Ray
Jessel's "The First 70 Years" Returns to MAMA'S
Ray Jessel,
recent Back Stage Bistro Award winner and continues to reprise his
show "Ray Jessel: The First 70 Years" at DON'T TELL MAMA (343 West
46th Street, NYC - 1-212-757-0788 - http://www.donttellmama.com/
). His next engagement will run Fridays in May, shows on May 7th,
14th, 21st & 28th at 8:30 pm. Special Guest on May 7th & 14th is Maude
Maggart. Cover is $15 plus a 2-drink minimum.
Jessel's
debut CD, "Ray Jessel: The First 70 Years" was launched in January
at THE GARDENIA in West Hollywood, CA and he has played to great response
in cities including London, Los Angeles and Toronto. In New York he
has had three engagements at DON'T TELL MAMA thus far, in December,
February and March.
Senior songwriter
Ray Jessel (72) only began singing his own work since April of 2000,
but it has been interpreted for decades by prominent performers including
Louis Armstrong, Peggy Lee, Kate Smith, Richard Burton, Michael Feinstein,
John Pizarelli, Karen Akers, Jimmy Durante and many such stars. As
a Broadway composer, Jessel worked on Baker Street, and he was the
last lyricist to work with Richard Rodgers, on the show I Remember
Mama. As a Hollywood writer, Jessel has worked on The Dean Martin
Show, The Carol Burnett Show and Shari Lewis (on which he wrote songs
for Lambchop and Hush Puppy). On The Love Boat, Jessel's song "Wanna
Sing A Show Tune" made its debut, sung by an incredible cast of Ethel
Merman, Carol Channing, Ann Miller, Van Johnson, Cab Calloway and
Della Reese. This song brought him together with Michael Feinstein,
who recorded it.
Mr. Jessel's
guest (May 7th & 14th) will be the lovely Maude Maggart, whose own
cabaret show at Danny's has been highly praised and continues to run
Mondays through May. Maude sings Ray's saucy "I'm Outta Here," as
well as the haunting "Finding Words For Spring" from Jessel's musical
Baker Street sung by Sherlock Holmes' love interest Irene Adler, and
also "Moonlight," set to Debussy's "Clair De Lune." Most of the lyrics
for ballads he sings were co-written with his wife Cynthia Thompson,
including "Life Goes On" (with music by Lew Spence), "Whatever Happened
To Melody,"(written for a musical version of Dennis The Menace and
subsequently recorded by Michael Feinstein, Karen Akers and David
Campbell. Jessel and Cynthia Thompson are currently working on a musical
adaptation of Daniel DeFoe's Moll Flanders.
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