Three time GRAMMY Award nominated singer songwriter Rufus Wainwright has released a stunning new tribute album, ‘I’m a Stranger Here Myself – Wainwright Does Weill’, which sees him uniting with Los Angeles’ premier 40 piece orchestral jazz ensemble to delve into the rich and complex songbook of legendary German American composer Kurt Weill. This compelling project continues Wainwright’s lifelong exploration of artists who, like him, live at the crossroads of high art, pop culture, and emotional excess. Wainwright’s fascination with Weill’s music goes back decades; he wore out the vinyl grooves of Teresa Stratas’ famous Weill album in his early twenties and has long expressed his admiration for Weill’s unique blend of “pop music with an operatic sensibility, the profane with the divine.” Wainwright shared his feelings on the songs, saying: “The songs of Kurt Weill have long haunted my imagination and remain solidly mysterious. Be it the opening trap of Mack the Knife or closing explosion of Lost in The Stars, this wondrous musical journey began, continues and will never end.”
The album captures the fully orchestrated concert version of his Weill repertoire, which Wainwright performed on the grand stage of Los Angeles, CA’s Theatre at Ace Hotel in 2024 with the Pacific Jazz Orchestra under the baton of Chris Walden. Wainwright and the PJO brought a unique interpretation to Weill’s singular compositions, which are celebrated for their fusion of classical, cabaret, and jazz elements, with featured performances of classic songs such as “Surabaya Johnny,” “Je ne t’aime pas,” “September Song,” and “Lost in the Stars.” Captured on record for the first time, ‘I’m a Stranger Here Myself – Wainwright Does Weill’ also features guest appearances by Viola Odette Harlow and the Netherlands’ famed Metropole Orkest. At its core, the album is less about perfect preservation of the past and more about breathing new life into it—channeling Kurt Weill’s music through a 21st century lens with wit, grandeur, and unapologetic heart. Wainwright and Walden will also perform selections from the new album with an orchestral trio at The GRAMMY Museum’s intimate Clive Davis Theater on December 3, along with a panel discussion.