2005 Cabaret Convention
- Wednesday Night
THIRD
NIGHT AT THE CABARET CONVENTION
Wednesday, October 19,
2005
Rose Hall, New York City
Reported by Joe
Regan
Please note: No "song lists" distributed at the convention, so some
of the song titles in these reports may not be accurate and/or misspelled.
The third
night of the 16th Annual Mabel Mercer Foundation Cabaret Convention
was entitled "Cabaret Today" and took place on Wednesday, October
19th at the ROSE HALL at Time Warner Center (Columbus Circle, Broadway
at 60th Street, NYC - CenterCharge: 212-721-6500 - http://www.jazzatlincolncenter.org/
).
The performance began with San Franciscan Terese
Genecco and her Little Big Band (of 7) ripping into Frances Faye's
version of "The Man I Love," including her famous pause after "I'll
do my best to make him -----." The band and Genecco rocked. Then
Ms. Genecco did a cool version of "Drunk With Love" with its rare
verse. However, she omitted the back story of the songwriter that
she includes in her show "Drunk With Love: A Tribute to Frances
Faye" and the impact of the performance was lessened. Later that
night, for her standing room only final performance at THE ENCORE
(266 West 47th Street, NYC - 212-221-3960 - http://www.theencorenyc.com/
), she told the back story and the song was more effective. Her
performance at THE ENCORE was sold out from the word of mouth of
her performances the previous Friday and Sunday. The cabaret room
was packed with performers and out of town visitors, including 19
of her family from upstate New York.
Ms. Genecco was followed by Lee Lessack from Los
Angeles. He introduced Johnny Rodgers at the piano. Mr. Lessack
told us that both of them were Simon and Garfunkel fans and Mr.
Rodgers had come up with an original song in the style of Simon
and Garfunkel. They sang the song, "Here's To You" which was indeed
a typical wonderful Everly type song. Lessack's second song was
an original by West Coast composer Susan Werner, "May I Suggest."
It was a clever, moving song. Susan Werner herself was the next
guest. She sat down at the piano and did a funny song entitled "When
They Make the Movie of My Life." Sharon McNight had sung this song
at her act a few months ago. Ms. Werner's second song was "I Can't
Be New," the title of her new CD. The song was wonderful and the
audience's applause was genuine and loud.
Marcus Simeone was next and began with a few notes
from "Misty." He then discussed his recent Johnny Mathis show and
rocked into "Brazil" in a great arrangement by Barry Lloyd. He talked
about Johnny Mathis' career and how his mother had collected Mathis'
records. His second song was a moving version of "I'll Be Seeing
You."
Eva Ladas, Mr. Simeone's partner in the MAC award
winning show this year "The 2 of Us," followed. She began with "Almost
Like Being In Love" which showcased her vocal range but mid-song
she interpolated "Dites Moi" and the effect was lessened. Her second
song was a deconstructed version of "On The Street Where You Live"
which diminished the impact of the song, although she demonstrated
her unusual vocal range.
Tom Andersen appeared next
and sang a hysterical special material song "Vibrato" (
written by Beckie Menzie and Cheri Coons) all about how he
did not have any vibrato when he sang and the efforts he was making
to correct the situation. It was a comic high point of the night.
He then sang a slow, soaring song "Let It Be Me."
After a short intermission, Donald Smith presented
the first Bart Howard Encouragement Award to David Friedman. Mr.
Friedman announced what an exciting year it had been for him, especially
getting the rights to release the late Nancy LaMott recordings again
and promised us new CDs of previously unreleased songs. He announced
that on June 5th, 2006, the tenth anniversary of Nancy's death,
there will be a star studded memorial at THE PETER NORTON SYMPHONY
SPACE (Broadway at 95th Street - 212-864-1414). He talked about
Bart Howard and Howard's most famous song which everyone knows.
But he remembered that Nancy always said that there was a reason
a song became a standard and that gave him an impulse to re-examine
the song. He then sang the complete "In Other Words," including
the verse and indeed it demonstrated the wisdom of Nancy's advice.
Of course, we all know the song today by its revised title "Fly
Me To The Moon." With his backup girls, he then sang a wonderful
song that I think was titled "There Is Life."
John Wallowitch came out and had the audience in
stitches with his unfinished song about Manhattan cabaret, the one
that begins "Just because you're old and you're ugly and you're
fat ---". He then sang a moving ballad he wrote I think is called
"The Road Not Taken" or "Don't Look Back." He followed with a hysterical
song he said he composed on a train to Pittsburgh although it has
nothing to do with Pittsburgh. It's about cosmetic surgery, and
the description is of a recent nip/tuck collapsing at a dinner engagement.
Rosalyn McClore, a rocking singer from Memphis, sat
down at the piano and tore into "My Baby Just Cares For Me," making
it sound like a new song. She followed with a tender version of
Sondheim's "Not While I'm Around." This is a talent to look for
in future engagements.
The inimitable Baby Jane Dexter, looking stunning
in a blue outfit, came out with Ross Patterson and sang a slow,
angry version of "Some of These Days". Ms. Dexter is without peer
in taking a familiar song and creating a dramatically new twist
on its meaning. She followed with a bouncing version of "They Can't
Take That Away From Me" that spread joy throughout the ROSE HALL.
Los Angeles based Shawn Ryan came on stage with his
band of swinging musicians and ripped through a song I think was
entitled "Goin’ to the Dance With You." Ryan is a tall, handsome
blonde boy and his rhythmic movements were graceful and effective
as he worked the audience, including those in the boxes on the sides
of the wide stage. He followed with an elaborate version of "Down
With Love" that included all the Streisand interpolations. Mr. Ryan
is appearing at THE ENCORE (266 West 47th Street, NYC - 212-221-3960
- http://www.theencorenyc.com/
) on Saturday, Sunday and Monday and is definitely worth catching
because he is on a national tour and may be the next big headliner
in Vegas.
The last performer of the evening was the energetic,
exuberant Sandra Reaves-Phillips
who ripped into "Every Day I Have the Blues" which blended into
"Georgia On My Mind" as a tribute to Ray Charles. Ms.
Reaves-Phillips
was Charles' opening act on his last tour. She stirred excitement
with her big, powerful voice and body movements. She followed with
a tribute to all the recent earthquake and hurricane flood victims,
reminding us that "None of us are alone, no man is an island." She
then sang a moving version of "You'll Never Walk Alone" with a gospel
intonation that was very effective and closed the evening on a high
note.
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