Peggy Lee's 'Is That All There Is?' Celebrates 50th Anniversary
In conjunction with the Peggy Lee Estate, Capitol/UMe will release Is That All There Is? 50th anniversary digital-only edition on November 15. The remastered edition features three previously unreleased tracks: a remixed version and alternate take of the title track, and an alternate version of “Me and My Shadow.” A full track list is below.
BWW Review: Nothing is Off Limits for Isaac Mizrahi in Café Carlyle Debut DOES THIS SONG MAKE ME LOOK FAT?
Isaac Mizrahi has a simple question to ask: Does this song make me look fat?
Any variation of that prompt is normally a strong cue to walk on eggshells, but making his Cafe Carlyle debut on January 31 with a show named for and based on that query, Mizrahi took a no-holds-barred approach to the human body and just how hilarious and, at times, revolting it can be.
After opening the show with a silky-smooth cover of 'Yes' (Kander & Ebb), the fashion designer-cum-cabaret singer dove in headfirst to his fascination of body horror and the body in general. When an audience member protested over the risque-for-the-room subject of 'vodka tamponing,' Mizrahi brushed it off with a sheepish, 'Oh boy, I have some racy stuff coming.'
BWW Interview: MAC Award Winner Celia Berk Discusses Her Latest Album MANHATTAN SERENADE and Her Lifelong Love Affair with New York
Ask Celia Berk what she loves about New York and she'll give you a list. Or, better yet, an album.
Corporate executive by day, cabaret chanteuse by night (and a damn good one), Berk has won a MAC Award (New York Debut – Female), a Bistro Award (Vocalist), a BWW Award (NY Cabaret Debut), and The Margaret Whiting Award from The Mabel Mercer Foundation since her 2014 debut album You Can't Rush Spring.
Her latest, Manhattan Serenade, is an eclectic collection of New York and New York-esque songs steeped in nostalgia and romance, complete with arrangements by Alex Rybeck and a stunning orchestra.
Extended by popular demand, Berk will celebrate its release once more at the Metropolitan Room this Friday, October 14 at 7:00 pm. Before the show, we sat down for a discussion on her love note to New York, carving out a space for yourself in the city, and typical New York resilience.
BWW Review: Todd Murray & Sean Harkness Deliver a Swoony (and Croony) Valentine's Day Show at the Metropolitan Room
When vocalist Todd Murray discovered several of the musicians for his excellent show Croon were unavailable for their scheduled Valentine's Day appearance last Sunday afternoon at the Metropolitan Room, he asked Sean Harkness (the guitarist in the show) to join him for a two-hander. The fortuitous accident yielded a terrific presentation of romantic material from sentimental to ardent, a pared down sharing of unadulterated heart and high musical craft that deserves wider audience. “It's our goal to put you in the mood,” Murray tells us. They do.
BWW Review: Molly Ryan's 'Cheeky' Tribute to Mae West Is a Frisky Revelation at the Metropolitan Room
How much do most of us know about Brooklyn's own Mary Jane 'Mae' West (1893-1980) other than that she was an iconic sex symbol who had a wicked sense of humor? It's common knowledge she acted and sang, but are you aware she was a playwright and screenwriter? Did you know she didn't make her first film until the age of 39 and never drank alcohol? Jazz vocalist Molly Ryan has done her homework, presenting a smart, multifaceted woman who was, outside her carefully constructed persona, "the epitome of modesty." Though narrative needs to be edited, her show Come Up and See Me Sometime at the Metropolitan Room (which completed a three-show run this past Wednesday night) is an excellent mix of history and anecdote making a case for increased appreciation of the subject.
AMERICAN SONGBOOK AT NJPAC Premieres Third Season on NJTV Tonight
NJTV, New Jersey's public television network, and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) announced that the 3rd Season of the award-winning American Songbook at NJPAC series will be broadcast on NJTV beginning tonight, January 6, 2016 (check local listings).
AMERICAN SONGBOOK AT NJPAC to Premiere Third Season on NJTV, 1/6
NJTV, New Jersey's public television network, and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) announced that the 3rd Season of the award-winning American Songbook at NJPAC series will be broadcast on NJTV beginning January 6, 2016 (check local listings).