Happy Wednesday!
Hello all!
Hope you're all having a great start to 2008. I sure am - I've been privileged to see some pretty fabulous shows over the past several weeks and I'm excited to tell you about them!
On Friday, January 11th, I pulled a double-header: first I went to Don't Tell Mama to see Booth Daniels and Patrick Frankfort in their show "2 Guys, 1 Guitar, No Standards." Combining some original tunes with an eclectic selection of cover songs, Booth and Patrick really worked well together, taking turns being the "straight guy" to the other's zany antics. A thoroughly entertaining show that definitely brought a smile to my face! After that, I headed over to the Oak Room at the Algonquin to catch the dazzling Andrea Marcovicci in her Rodgers and Hart show one more time before she left town. What a treat! Joined by Shelly Markham (musical director) on piano and Jered Egan on bass, Andrea put on a truly lovely show, focusing mostly on the story of Lorenz Hart to tie the selections together. As usual, she looked stunning and brought each and every song to life in a remarkably personal way - providing a wonderful ending to what had already been a highly entertaining night!
The next evening found me at the Metropolitan Room to catch Liz Callaway in her show "Time Between Flights." I had seen this show once before, toward the end of last year and was so blown away, I just had to make a repeat trip to see it again! It is a powerhouse of a show - incredibly well sung, well acted, and well constructed. To hear Liz sing "Meadowlark" is worth the cover charge all on its own, but happily, the show was chock-full of great songs, and it was a true delight to take in. If she brings it back again, catch it, catch it, catch it!
On Sunday afternoon, I headed back to the Algonquin to see Billy Stritch in his brunch show. What a fantastic way to spend a Sunday afternoon. A frequent accompanist/partner to such luminaries as Liza Minelli and Christine Ebersole, it is a rare treat to see Billy in his own show, and I always try to take advantage of the opportunity. The last solo show I'd seen him in was his wonderful tribute to Mel Torme, and happily, he included a number of selections from that show in the brunch show at the Algonquin ("You're Driving Me Crazy" and "Blue Moon" among them). He also performed several Cy Coleman songs, including a beautiful ballad called "Let Me Down Easy," which was written by Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh for a musical version of Neil Simon's "The Heartbreak Kid," that never made it to the Great White Way. I really enjoyed myself, and am looking forward to seeing Billy's Mel Torme show again next month when he brings it to Birdland!
And speaking of Birdland...on Monday, 1/14, I headed over there to see a true living legend in concert - Chita Rivera was putting on a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids, and there was no way I was going to miss it! She played two sold out shows - one at 7 p.m. and one at 10 p.m. I was there for the later show, and found myself squeezed in at the bar, among countless other adoring fans. And boy, were we in for an incredible show! From her opening medley of "I Won't Dance"/"Let Me Sing and I'm Happy" to her second encore (Carol Hall's "Circle of Friends"), Chita simply dazzled. Looking stunning in a short black dress and patent red heels, she had more energy than a five-year-old on a sugar high! I was simply in awe. She made her way through a number of songs from she has had the honor of being associated with throughout her amazing career (including hits from "Bye Bye Birdie," "The Rink," "Chicago," and - of course - "West Side Story." And, despite the lyrics of her opening number, boy did she dance! It was a truly amazing night, and I was thrilled to be there. The Cast Party that followed was somewhat abbreviated, given the late start, but included some powerhouse performers, including Marilyn Maye, Christine Lavin, Christine Pedi, Hilary Kole, and the aforementioned Billy Stritch! Whew, what a night!
The next night found me at the National Arts Club to see a classical piano recital given by Joe Bachana. I've written about Joe before, and many people know him as the charming host of Metrojam, which is the monthly open mic at the Metropolitan Room. I'd heard Joe play pop songs on the piano before, but to see him give a classical recital was something new entirely! He did a wonderful job, playing to a packed room, and entertaining the crowd with selections from Scarlatti, Beethoven, Chopin and Gershwin.
On the following Sunday, I bundled up and headed uptown to Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle Hotel to see Tony DeSare, who was playing from 9-12. As always, it was a true pleasure to listen to Tony. His smooth voice, amazing piano playing, easygoing personality, and terrific song selection make for a terrific evening of entertainment. He's going to be there for the next two Sundays, and I'm planning on heading back to catch him again - definitely a must-see if you're in town!
The next night, I had the pleasure of seeing Cynthia Crane in her show, "The Time Has Come" at the Metropolitan Room. I had seen this show last fall, and was so happy to be able to catch it one more time. Once again, I was so very impressed not only by the very careful construction of the show, but also by the heartfelt passion with which Cynthia sings every single lyric. After Cynthia's show, I ran over to Birdland to catch the second half of Cast Party, and, as usual, had a simply fabulous time!
Well, that brings us up to date for now - be sure to check back soon for an update!
Hope you're all having a great start to 2008. I sure am - I've been privileged to see some pretty fabulous shows over the past several weeks and I'm excited to tell you about them!
On Friday, January 11th, I pulled a double-header: first I went to Don't Tell Mama to see Booth Daniels and Patrick Frankfort in their show "2 Guys, 1 Guitar, No Standards." Combining some original tunes with an eclectic selection of cover songs, Booth and Patrick really worked well together, taking turns being the "straight guy" to the other's zany antics. A thoroughly entertaining show that definitely brought a smile to my face! After that, I headed over to the Oak Room at the Algonquin to catch the dazzling Andrea Marcovicci in her Rodgers and Hart show one more time before she left town. What a treat! Joined by Shelly Markham (musical director) on piano and Jered Egan on bass, Andrea put on a truly lovely show, focusing mostly on the story of Lorenz Hart to tie the selections together. As usual, she looked stunning and brought each and every song to life in a remarkably personal way - providing a wonderful ending to what had already been a highly entertaining night!
The next evening found me at the Metropolitan Room to catch Liz Callaway in her show "Time Between Flights." I had seen this show once before, toward the end of last year and was so blown away, I just had to make a repeat trip to see it again! It is a powerhouse of a show - incredibly well sung, well acted, and well constructed. To hear Liz sing "Meadowlark" is worth the cover charge all on its own, but happily, the show was chock-full of great songs, and it was a true delight to take in. If she brings it back again, catch it, catch it, catch it!
On Sunday afternoon, I headed back to the Algonquin to see Billy Stritch in his brunch show. What a fantastic way to spend a Sunday afternoon. A frequent accompanist/partner to such luminaries as Liza Minelli and Christine Ebersole, it is a rare treat to see Billy in his own show, and I always try to take advantage of the opportunity. The last solo show I'd seen him in was his wonderful tribute to Mel Torme, and happily, he included a number of selections from that show in the brunch show at the Algonquin ("You're Driving Me Crazy" and "Blue Moon" among them). He also performed several Cy Coleman songs, including a beautiful ballad called "Let Me Down Easy," which was written by Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh for a musical version of Neil Simon's "The Heartbreak Kid," that never made it to the Great White Way. I really enjoyed myself, and am looking forward to seeing Billy's Mel Torme show again next month when he brings it to Birdland!
And speaking of Birdland...on Monday, 1/14, I headed over there to see a true living legend in concert - Chita Rivera was putting on a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids, and there was no way I was going to miss it! She played two sold out shows - one at 7 p.m. and one at 10 p.m. I was there for the later show, and found myself squeezed in at the bar, among countless other adoring fans. And boy, were we in for an incredible show! From her opening medley of "I Won't Dance"/"Let Me Sing and I'm Happy" to her second encore (Carol Hall's "Circle of Friends"), Chita simply dazzled. Looking stunning in a short black dress and patent red heels, she had more energy than a five-year-old on a sugar high! I was simply in awe. She made her way through a number of songs from she has had the honor of being associated with throughout her amazing career (including hits from "Bye Bye Birdie," "The Rink," "Chicago," and - of course - "West Side Story." And, despite the lyrics of her opening number, boy did she dance! It was a truly amazing night, and I was thrilled to be there. The Cast Party that followed was somewhat abbreviated, given the late start, but included some powerhouse performers, including Marilyn Maye, Christine Lavin, Christine Pedi, Hilary Kole, and the aforementioned Billy Stritch! Whew, what a night!
The next night found me at the National Arts Club to see a classical piano recital given by Joe Bachana. I've written about Joe before, and many people know him as the charming host of Metrojam, which is the monthly open mic at the Metropolitan Room. I'd heard Joe play pop songs on the piano before, but to see him give a classical recital was something new entirely! He did a wonderful job, playing to a packed room, and entertaining the crowd with selections from Scarlatti, Beethoven, Chopin and Gershwin.
On the following Sunday, I bundled up and headed uptown to Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle Hotel to see Tony DeSare, who was playing from 9-12. As always, it was a true pleasure to listen to Tony. His smooth voice, amazing piano playing, easygoing personality, and terrific song selection make for a terrific evening of entertainment. He's going to be there for the next two Sundays, and I'm planning on heading back to catch him again - definitely a must-see if you're in town!
The next night, I had the pleasure of seeing Cynthia Crane in her show, "The Time Has Come" at the Metropolitan Room. I had seen this show last fall, and was so happy to be able to catch it one more time. Once again, I was so very impressed not only by the very careful construction of the show, but also by the heartfelt passion with which Cynthia sings every single lyric. After Cynthia's show, I ran over to Birdland to catch the second half of Cast Party, and, as usual, had a simply fabulous time!
Well, that brings us up to date for now - be sure to check back soon for an update!
posted by Jenna @ 3:12 PM
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