Review: JOHN LLOYD YOUNG Celebrates Our Shared History at Café Carlyle

There are few places in the city that still feel like old New York. Dimly lit dinners served by elegant men in double breasted jackets and hushed conversations in a setting of refined glamour are hard to come by these days. Thank goodness for Café Carlyle and thank goodness for the people who truly appreciate these institutions - people like John Lloyd Young. John Lloyd, like the Carlyle, thrives in a timeless, liminal space, sitting somewhere between the mid 1950's and eternity, and in his latest stint at the distinguished jazz restaurant, John Lloyd Young has a deep respect for the roots of both the music that has given him so much, and the club that welcomes him home.

Probably the only person more closely associated with Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons than Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons themselves, John Lloyd Young burst onto the scene in 2005 when (after 7 callbacks, he told the audience) he booked the role of Frankie in Jersey Boys on Broadway. After having won the Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Theatre World awards, and then reprising his role in the film adaptation, having been handpicked by Clint Eastwood, John Lloyd had found his niche. With a falsetto that spins up into the stratosphere, he creates that laser-specific tone with olympic-level skill. Even time, which can cruelly snatch away those top notes, can't touch John Lloyd Young. His instrument is as strong as it was in 2005, and is just one tool in the arsenal of this singular artist. Through history lessons about New York and the Carlyle itself, tales from his time on the stage and set of Jersey Boys, and performance numbers that have the whole crowd out of their seats to dance and sing along, all linked together by a cool sense of effortlessness, and accompanied by the supremely gifted Jacquelyn Schreiber, John Lloyd is the prodigal son returning home to Café Carlyle in this latest run.

John Lloyd knows exactly what his audience wants, and he is more than happy to provide, so never fear Jersey Boys lovers, you'll be appeased by the likes of "My Eyes Adored You" and more. The moments of iconic falsetto, though, are artfully peppered in; indulgences for the core fan base, while not overstaying at the party. Though the repertoire sits firmly in the fifties and sixties, each number is intelligently chosen and placed for a specific purpose, with reasoning reaching beyond the basic "Oh, this sounds good!" betraying John Lloyd's extensive experience in crafting these performances. "I Have Dreamed" comes as a part of a lesson on former tenants at the Carlyle, as Richard Rodgers was the first individual to own a condo at 35 East 76th Street. It's also an unbelievable demonstration of breath support and musical phrasing as John Lloyd tackles the beloved Golden Age number made famous in The King and I. "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" is an opportunity to have intimate moments with individual audience members. John Lloyd extracts every possible moment of audience connection out of the evening, not just the conversational portions. The musical numbers are also chock full of moments with individual audience members. John manages to take a space which is already so intimate and creates a sense of singularity that the onstage performers are serenading you, specifically, as everyone else fades away.

John Lloyd Young continually finds new ways to interpret pieces that seem as though their opportunities for reinvention had been exhausted. Attracting a broad audience, ensuring that his performances will be well attended for years to come, this once-in-a-generation, silver toned, utterly delightful person is a treat to hear, to learn from, and to simply be in the presence of. When someone has perfected their sound as John Lloyd has, it's easy to play and live in a space of joy. That joy can be yours through April 1st at Café Carlyle. Have fun!

Grab tickets for all Café Carlyle performances HERE.

Photos by David Andrako.