Michael Jackson this time, wrote hits such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" (1979), "This Place Hotel" (1980), and "Can You Feel It" (1980). Jackson's work in film began in 1978, when he moved to New York City to star as the Scarecrow in "The Wiz", a musical directed by Sidney Lumet. It costarred Diana Ross, Nipsey Russell, and Ted Ross. The film was a box-office failure. Its score was arranged by Quincy Jones, whom Jackson had previously met when he was 12 at Sammy Davis Jr.'s house. Jones agreed to produce Jackson's next solo album. During his time in
The Wiz and George Faison. "Everybody Rejoice/A Brand New Day" is composed by Luther Vandross. Scoring for "The Wiz" calls for two keyboards, bass, guitar, drums, two percussionists, four woodwind players, horn, three trumpets, two trombones, violins, and cello. In his review of the 1984 revival, Frank Rich wrote: "What made "The Wiz" surprisingly moving the first time around was that its creators found a connection between Baum's Kansas fantasy and the pride of urban black Americans. When Glinda, the good witch, musically instructed Dorothy to 'believe in herself,' she seemed to be delivering a broader inspirational message. "The Wiz" was hardly