Good Thing Going - Jason Robert Brown - The Tonics
BackOne of our favorites of all our videos: "Good Thing Going" from Sondheim's "Merrily We Roll Along", incredible vocal arrangement and performance by The Tonics. The Tonics performed together for six years in the late 1980s/early 1990s.
A young (22yo?) Jason Robert Brown wrote the orchestrations, conducted the orchestra and can be seen accompanying them on piano. JRB was the musical director for The Tonics for several years.
Singers (from left to right) are Cortes Alexander, Brian Lane Green, Lindy Robbins and Gene Reed.
Cortes Alexander is a professional singer and has toured with Liza Minnelli:
Brian Lane Green is a Tony-nominated actor:
Lindy Robbins is a multi-platinum selling songwriter whose songs have been recorded by Backstreet Boys, Faith Hill and many others.
Gene Reed is currently a backup singer for "The Dan Band" -
From the highly recommended 1993 DVD "Sondheim: Celebration at Carnegie Hall."
George Hearn sings a beautiful version of this song:
If you like the Manhattan Transfer, you'll love the Tonics. You'll also love the Castro Brothers:
Browse our website at for more great dance, music and musical theatre performances!
Channel: Music
Uploaded: September 23, 2007 at 11:35 am
Author: BestArts
Length: 00:04:12
Rating: 5.00
Views: 3877
Tags: Good Thing Going The Tonics Merrily We Roll Along Sondheim Broadway Musical Manhattan Transfer acapella quartet harmony Jason Robert Brown
Video Comments:
BestArts (November 9, 2008 at 12:53 pm)
It turns out you're mostly right. Gene Reed from the Tonics provided the following details:
JRB (at about 22yo) wrote the orchestrations and accompanied the Tonics on piano. However, the Tonics wrote their own amazing arrangement - with all of these tough vocal harmonies.
I've updated the video description - thanks to all for providing the great information!
JRB (at about 22yo) wrote the orchestrations and accompanied the Tonics on piano. However, the Tonics wrote their own amazing arrangement - with all of these tough vocal harmonies.
I've updated the video description - thanks to all for providing the great information!
jbf036 (April 26, 2008 at 11:53 am)
Can't get this out of my head!
Cortes Alexander, Brian Lane Green, Lindy Robbins, Gene Reed - you're the best I've heard in a lomg time.
Cortes Alexander, Brian Lane Green, Lindy Robbins, Gene Reed - you're the best I've heard in a lomg time.
marcstrommer (March 21, 2008 at 7:21 pm)
Yeah that's Gene Reed all right. He's my friend and bandmate.
blancothecat (December 5, 2007 at 9:32 am)
finally! i've been waiting for this to go up! i absolutely love how they make this song so different. sooo good.
BestArts (December 5, 2007 at 10:23 am)
Paige, glad you enjoyed it. I wish I knew the names of the individual singers. Anyone?
Shawn200220012000200 (November 2, 2007 at 12:15 pm)
Beautiful Classic!
laszloleo (September 26, 2007 at 7:14 pm)
Great harmonies. Anyone know who the singers are? I can't find anything about the Tonics other than this one performance.
This is quite a different arrangement from George Hearn's excellent version - but both work extremely well.
This is quite a different arrangement from George Hearn's excellent version - but both work extremely well.
Lolgurl12345 (March 13, 2008 at 12:46 am)
I went to high school with the guy on the right -- Gene Reed from Pinehurst Idaho
It's a nice arrangement -- very "Jason Robert Brown-y", which would be logical. But he put some tough vocal harmonies in there, and you gotta give the singers credit for doing a great job. (Even if it's hard to top the simple beauty of the original song.)