Preview: TUESDAY'S 'KATIE', BARBRA STREISAND TALKS ABOUT HER UPCOMING DUETS ALBUM

via press release

"MY VERY, VERY EXCITING DUET PARTNER IS MY SON."

ON TUESDAY'S 'KATIE', BARBRA STREISAND TALKS ABOUT HER UPCOMING DUETS ALBUM AND HER DESIRE TO SING WITH KEITH URBAN, USHER AND JOHN LEGEND

On the Tuesday, September 25th edition of the nationally-syndicated talk show, KATIE, (check local listings, katiecouric.com) Barbra Streisand, one of the world's most influential and incomparable entertainers, opens up in a rare television interview with Katie Couric. Streisand talks about the upcoming duets album she's working on with 'Babyface' Edmonds that features her first duet with her son, Jason Gould. According to Streisand, "When I heard the things he's recorded, the musicianship, the sound of his voice, it's like he has a little chamber music orchestra right in his vocal chords." When Couric asks what other musicians she would like to sing with, Streisand responds: "I like Keith Urban, I like Usher and John Legend. You know there are some really good guys around." Couric and Streisand discuss the icon's ongoing influence for the next generation of performers including Glee's, Lea Michele and Streisand also opens up her sixteen year marriage with James Brolin, her brand new album, "Release Me," and her passion project, the Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles.

Preview of Conversation With Barbara Streisand

BARBRA STREISAND'S DREAM DUETS:

KC: Tell us a little bit about the duets album you're working on with Babyface Edmonds. Who would you like to ideally, if you had your druthers of all the singers in the world – other than me – who would you like to sing a duet with?

BS: Oh gosh, there's so many good guys. First of all, Babyface has a great voice. He's wonderful. I'm doing this with him producing and Walter Afanasieff, Walter A. Well, there's so many people. Bocelli.

KC: That would be killer.

BC: We've been talking about singing together for a long time, but I send him songs, he sends me songs. The twain hasn't met yet, you know? I like Keith Urban. I like Usher. John Legend. There's some really good guys around.

KC: Yeah, that would be exciting.

BARBRA ON HER DUET WITH HER SON JASON:
BS: Actually, my very, very exciting duet partner is my son.

KC: That's so nice. Jason, right? Does he do a lot of singing?

BS: You know I used to sing with him when he was a baby. When I came home from work, we would sing together. And then when he was 15, I heard this gorgeous hum from behind his door. And I went, "Jason, is that you?" [Son's Response] "Mom go away." [Barbra] "Open the door, Jason." [Son's Response] "Mom, no it's OK." But I heard him hum, right? And a few years ago he said, "You know I've started to sing and work on some music," and I said, "Really?" And this is a tough spot to enter that profession for him, I suppose. And I tell you, when I heard the things he's recorded, the musicianship, the sound of his voice, it's like he has a little chamber music orchestra right in his vocal chords. I don't know what it is. His sweetness, his inventiveness musically. I said, "Jason, I have to sing with you. You have to be on my duets album." Not only that, "You have to come," – He's never performed live.

KC: And he's going to performing with you in Brooklyn?

BS: [Nods yes]

STREISAND ON HER SIXTEEN YEAR RELATIONSHIP WITH JAMES BROLIN:

KC: Your husband, James Brolin

BS: Yeah…

KC: I know this sounds like it's going to be something inappropriate, but it's not at all. I was just going to say, he is just so incredibly handsome. I mean, don't you agree? Seriously?

BS: It is so interesting to see someone that well delineated, you know, just from a structural point of view. I love architecture. How do some people just get everything perfect, like the jaw line, the teeth, the eyes, the depth, the forehead? So he fascinates me. 

KC: And you guys have been married for how long now?

BS: We're together sixteen years. Can you believe it?

STREISAND ON GLEE'S LEA MICHELE:

KC: I know that you've inspired the next generation of performers so much.  Lea Michele, who's on Glee, I think you're clearly her role model. I'm speaking for her but I think it's pretty obvious. But she's been encouraged to get her nose done, and she's been very strong about it and said she's not going to do it, that Barbra Streisand didn't do hers.

BS: That's real? That's not just in the show?

KC: No, no, I think that's real. That's real.

BS: Good for her.

KC: That's what she really believes.

BS: You never could tell. It might change the sound of your voice. The guy might botch it up and make it worse than it was. You just don't know.