Happy Weekend, everyone!
Wow, what an amazing week of entertainment it's been! It all began last Saturday evening, when I headed over to The Metropolitan Room to see the marvelous Marilyn Maye in her new show, Mercer The Maye Way...and let me tell you, that "marvelous" in front of her name is not just there for the alliteration (although I do enjoy it!). Marilyn Maye is, quite simply, one of the best performers in the world! Full of charm, bursting with energy, and with one heck of a powerhouse voice, the 81-year old Ms. Maye can also put a lyric across like few others can. This show, in particular, was a special treat, as it was a tribute to Johnny Mercer - or, as Ms. Maye called it, a "Johnny Mercer Party!" Backed by a fantastic trio (musical director Tedd Firth on piano, Tom Hubbard on bass, and Jim Eklot on drums), Marilyn wove her way through the fantastic Johnny Mercer canon, managing to include over 30 of his songs! Starting out with a high octane 6-song medley, she went on to include so many well-loved Mercer songs including "The Summer Wind,"
I Wanna Be Around" "Blues In The Night," and "Skylark," just to name a few! Although hard-put to pick a favorite, I'd have to say her "One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)" was a standout among standouts. She breathed fresh life into the well-loved standard by creating a very detailed scene and character, which she masterfully illustrated through her inflections, focus, and minimal gestures. Simply amazing. It was truly an incredible evening, and a stellar tribute to one of the Great American Songbook's greatest treasures.
The following evening, it was off to The Algonquin Salon at the historic Algonquin Hotel. Founded by Mark Janas, the Salon has rapidly turned into the hot spot for singers, songwriters and musicians to hang out, network, and perform on Sunday evenings. Producer Peter Napolitano was the guest-host this week and the optional theme was "FATHER OF THE BRIDE," celebrating both Father's Day and "the wedding month" of June! There were tons of terrific entertainers on hand to join in the festivities, including Raissa Katona Bennett, Gretchen Reinhagen (and her dad - what a fun Father's Day treat!), Rob Langeder, Adam Shapiro, and Ray Jessel. Unfortunately, I could only stay for the first half, but I had a great time while I was there!
Monday night, it was over to Birdland for Cast Party...and whew - what a Cast Party it was! The aforementioned Marilyn Maye, Paul Shaffer (yes, THAT Paul Shaffer, of Letterman fame), Kristine W. (who has had fourteen #1 hits on the Billboard dance charts!), and...drumroll, please...Martin Short were among the folks that came to perform. Holy cow! Now, there have been some amazing Cast Parties before, but this was definitely one of the best ever!! I'm simply in awe of host Jim Caruso, who a) manages to attract all of this fantastic talent and b) is such a charming and gracious host and manages to stay calm and cool the whole time! Simply unbelivable!! And in addition to the celebs, there were some amazing regulars like Ray Jessel, violinist Aaron Weinstein, and guitarist Sean Harkness, who all showed up to join in the fun!
