Patti Boulaye, Cantabile - The London Quartet and More Set for The Crazy Coqs, March-April 2014
By: BWW News Desk Jan. 29, 2014
January and February have seen sell-out performances at the Crazy Coqs and March and April look set to continue the trend.
In the lineup are: Patti Boulaye (March 4-8); Aaron Weinstein March 11- 15; Marlene VerPlanck (March 18 - 22); Anne Reid (March 25 - 29); John Etheridge & special guests (April 1- 3); Christine Bovill performs PIAF (April 4-5); Domenick Allen and Leigh Zimmerman (April 8- 11); Claire Martin and Joe Stilgoe (April 15-19); Amanda McBroom and George Hall (April 22- 26); and Cantabile - The London Quartet (April 29 - 31). Scroll down for details!
PATTI BOULAYE
MARCH 4 - 8
Following her recent sold out performances at The London Hippodrome and The Pheasantry, award-winning singer and musical theatre star Patti Boulaye brings to The Crazy Coqs her autobiographical show in which she tells her life through songs that have influenced her and songs that she has sung as a West End leading lady. It is a trip down memory lane for this very popular award-winning singer and musical theatre star.
Patti's victory on New Faces led to appearances on stage, film and television, including the starring role in The Music Machine, Carmen in Carmen Jones (The Old Vic and World tour) and Royal Command Performances. In 1984, she had her own series, The Patti Boulaye Show on Channel 4. The eighties saw an increase in fitness awareness and Patti was among the celebrities whose voices featured on the Shape Up and Dance keep-fit albums.
Musical Director - Iain Vince-Gatt
MARCH 11 - 15
Called "The Groucho of the violin" (Tony Bennett) and "a perfect musician" (jazz guitar legend, Bucky Pizzarelli), New York City Jazz violinist, Aaron Weinstein has earned a reputation as one of the finest jazz musicians and entertainers of his generation and the successor to such greats as Stephane Grappelli.
For his return shows at Crazy Coqs, Weinstein will swing the Great American Songbook, while presenting his unique brand of humour for which he's been dubbed, "a disciple of Woody Allen" (New York Times) and "the 21st century Jack Benny" (Huffington Post).As a featured soloist, Weinstein has performed at Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, Blue Note and abroad at jazz festivals in England, France, Switzerland, Iceland, and Israel. Aaron has performed and recorded with an array of jazz icons including: Les Paul, Bucky Pizzarelli, John Pizzarelli, Scott Hamilton, Dick Hyman, Dave Fresher, Ken Peplowski, Jon Hendricks and Annie Ross
as well as musicians as varied as New York Pops founder/conductor, Skitch Henderson and rock guitarist, Jay Geils. He has written arrangements for vocalists including Christine Ebersole, Linda Lavin, and the Manhattan Transfer's Janis Siegel. Additionally, Aaron is a respected mandolinist, widely regarded as one of the instrument's leading exponents in the jazz idiom.
Aaron is the recipient of a New York City Nightlife Award and New York City Bistro Award. He became the youngest jazz musician to have recorded as leader for the prestigious Arbors Records - a traditional jazz record label. In addition to performing and arranging, Aaron is also a bow tie rights activist. He lives in New York City.
David Newton will accompany Aaron on piano. www.aaronweinstein.net
MARLENE VERPLANCK
MARCH 18 -22
Throughout her career, Marlene VerPlanck has stuck to her guns; paying loving care to the great American standards and new songs from America's finest composers, while ignoring mediocre pop tunes. Songwriter Hugh Martin ("Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," etc.) expressed it well: "We know our songs are safe in the hands of Marlene VerPlanck, and she will sing them better than anyone else."
Now she is coming to perform at The Crazy Coqs as part of her 2014 UK tour. Marlene will feature songs from her latest CD "Ballads...mostly", which includes the songs of Harry Warren, "I Only Have Eyes for You", "There Will Never Be Another You", "My Dream Is Yours", etc., and Cy Coleman, "Witchcraft", "Why Try To Change Me Now", "Baby Dream Your Dream", etc., plus lots of surprises. The CD has made four 2013 best ten lists: Nancy Barrel's Internet Show from NYC, Joe Langs New Jersey Jazz Magazine, Don Albert, jazz journalist from South Africa and David Kenny, Old Is New Internet show.
Marlene VerPlanck began her career as a studio musician in New York City singing hundreds of commercials and "backup" to everyone from Sinatra to Kiss. She has recorded twenty-two albums that were produced and arranged by her late husband, J. Billy VerPlanck, with some of the world's most important instrumentalists, Sir George Shearing, Marian McPartland, Tommy Flanagan, Houston Person, and so many others. She has appeared in most of the New York concert venues and today travels the world singing and the UK has be a big part of her schedule since 1989. www.marleneverplanck.com
Accompanying Marlene will be John Pearce on piano and Paul Morgan on bass
IN A NEW KEY
MARCH 25 -29
Anne Reid is one of Britain's most-loved and respected actors, star of the very popular Last Tango in Halifax, Ladies of Letters, Dinnerladies and Coronation Street. What is less well known is her life as a cabaret performer. Following her sell out debut shows at Crazy Coqs last year, she returns with her show In A New Key - a beautifully crafted programme of song, nostalgia and humour.
Telling backstage stories of the vagaries of touring, meeting the royal family, playing in Dr Who with David Tennant and describing the eccentricities of her fellow performers, Anne sings songs and ballads from a varied assortment of songwriters ranging from Billy Joe, Don McLean, Stephen Sondheim, Sheldon Harnick and Diana Morgan, all the way to Hoagy Carmichael, and Johnny Mercer.
Every since she was memorably electrocuted by a hair dryer in the early days of Coronation Street, Anne Reid has been a familiar figure to audiences everywhere in her many roles on television, stage and screen. In 2004 she received accolades and acclaim for her starring role in the film The Mother, as a woman who has an affair with her daughter's boy-friend, played by Daniel Craig.
Only recently has she branched out into musicals, with roles in Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods at the Royal Opera House and Cole Porter's Out of This World in Chichester.
Anne is accompanied by her musical director and award-winning pianist StuArt Hutchinson.
AN EVENING WITH JOHN ETHERIDGE-
With special guests
April 1- 3
John Etheridge rightly enjoys a glowing reputation throughout the jazz world and beyond and has been described by Pat Metheny as, "one of the best guitarists in the world". But take away the famous names from Stephane Grappelli to Nigel Kennedy, turn off Soft Machine and John's solo concerts, show a glorious guitarist who is inspired by the trinity of Django Reinhardt, Wes Montgomery and Hank Marvin.
Few of his peers handle an electric instrument with such delicacy. And whilst Etheridge combines a jazzman's sophistication with a folksy sense of drama, his penchant for simple, unaffected melodic lines makes him ideal company in a venue as intimate as Crazy Coqs and where he will play for three nights following his sell-out performances last year when he made his Crazy Coqs debut as part of the London Jazz Festival. www.johnetheridge.com
CHRISTINE BOVILL
Performs PIAF
APRIL 4&5
No glamour. No gimmicks. No pretence. Nothing but a voice singing of life's triumphs and tragedies. PIAF is a powerful musical homage to one of France's most endearing icons, celebrating some of her best known songs, threaded with Piaf's story, and Christine's own remarkable journey in the world of chanson. She takes her audience through tragic love stories such as L'Accordeoniste and L'Hymne a L'Amour, lighter numbers such as Je N'en Connais Pas La Fin and the classics Piaf is best known for.
An award-winning songwriter in her own right, who has built her reputation on her interpretation of classic 20th century songs, Bovill has toured throughout Europe with her self-penned homage to the Little Sparrow. During her sold out run at the Famous Speigeltent at last year's Edinburgh Festival, Bovill realised a lifelong dream when she shared the stage with Charles Dumont, great friend of Piaf and most famously, composer of Non, Je ne Regrette Rien. They performed several songs together to close the show. PIAF was awarded the Fringe laurels for Total Sell Out Show 2011 and 2012 and received 5 STAR reviews. www.christinebovill.com
Domenick Allen & Leigh Zimmerman
A LOVE AFFAIR FROM A2 Z
APRIL 8-12
"A Love Affair from A2Z" is a musical journey that shines a spotlight on the stages of love and the stages of life. Domenick Allen and 2013 Olivier Award wining actress Leigh Zimmerman, have been married for 20 years which is quite a unique accomplishment in show business, where love and success don't always survive.
Timeless songs from Kander & Ebb, Led Zeppelin, Charles Aznavour, Bonnie Raitt, Cy Coleman, Jimi Hendrix, Stephen Sondheim and many more, combine to create a unique evening of music & comedy.
Leigh, who won her Olivier Award for her performance in A Chorus Line and Domenick, touring the world with his show VINYL - The Classic Rock Experience - have starred on many stages from Broadway to the West End to Las Vegas, in concert halls, arenas, nightclubs and soundstages throughout their extensive careers. When her world of Theatre collides with his world of Rock, it fuels the chemistry and passion between these two talented and charismatic performers who just happen to be soul mates.
"A Love Affair from A2 Z" is romantic, sexy, funny, naughty, and nice in one night... all the things a great love affair should make us feel!
APRIL IN PARIS
APRIL 15 -19
After their astounding success last year at Crazy Coqs, Claire Martin and Joe Stilgoe return with their new show April in Paris, celebrating the most romantic city in the world - Paris - The City Of Light. From Gershwin to Cole Porter, Charles Trenet to Maurice chevalier, with detours into Joni Mitchell, Jacques Brel and Bernie Taupin, this Parisian programme will be a whirl of French glitz, glamour and Gauloises, it promises to be magnifique.
Claire Martin needs little introduction. To worldwide critical acclaim she has established herself as a tour de force on the UK jazz scene gaining many awards, including winning the British Jazz Awards six times, along the way. Claire has toured extensively throughout the UK, Scandinavia, Russia and China, appearing with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and her world-class trio. She has been awarded an OBE for her Services to Jazz.
Joe Stilgoe is one of the world's finest singer-pianists, touring constantly with his band and as a solo act, having appeared at jazz clubs and festivals around the world. Last summer he made his solo debut at the Edinburgh Fringe where his show One Hour! was a sell-out and garnered much critical acclaim
SOME ENCHANTED EVENING
APRIL 22- 26
International cabaret performer and writer of the hit song The Rose, Amanda McBroom and her husband George Ball star of Broadway show Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, perform an evening of musical romance for grown ups with songs of love, lust, loss, cherished dreams and wisdom by such illustrious songwriters as Cole Porter, Jacques Brel, Kurt Weill Stephen Sondheim, and of course McBroom herself.
What distinguishes McBroom from her contemporaries is her talent for writing exceptional songs that are flush with feelings and are witty and profound. Never over-the-top, her work seethes with a passion that is artfully funneled into music and lyrics revealed so well in her two most popular songs The Rose and Errol Flynn which McBroom wrote about her father the actor David Bruce who worked with Flynn and Gary Cooper.
Musical Director - Michele Brourman
CANTABILE
HOLD THAT TIGER
APRIL 29 - 31
Cantabile - The London Quartet - make their debut at The Crazy Coqs with their show Hold That Tiger - a celebration of Harmony Groups and Harmony Hits, featuring classics ranging from The Ink Spots, the Jordanaires and The Mills Brothers to The Manhattan Transfer, The Flying Pickets and beyond. All presented with the group's unique blend of hilarity and vocal virtuosity.
Cantabile have long been recognised to be one of Britain's great vocal groups and have been delighting audiences since 1982 with their amazing range of programmes. From a cappella favourites to the sacred music of the last millennium, they are outstanding in both Comedy and the Classics.
Founded in Cambridge, as a purely a cappella student group, they first came to prominence in the Tim Rice/Stephen Oliver West End musical Blondel. They have toured extensively worldwide, singing in the most prestigious venues for the most prestigious clientele, including Buckingham Palace and Carnegie Hall, New York.
Richard Bryan - Counter -Tenor,
Steven Brooks - Tenor,
Mark Fleming - Tenor
Michael Steffan - Baritone
MISS HOPE SPRINGS SUNDAY SOIREE
Miss Hope Springs Sings her Songs'
EVERY SUNDAY EVENING
Miss Hope Springs continues her 'hugely successful residency' (Time Out), now well into it's second sold-out year, with a brand new show, Miss Hope Springs Sings Her Songs featuring a new look, new material and a fantastic new line up. Performing her acclaimed all-original repertoire at the piano, the towering blonde ex-Vegas showgirl is joined, as always by throbbing double bass, chilli hot percussion and a new band member on sizzling guitar, together they have become The Miss Hope Springs Quartet.
OPEN MIC EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT
Every Thursday from 10.30pm till midnight, Harold Sanditen hosts an open mic evening, which includes regular musicians Michael Roulston on piano and Jonty Fisher on bass. The open mic provides a nurturing environment for composers, musicians and singers to test new work in front of an audience, as well as a great evening of entertainment for audiences, who will have the chance to catch that proverbial 'rising star' or see an existing star, in what is arguably the most beautiful new music room in town.
Tickets are £5.00
All performances take place at The Crazy Coqs at Brasserie Zedel, 20 Sherwood Street, London W1F 7ED. Times: 8.00pm (Tues -Sat); Miss Hope Springs 7pm (Sunday).
Ticket prices: £30 (Anne Reid, Amanda McBroom, Claire Martin & Joe Stilgoe,); £25 (Marlene Verplanck, Domenick Allen & Leigh Zimmerman, Patti Boulaye); £20 (Aarron Weinstein, John Etheridge, Christine Bovill, Cantabile); and £15 (Miss Hope Springs). For reservations: Telephone bookings: 020 7734 4888; Online bookings: wwwcrazycoqs.com.
For more information, visit www.crazycoqs.com, or follow on Twitter: @crazycoqs and Facebook: www.facebook.com/crazycoqs.
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