Well, here we are - the middle of December, can you believe it?! Now, first thing's first - before I delve into the past week's shows, I invite you to join me in wishing a very happy birthday to two of the most celebrated singers in the history of American popular music: the legendary Connie Francis, as well as Ol' Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra! Both were born on December 12th - boy, what a red-letter day for music, not to mention the Italian-American community! While Mr. Sinatra is, sadly, no longer with us, we are fortunate that Ms. Francis still is, and rumor has it that she's got some great gigs coming up in 2010! I do hope you'll join me in wishing her the happiest of birthdays and a fantastic year to come!
Boy, is it a busy December - between holiday parties, attending shows, and putting on shows myself, I've had a ridiculously full schedule! Ah, well, 'tis the season, I suppose. Luckily, the shows I've seen have been quite entertaining, so they've actually served as a brief respite from the holiday madness! Last Saturday, I headed to Feinstein's at Loews Regency to see Michael Feinstein and David Hyde Pierce in their "Holiday Show." What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday night in NYC! Both men are terrific performers in their own right, but what they managed to bring out in each other was simply spectacular! David Hyde Pierce, best known for his role as Niles on TV's "Frasier," (for which he received multiple Emmy and Screen Actors Guild Awards), as well as leading roles in Monty Python's Spamalot and Curtains (for which he won the 2007 Tony Award) on Broadway, is making his nightclub debut in this show, and it was truly an honor to have witnessed it! Blessed with an warm, easy baritone, he was not only a pleasure to listen to, but he was also incredibly funny.
His dry, deadpan humor that worked oh-so-well for him on "Frasier" translated terrifically to the intimate confines of Feinstein's - in fact, it translated so well that not only was the audience in stitches, the band was, too, as was his singing partner! His humor was showcased in songs such as Jerry Herman's "Penny in My Pocket" and "You Won't Succeed On Broadway (If You Don't Have Any Jews)" from Monty Python's Spamalot, which, after lamenting the lack of good Hanukkah songs, he proceeded to perform as such! He also showed a softer, more vulnerable side in "Your Face," a beautiful ballad with music and lyrics by John Kander. Michael Feinstein was phenomenal as well, bringing warmth and tenderness to his favorite Christmas song (which also happens to be one of my favorites!), "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas;" incredible passion and longing to "What Kind Of Fool Am I?" and just the right amount of bitterness and hurt to the Sadie Vimmerstadt/Johnny Mercer classic, "I Wanna Be Around." Now, when I mentioned that what the two performers brought out in each other was spectacular, I truly meant it. As good as their solo numbers were, their duets (including "You're The Top" and "The Best of Friends," among others) were over-the-top terrific. Mr. Pierce's humor must have been infectious, for he brought out a fun, playful side of Mr. Feinstein that I'd never seen before. And it worked the other way around, too - I think having Mr. Feinstein there as a support in his first nightclub show put Mr. Pierce at ease and allowed him to simply be himself and have fun! Their between song patter was charming and clever, and showcased a wonderful rapport between the two entertainers. It was truly a special show and a simply fantastic pairing of performers. I truly hope that these two gentleman collaborate on more shows in the future - I'd be there in a heartbeat! Kudos, too, must be given to the incredible band backing these two stellar performers: Musical Director John Oddo on piano, Mark Vinci on reeds, George Rabbai on trumpet and flugelhorn, Jim Saporito on drums, and Jay Leonhart on bass.
