Theme: “Trunk Songs"
Tonight at Salon, pianist-accompanist-composer extraordinaire Matthew Martin Ward left his post at the keyboard to stand front and center, as co-host of the evening, with Mark Janas. The theme for this evening was "Trunk Songs"--basically, numbers that were cut from shows at some point, but that remained in the composer's "trunk," sometimes to be recycled into another show, and sometimes acquiring renown on their own. However, tonight, our theme was subject to multiple interpretations, including: songs that have been forgotten, songs that you found or kept in a literal trunk, and songs sung by elephants. Yes.
Matthew opened the evening with the old chestnut, "Down Among the Sheltering Palms," paying tribute to several known versions of the song, performed by such varied personalities as Alice Faye, Sweet Sue and the Society Syncopaters (in Some Like it Hot ), and honkytonk piano player Joanne Castle. After the break, Matthew's three-song set opened with one of his own trunk songs, "Like a Child,"cut from his show (written with Peter Napolitano) The Lady in Penthouse B. His next number was found in the trunk of the songwriter (and George Gershwin friend) Kay Swift. The song, from Swift's one-woman revue (for Cornelia Otis Skinner), Paris 90, was the lovely "The House Where I Was Born." The final song in this set was the wacky Marc Blitzstein song, "The New Suit," aka "Zipperfly." The song was written for a comedian friend of Blitzstein, who never performed it. Matthew closed the show with another trunk song from The Lady in Penthouse B, fittingly titled "Only in New York."
Salon Spotlight
Tonight's Salon spotlight featured the husband-wife songwriting duo David Alpher and Jennie Litt (http://www.litt-and-alpher.com). They recently searched through their own "trunk" of shows to revive The Elegant and The Immigrant, a show combining and contrasting the music (and lives) of Irving Berlin and Cole Porter. Alpher (piano) and Litt (vocals) opened their set with Berlin's humorous early number "Cohen Owes Me Ninety-Seven Dollars." Contrasting with this was their second selection, Cole Porter's beautifully nostalgic "You Don't Know Paree." Accrding to Jennie, Porter and Berlin were good friends, and vied with each other to see who could write the best list song. Although Porter is known for many list songs, Berlin was a worthy contender, as illustrated tonight by Alpher and Litt's final song, "There's No Business Like Show Business," sung in a ballad style, which really pointed up the text of the well-known song. (See dates for The Elegant and the Immigrant below.)
Quick Wrap: Classical Corner
Mark took tonight's theme and applied it to the music of Beethoven: Exhibit A was the final movement of his Ninth Symphony. According to Mark, Beethoven abandoned his original sketch/idea for this movement when he decided to make it a choral number, inserting the now-famous "Ode to Joy." But Beethoven then repurposed that original sketch as the final movement of the A minor String Quartet, Opus 132, and a few similarities in structure between the two works still remain. Matthew and Mark illustrated this by playing the opening of the Ninth Symphony final movement, then playing the final movement of the String Quartet. After telling us it was deceptively difficult to learn, they proceeded to give us a terrific performance!
Roster of singers for the evening (in order of appearance):
Click link to visit the performer’s website, when available.
All piano accompaniment by Mark Janas unless otherwise noted.
Adam Shapiro
Click link to visit the performer’s website, when available.
All piano accompaniment by Mark Janas unless otherwise noted.
Adam Shapiro
Joe Regan, Jr.
Simone Streeter
Joey Infante (w. Mike McDonald)
Ira Lee Collings (w Matthew Martin Ward)
Sally Darling (w Matthew Martin Ward)
Janice Hall (w Matthew Martin Ward)
Angela Leone (w Bill Zeffiro)
Bill Zeffiro
David Ballard
Matthew Martin Ward
Ann Dawson
Steve Arons (w Matthew Martin Ward)
Frances O'Flynn (w Matthew Martin Ward)
And thank you to Gil Alexandre on lights and sound, our amazing waitstaff who always handle the demands of a full house with grace and style, and Steve Bustamante who is providing video footage for people interested in that service!
Upcoming shows:
Ongoing:
Matthew Martin Ward plays on Mondays at the West End Lounge, 955 West End Ave, NYC.
Bill Zeffiro can be seen every Tuesday night (8:30-11pm) at Millesime, 92 Madison, NYC with Candice Oden and every Wednesday night (8-12) at La Rivista, 313 W 46th St, NYC.
October 8-22, 2015 - Adam B. Shapiro in “Death of a Salesman” (in Yiddish!)--New Yiddish Rep, Castillo Theatre, 543 W 42nd St, NYC
Thursday, October 22, 2015 (8pm) - Matthew Martin Ward is music directing Wendy Schell’s “What Do You Do All Day?” at Don’t Tell Mama, 343 W 46th St, NYC.
Friday, October 23, 2015 (7pm) - Tanya Moberly in “Songs I Feel Like Singing” (with a rotation of musicians - this date has Mark Janas) at Don’t Tell Mama, 343 W 46th St, NYC.
Saturday, October 24, 2015 (8pm) - Matthew Martin Ward is music directing Wendy Schell’s “What Do You Do All Day?" at Don’t Tell Mama, 343 W 46th St, NYC.
Sunday, October 25th, 2015 (4pm) - David Alpher and Jennie Litt perform "The Elegant & The Immigrant," at Don't Tell Mama, 343 W 46th , NYC.
Wednesday, October 28, 2015 (7pm) - Ann Dawson is "Traveling Solo" at The Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd St, NYC.
November 1, 2015 (7pm) - Joey Infante serves up the "Sabor de Amor," with Barry Levitt at the piano. Metropolitan Room, 34 W. 22nd St., NYC
Friday, November 6, 2015 (7pm) - Tanya Moberly in “Songs I Feel Like Singing” (with a rotation of musicians - this date has Sean Harkness) at Don’t Tell Mama, 343 W 46th St, NYC.
Wednesday, November 11, 2015 (7 pm) - Marnie Klar's new show, "Tuned In," has its premiere at Don't Tell Mama, 343 W 46th St, NYC
Friday, November 13, 2015 (9:30pm) - Tanya Moberly in “Songs I Feel Like Singing” (with a rotation of musicians - this date has Ritt Henn) at Don’t Tell Mama, 343 W 46th St, NYC.
Saturday, November 14th, 2015 (5pm) - David Alpher and Jennie Litt perform "The Elegant & The Immigrant," at Don't Tell Mama, 343 W 46th , NYC.
Saturday, November 17, 2015 (7 pm) - Marni Klar's new show, "Tuned In," has its premiere at Don't Tell Mama, 343 W 46th St, NYC
Tuesday, November 17th, 2015 (8 pm) - Angela Leone debuts at Tomi Jazz, 239 E 53rd Street, NYC, with Bill Zeffiro as accompanist.
Wednesday, November 18, 2015 (7 pm) - Sally Darling and Matthew Martin Ward offer us "Perspectives," at Don't Tell Mama, 343 W 46th St, NYC
Friday, November 20, 2015 (9:30pm) - Tanya Moberly in “Songs I Feel Like Singing” (with a rotation of musicians - this date has Steven Ray Watkins) at Don’t Tell Mama, 343 W 46th St, NYC.
Wednesday, December 2, 2015 - Adam Shapiro opens in "Di Golden Kale" for the National Yiddish Theater.
Sunday, December 13, 2015 (3pm & 8pm) - David Ballard is singing with the NY Gay Men’s Chrous at their Holiday concert at Town Hall, NYC.
Sunday, December 13th, 2015 (5pm) - Sally Darling and Matthew Martin Ward offer us "Perspectives," at Don't Tell Mama, 343 W 46th St, NYC
Saturday, December 19th, 2015 (5 pm) - Sally Darling and Matthew Martin Ward offer us "Perspectives," at Don't Tell Mama, 343 W 46th St, NYC
Sunday, December 20th, 2015 (4pm) - David Alpher and Jennie Litt perform "The Elegant & The Immigrant," at Don't Tell Mama, 343 W 46th , NYC.
Tuesday, December 29th, 2015 (7 pm) - Marnie Klar's new show, "Tuned In," has its premiere at Don't Tell Mama, 343 W 46th St, NYC
Wednesday, December 30th, 2015 (7 pm) - Marnie Klar's new show, "Tuned In," has its premiere at Don't Tell Mama, 343 W 46th St, NYC
Next Week’s Salon
Attention, all ghosts, witches and goblins: prepare ye for the return of
Adam B, Shapiro and Janice Hall as your co-hosts for the Halloween Salon! This year, the theme is "Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves." Costumes encouraged!
Janice Hall
Blogette for The Salon
Corrections? Comments? Email me.
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