man'. Jim's show is a self biographical musical comedy in which he shares with the audience some of his experiences over the last 50 years or so starting at the age of 15.



Before I complete this post I also want to re-mention Steve as well. As I've told you they do performances as the spirit moves them Such was the case on July 2, 2013 when Steve took to the stage at '54 Below' in NYC to perform "Somebody's Friend".



Steve Schalchlin only writes music of importance to him. His latest project was a performance at 'The Metropolitan Room' on Sunday, October 17th, 2013 entitled "Tales From the Bonus Round". It was one of the most emotional shows he's ever done.

You can read all about how he felt the next day HERE on his blog. He describes vividly what the man behind the music feels.

It went over so well The Metropolitan Room invited him back to perform it again on Wednesday, January 15th, 2014 at 7:00pm along with his other half Jim Brochu.

Steve came out of the recording studio with music from that show and posted all the cuts online at YouTube.

The thing with Steve is he's not profit oriented. What's most important to him is that people listen to his compositions. Call him a true artist where the music is the most important thing in all the world to him.




It's impossible to pick out any one song that Steve has written that means more to him then another. Here are a few which most expresses Steve's heart and soul in song..

Somebody's Friend



"At A Hospice, In The Atrium"



"Gabi's Song" played on John Lennon's IMAGINE Piano



The prior show Jim & Steve have performed for years was called "The Big Voice: God or Merman?" They've done it so many times both said they will not do the show ever again. Lucky for us Steve provided a video recording of it...

Act 1



Act 2


FINAL WORDSWhile I've enjoyed all kinds of rock & roll, soul, folk music and Broadway over the years, there's few who write music from the heart. Few who perform like Jim from his experiences. Fewer still who do it for the sheer love of being an artist who's main goals are neither fame or riches. To my way of thinking, when someone is given God given talents like these two, true artists should never be compromised, become corrupted or altered in any way in seeking fame or wealth.

In my view both have led a very rich and full life and have remained true artists. I'm not sure how many will agree with me, but I remain ever grateful to them for remaining untainted by the beckoning call to be otherwise. If it weren't for the internet, few (if anyone), would be aware of them. That's just the way corporate entertainment works. We don't always get the best entertainers in main stream entertainment media.


My sincere thanks goes out to Steve and Jim (living in lower Manhattan) for taking the time to blog and post.



Both are true one-of-a-kinds