Sting’s successful world tour ‘Brand New Day’ enabled him to focus his songwriting. His album ‘The Dream of the Blue Turtles’ featuring top US jazz musicians was proof that his ability to address social issues hadn’t diminished over time.
Mutations to the TMEM173 gene that encodes STING are associated with autoinflammatory diseases, and single nucleotide polymorphisms of this gene may have different functions.
The Last Ship
Sting’s musical debut brims with noble intentions and haunting folk-tinged melodies, yet can sometimes feel maudlin when reaching for its desired conclusion of an exuberant, fist-pumping show that leans more toward Broadway’s soft fairy tale tropes than Ken Loach dramaturgy portrayed by its story.
Retooled version of The Last Ship premiered at Los Angeles’ Ahmanson Theatre during Grammy Week as an example of great composers being able to stay relevant over decades with story-driven songs that resonate. Sting’s stage composition is delightfully complex, mixing ballads with brooding duets and big violin-driven crowd pleasers such as Dead Man’s Boots and “The Night the Pugilist Learned to Dance.” Both these tracks stand out.
Sting’s 17-time Grammy winning role as shipyard foreman Jackie White will be joined by Frances McNamee as his wife Meg, Michael Esper as the preacher, and Oliver Savile as Gideon Fletcher in this Lorne Campbell-directed production featuring music and book written by Sting himself. Playing through March 24 in Los Angeles before traveling to San Francisco, Washington D.C. St Paul for an engagement before finishing its tour through Detroit
57th & 9th
Sting has long been known for using his platform and talent to champion social causes such as global hunger, war crimes and human trafficking. Now with 57th & 9th, British singer-songwriter Sting aims to tackle another contentious justice issue with verse-chorus rock songs about prison systems and its victims.
Fans who have been waiting since 2003 for former Police front man Sting to release another straight-up rock record may find this disc too familiar, yet his working band remains excellent at their craft. Even its more progressive rockers such as “Petrol Head” feature Celtic flourishes that nod back to his Celtic persona of old. Furthermore, Sting discusses with World Cafe host Talia Schlanger how you can trick your muse and find meaning within wordless pieces of music; listen here or on any streaming service for more.
Brand New Day
Brand New Day wasn’t exactly a fresh start for Sting; rather it marked his sixth studio album’s success commercially and critically in September 1999 – as well as marking a crucial comeback moment in his career.
At a time when fears about the impending millennium change were widespread, its lyrics provided an antidote. Stevie Wonder’s harmonica added depth, while Sting sang with conviction.
On the 25th anniversary of its original release in 2024, a remixed version was issued featuring additional orchestration and Middle Eastern drumming as well as trumpeter Chris Botti playing somberly like Miles Davis would appreciate, adding depth to its basic swing beat.
Kipper could only dream of working with Sting, yet for him this dream came true when Tom Flint visited his Surrey studio to meet Kipper.
The Dream of the Blue Turtles
Sting’s first album post-Police split was both masterful and risky. Hoping to expand beyond rock music’s confines, he collaborated with jazz musicians such as Branford Marsalis, Dolette McDonald and Janice Pendarvis for this endeavor; this collaboration produced introspective songs exploring themes of personal growth and renewal.
Turtles as symbols were both symbolic and dreamlike, calling upon nature’s resilience while offering a mellower sound than his former band’s darker themes.
Sting managed to create an impressive solo career despite an initially challenging beginning, producing critically-acclaimed albums like Ten Summoner’s Tales and Brand New Day as well as collaborations with Anoushka Shankar of Sitar fame and Cuban music legends Buena Vista Social Club. Additionally, Sting has become one of the world’s premier entertainers and philanthropists; most notably his work on Broadway as well as sold-out concerts around the globe are testament to this success.