Sing You
A Brand
New Song

To share the music of guitarist and songwriter Coleman Mellett with the world, an album of his original work has been posthumously produced by grammy-award winning producer Barry Miles with support from family, friends and world-class musicians.

Life is short.
Music is forever.

Biography

A guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Coleman Mellett radiated joy and positivity.

His life and music were defined by mastery of his instrument and a genuine belief in love and the joy of living. He was a virtuosic jazz guitarist who also wrote and sang songs of love and devotion. A touring musician who also spent hours recording in his home studio. A profoundly gifted artist who cherished the opportunity to build a quiet domestic life with his wife. His talent seemed limitless. His joy seemed bottomless.

“Coleman Mellett didn’t just
play music. He was music.

Chuck Mangione

For ten years, Coleman toured with Chuck Mangione’s band as his guitarist.

On February 12, 2009, Coleman and his bandmate Gerry Niewood boarded Colgan Flight #3407 en route to a performance in Buffalo. An hour after take-off, the plane crashed in Clarence Center, New York. Coleman and Niewood both died in the crash. Coleman was 34-years-old.

Sing You a Brand New Song, Coleman Mellett’s first solo album, will be released on the 15th anniversary of his death. The album is a perfect expression of his gifts as a musician, singer, and songwriter. As Coleman sings and accompanies himself on guitar, he weaves together stories of love and romance, longing and grief, art and creation, and the pleasures of domestic life.

Producing Sing You a Brand New Song was itself an act of love and devotion.

Jeanie Bryson, Coleman’s wife, engaged legendary music producer Barry Miles to create an album from tracks recorded by Coleman in the last years before his death. Miles recruited an all-star cast of musicians, including Chuck Mangione, James Taylor, Jeanie Bryson, and Larry Goldings, to record instrumental and vocal parts that complement Coleman’s initial tracks while keeping his songs at the forefront. Their posthumous collaboration with Coleman is a harmonious realization of his musical vision and a true labor of love.

Sing You a Brand New Song is an album 20 years in the making, a revelatory unveiling of an artist who was just beginning to realize his full creative potential. From “Come on Home” to “Oh, Kayo,” these songs reveal Coleman Mellett’s talent, passion, and loving spirit like never before.

Listen to Sing a Brand New Song to discover Coleman’s joy and positivity for yourself. And watch the new documentary of the same name to learn more about his life, music, and marriage, and the origins of his new album. The album and documentary provide a long-overdue opportunity to cherish the life and music of an emerging young artist who was lost too soon.

“I can’t imagine people not hearing Coley’s music. He needs to be heard.

Jeanie Bryson

The Album

Sing You a Brand New Song

Sing You A Brand New Song arrives many years after Coleman’s death. Composed of original songs and one cover (James Taylor’s ‘Fire and Rain’), the album provides a remarkable glimpse into his life, talent, and artistry. The final tracks are based on initial recordings Coleman made over a 10-year period in his life. Produced by the legendary Barry Miles and engineered by Ron DiCesare, Coleman’s original guitar-and-vocal recordings are complemented by later contributions from guest stars including Chuck Mangione, James Taylor, Larry Goldings, and Jeanie Bryson. Sing You a Brand New Song is the complete Coleman Mellett experience – available to the public for the very first time.

Stories of a Life in Music

Coleman spent his life surrounded with family, friends, fellow musicians, and his beloved wife. Fifteen years after his death, he lives on through his enduring music and the memories of those who loved him. Here are just a few of the many stories about how his life touched others.

Four Musical Legends Experience a ‘Natural High’

Coleman Mellett, his wife Jeanie Bryson, and legendary producer Barry Miles shared a musical affinity that was instrumental in creating Sing You a Brand New Song. But the ties that bind these musical innovators stretch deep into the past and find expression in one great song: ‘Natural High.’

Jeanie Bryson first met Barry Miles at a New Jersey recording studio in the late 1980’s. Her mother, the composer Connie Bryson, was recording next door to Miles when she heard him laying down instrumentals for a new composition. She and Jeanie met Barry, and Connie went on to write and record lyrics for the song that became ‘Natural High.’

In 1989, Jeanie would record her own demo of the song, with Barry producing and recording all backing instruments. This version was a key step in Jeanie beginning to build her career as a vocalist.
In 2004, Coleman discovered the song and recorded an instrumental version. His probing, exploratory guitar solo is one of the highlights of his self-recorded album, Natural High. His recording is still one of the greatest realizations of a song that has taken four musical icons on a journey, from Barry to Connie to Jeanie to Coleman.

“this is a seriously talented guy.  
He had a certain happiness and joy.

Barry Miles

Larry and Coleman’s Full Circle Journey

Coleman Mellett loved to perform. He was born to create music, and he was dedicated to continuously evolving his sound and adding new dimensions to his performances. But he was less passionate about the relentless self-promotion required of musicians on the rise.

So it was with some reluctance that he once gave his recordings to the great keyboardist Larry Goldings. Goldings is a celebrated member of the jazz community, having studied under Keith Jarrett and performed with other legends including Maceo Parker and Joshua Redman. After Mellett was introduced to Goldings, he wrestled with whether or not he should approach the slightly older and more established musician with a request to listen to his demos.

When he finally decided to give Goldings the tape, Larry was gracious and agreed to listen. But it wasn’t until Coleman had passed away that he listened to the tape and introduced himself to Coleman’s immense talent. When he was later approached to record keyboards for Sing You a Brand New Song, he happily agreed, bringing his relationship with Coleman full circle.

“It wasn’t until Coleman had passed away that Larry listened to the tape and introduced himself to Coleman’s immense talent.

The Birthday Party

Two things that are meaningful to musicians: opportunities to hone their craft in a live setting, and free meals. Coleman managed to wrangle both from Shanghai Jazz in Madison, New Jersey as a result of a birthday party.

On the night of Jeanie’s 50th birthday, Coleman drove her to Shanghai Jazz under the pretense of a gig. Expecting to perform, Jeanie entered the restaurant to find a band already performing! She was ready to have words with the owner for double-booking the night when she looked around to find the venue packed with friends. As they all yelled ‘Surprise!,’ she realized Coleman had given her a birthday party she would never forget.

Booking the venue for a whole night on a musician’s salary would have been prohibitively expensive. So Coleman had devised a payment method that would not only give them use of the room, it would also give him a chance to perform weekly live shows. Rather than paying for the party, he had bartered his services: a weekly solo guitar performance for Shanghai diners in exchange for use of the venue and a free dinner when he played. The next few months gave Coleman the perfect opportunity to hone his solo guitar skills in front of a live audience, while creating an unforgettable evening for his beloved wife Jeanie.