Stephen Sorokoff - Page 16

Eric Yves Garcia had a great pianist to accompany his singing last night at the Pelican Cafe…..Mr. Garcia himself was on the keys! There is nothing musically more satisfying than the experience of hearing an eloquent and serious pianist creating the arrangements that envelope his vocals. The piano harmonies always integrate more effectively and accurately when the voice and the fingers combine. It's a great club that Mr. Garcia belongs to, Nat King Cole, Buddy Greco, Diana Krall, Bobby Short, BIlly Stritch, Tony DeSare and others. An added treat for last night's patrons was having Avery Sommers and local celebrity Rob Russell in the audience and Mr. Garcia also played effectively for them.

Laura Osnes and Tony Yazbeck have returned to Feinstein's/54 Below after their sold-out debut duo act last October.

There are many organizations that have been established to preserve our musical heritage and at the forefront of those that specialize in The Great American Songbook, Michael Feinstein's foundation is one of the most important and influential.  Last night at a private event Michael entertained for a Park Avenue apartment full of generous New Yorkers who had gathered to help support The Great American Songbook Foundation founded by Michael in 2007.

If you were making a movie about New York City and were tasked to re-create the perfect intimate night club experience that included a beautiful glamorous singer and famous New Yorkers at the tables look no further. That scene took place at the Beach Cafe with actress/singer Linda Purl performing her show up close and personal singing to you from the curve of Tedd Firth's Grand Piano on the East Side of Manhattan last night.

It's quite common to see crowds gathered on 54th street waiting to attend a show at Feinstein's/54 Below. In the case of John Lloyd Young last night there were also crowds waiting to get a glimpse of John leaving Broadway's Supper Club after his electrifying performance on it's stage. There are few artists with the voice and bio of John Lloyd Young.

In its 114 year life the Dutch Treat Club has had a membership that included, Jimmy Cagney, George S. Kaufman, Walter Cronkite, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein ll, and Presidents Hoover, Eisenhower, Truman, and Ford. The great Broadway producer George Abbot was a member for 52 years when he died at the age of 107. But enough about the past. This year this historic New York City institution which was founded by and for creative people decided to honor someone young, creative and contemporary, so they chose...Marilyn Maye…an artist for every generation.

Since it's inception in 1954 as a mother-daughter luncheon honoring Marlene Dietrich and her daughter Maria Riva the organization has raised more than $100 million and has established: a Wing for Prenatal Sutdies and Research in Birth Defects, a Clinical Research Institute for Child Development, and funded major research in immunodiagnosis and immunotherapy in cancer.

Friends, Fans, and Friars gathered in the Frank Sinatra Dining Room last night as host and theater historian Richard Skipper 'celebrated' Julie Budd. Julie shared songs and stories from a career that saw her appearing in every major venue, on every major Television Show, and with most of the legendary performers of our generation.

International Opera Superstar and Tony Award Winner Paulo Szot filled every inch of Feinstein's/54 Below with his glorious once in a lifetime baritone voice last night. Broadway's supper club was also filled to capacity with a passionate audience mesmerized by his cabaret performance which celebrated the music from Paulo's native Brazil. It was a brilliantly constructed show based upon the encounter of Frank Sinatra and Tom Jobim 50 years ago. Paulo went through the Antonio Carlos Jobim songbook with is thrilling voice and also an interesting narrative which analyzed the infectious Brazilian harmonics and rhythms. There were also some tunes from The Great American Songbook, and no romantic is ever the same after hearing Paulo Szot sing Rodgers & Hammerstein's This Nearly Was Mine from South Pacific.

Some of the most momentous moments in music have happened on the stages of Birdland. Currently New Yorkers are witnessing performances by two of the worlds finest musician/entertainers in a musical salute to Nat King Cole that will add magnificently to Birdland's history. Clint Holmes and Billy Stritch have teamed up this week to produce an extraordinary musical event in tribute to Nat. Clint Holmes is one of the most exciting entertainers and jazz vocalists this country has produced, and Billy Stritch's enormous talents as a pianist, arranger and vocalist are world renowned. Both of these giants equally share the stage during this show in Birdland's new Theater. The combination of the two jazz/pop superstars is breathtaking and the one negative is that you can only see it from May 8-11. The word is out…. the seats will be scarce for this exceptional 4 night 6 performance Birdland special event.

It was all about brilliant melody, harmony, rhythms, and profound lyrics last night as the songwriters Marcy Heisler and Zina Goodrich celebrated over a quarter-century of romantic comedy writing with a one-night all original show. As in all of their highly entertaining musical adventures, Marcy & Zina brought along some of their super talented and famous friends. Lots of great new songs in this show, but of course some of their classics were included, although I had to settle for a regular coffee and not one from the Latte Boy.

He may have made his big mark with his arrival on Broadway in 2012 as Jesus in the revival of Jesus Christ Superstar, but last night Paul Alexander Nolan's solo debut cabaret show at Feinstein's/54 Below will now make him a superstar in nightclubs and solo concerts. With a voice that thrills, and is capable of affectively singing all genres of music from Freddy Mercury, Billy Joel, McCartney/Lennon, Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein and even J. Fred Coots 1930's 'For All We Know ', and Eden Ahbez's Nature Boy, Paul Alexander Nolan had a sensational entrance into the world of Cabaret. He's a remarkable actor, musician (guitar) and singer who possesses a voice that can go anywhere over the musical spectrum in any octave and rhythm.

When Ted Chapin 92Y Lyrics & Lyricists producer first conceived A Beautiful Dawning Oklahoma! at 75 he didn't know that there would be a revival of the 1943 musical currently on Broadway and garnering 8 Tony Award nominations. 

Alan Cumming said it quite accurately ….'I've known Frances (Ruffelle) for almost 30 years but she never ceases to surprise and amaze me with the ways she reinvents herself, finding new levels of expression and excellence, always with total commitment and her signature sensual passion. I cannot wait to see what she does next.'

I don't think a day goes by that I don't hear Dean Martin's voice in my head coupled with a flashback of an image of how cool he looked in his tux walking out on stage. Last night at Lorenzo's Cabaret in the Hilton Garden Inn his daughter Deana brought Dino's music and charisma back to life in Richard Nicotra's Las Vegas type supper club located on Staten Island in NYC.

'Ladies & Gentlemen, Julie Budd'…….That intro has been said by Frank Sinatra, Ed Sullivan, Johnny Carson, Carol Burnet, Danny Thomas, Marvin Hamlisch, Joan Rivers and Liberace among others. Last night it was Jim Caruso who introduced Julie to a room full of her fans in the Birdland Theater. As Jim pointed out to an excited audience, Julie was one of the first artists he thought of for Birdland's new space.

Come to Cafe Carlyle to hear arguably one of the best jazz/pop guitarist/vocalists of our generation. Also be prepared to laugh a lot during John Pizzarelli's show. He has that Seinfeld like ability to talk about anything and find the humor in it. This was a fun evening in every way, and even the unison single note conversations between the hammers hitting the strings by pianist Konrad Paszkudzki and John's fingers flying over the guitar's strings had a melodic jocularity to them. The Cafe Carlyle feels like a large living room and John Pizzarelli is about the best guest you could ever have at the party. He has done many different theme shows at The Carlyle and this Nat King Cole tribute has the tunes and stories to make it one of his most effective.

Last night in the historic University Club some of New York's most esteemed citizens gathered to honor two of the most remarkable men in the music world……  Pianists, Educators, and humanitarians Melvin Stecher & Norman Horowitz.  The Gala celebrated the 60 years of the Stecher Horowitz Foundation and it's Founders and Executive Directors Melvin and Norman.  

For those unenlightened, Jazz/Pop vocalist Nicolas King might seem like an overnight sensation. If you are new to the scene you've only recently discovered one of the most skillful and exciting male singers around. As they say in the trade, 'He's Hot'. Truth be told, Nicolas has been working and honing his amazing talent for 18 of his 27 years, and coincidently collecting many industry awards along the way. Last night at The Beach Cafe on New York's fashionable East Side, Nicolas thrilled an intimate group of sophisticated and musically astute New Yorkers who had gathered in a location that harks back to the golden age of New York City night life. Proprietor Dave Goodside has recreated the ambience of those fashionable Manhattan night spots that enticed you with good food, drink and entertainment. It may not be the 1950's El Morocco or La Martinique (and surely doesn't cost as much), but this special eventing at The Beach Cafe definitely left the Saturday late night audience feeling they were sharing that same nostalgic supper club experience listening to the romantic and Jazz infused vocals of Nicolas King.

As Johnny Carson once said about a super singer (Marilyn Maye), 'you young singers if you want to see how it's done listen to this'….I'm sure if Johnny had heard Clint Holms, Veronica Swift, and Nicolas King he would be giving that same instruction to aspiring vocalists. Last night the three gave an awesome display of musicianship when singing the unique songs of Ken Laub. The exciting Tedd Firth arrangements were played by the swinging Sherrie Miracle Diva orchestra with pianist and music director Firth conducting.