Tuesday, May 23, 2017

The Salon Wrap-Up for May 21, 2017: "Secret Dreams"

Greetings Salonistas! It's the original male etceterette Adam B. Shapiro and this week, the B stands for BLOGGER! It was a treat to be there on Sunday for our final Salon of the season (before we give Mark and Tanya a much needed break). The theme tonight was "Secret Dreams" and our co-host was the master of mirth, Gary Crawford! Gary is a MAC Award winner for Male Debut and recorded a CD of his debut show "In Love With Love". His most recent show sparked our theme for this evening, Secret Dreams: Gary Crawford sings the music of Barry Levitt, in which all of the songs were original compositions by Barry Levitt and various lyricists, including Gary himself. A CD of that show is currently in the works and we are anxiously waiting to hear it. 

Gary began the evening with a favorite, "Hurry! It's Lovely Up Here" (and another favorite, Barry Levitt), which I truly think he was singing of our lovely upstairs room at Etc. Etc. At the top of the second half, Gary sang the beautiful Dietz and Schwartz song "I See Your Face Before Me", reminding us that sometimes our secret dream can be someone we long for. He followed it up by a song that has become a bit of a standard in the cabaret world, John Bucchino's "Sweet Dreams" which tells the story of two people who travel together in search of their dreams. To finish his set, he gave us one of the songs that he had written with Barry Levitt, "Dancing Into Love", which reminded us what a great team Gary and Barry are. (Gary and Barry...that rhymes! Tee hee.) To bring the evening to a close, Gary sang one of the signature songs from the show Nine,"Unusual Way", a lovely illustration of how someone or something can come into our lives unexpectedly and change everything. 

Gary Crawford

Quick Wrap - Classical Corner

For classical corner, Mark began by playing Ravel's Gaspar De La Nuit, inspired by the poem "Ondine" by Aloysius Bertrand. Mark illustrated the way the music sounded like water and told the story of a mortal man, who had to tell Ondine the mermaid that he could not follow her down into the deep. Ondine's reply: a tear, then laughter, and vanshing forever. 

Continuing to show us how classical composers wrote in dreamlike fashions, Mark then played a recording of lovely soprano Elly Ameling singing  a beautiful Schubert piece, literally called Nacht und Traume (Night in Dreams), which highlights the fact that, often, the dream world is much happier than the real world. 

"Holy night, you sink down;
The dreams flow down too, 
Like your moonlight through the rooms, 
Through the people's silent chests.
They listen softly with desire;
They call when day awakens:
Come back, holy night!
Sweet dreams, come back!"

Continuing our theme of pieces truly written about dreams, Mark showed us how a different instrument can change the feel of the piece altogether, playing us a recording of the magnificent cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason playing Faure's "Apres en Reve", about someone following a misguided dream. 

"In a sleep which your image charmed
I dreamed of happiness, ardent mirage;
your eyes were sweeter, your voice pure and ringing,
you shone like a sky lit up by the dream.

You were calling me and I was leaving the earth
to flee with you towards the light;
the skies parted their clouds for us,
unknown splendours, divine half-seen gleams...

Alas! Alas! Sad awakening from dreams!
I call on you, o night, give me back your deceits;
come back, come back resplendent,
come back, o mysterious night!"

And, having asked himself what he could end with that could truly illustrate how music can put us into a dreamlike state, Mark closed the evening playing the legendary "Clair de Lune". Sweet dreams everybody. 



Roster of performers for the evening (in order of appearance):
Click link to visit the performer’s website or other links, when available.
All piano accompaniment by Mark Janas unless otherwise noted.

Co-host- Gary Crawford (with Barry Levitt on piano)
Sonja Stuart
Carol Sue
Lane Bradbury
Todd Monroe
Marta Sanders (with Mark Nadler on piano)
Patti Bottino Bravo (with Barry Levitt on piano)
Debbee May (with Barry Levitt on piano)
Edie Stokes (with Barry Levitt on piano)
Andrea Wolff (with Barry Levitt on piano)
Fred Aiese (with Barry Levitt on piano)
Dawn Derow (with Barry Levitt on piano)
Classical Corner: Mark Janas
BREAK
Co-host- Gary Crawford (with Barry Levitt on piano)
Sally Darling (with Matthew Martin Ward on piano)
Matthew Martin Ward
Angela Leone (with Bill Zeffiro)
Bill Zeffiro
Sallie Jo Hadley (with Barry Levitt on piano)
Susan Jeffries (with Barry Levitt on piano)
Richard Eisenberg
Julie Jordan
Co-host- Gary Crawford (with Barry Levitt on piano)

Special thanks to tonight’s musicians: Mark Janas, Barry Levitt, Matthew Martin Ward, and Bill Zeffiro!

And thank you to Gil Alexandre on lights and sound, and to David Ballard and our amazing waitstaff!

Ongoing Shows: 

Monday nights (7pm): Opera Open Mic at Shanghai Mong with Mark Janas and Matthew Martin Ward, 30 West 32nd Street, NYC. www.shanghaimongnyc.com

Monday and Wednesday nights (8pm): Bill Zeffiro performs weekly at La Rivista, 313 West 46th St, NYC.

This summer: Tanya Moberly will judge Mama's Next Big Act at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.


Upcoming Shows:

Friday, May 26, 2017 (9:30pm): Sharron Williams presents her new solo show "Girl Crush", with Kevin Ramessar on Guitar at 54 Below, 254 W. 54th Street, NYC

Wednesday, May 31, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Amy Beth Williams in "Carried Away," with Daryl Kojak (piano), Ritt Henn (bass), Will Holshouser (accordion), and John Henry Williams (violin) at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Sunday, June 4, 2017 (5pm): Sally Darling in "Love Lust and Longing" with music director Matthew Martin Ward, at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Wednesday, June 7, 2017 (7pm): Lane Bradbury, Broadway's original Dainty June, in "Let Me Entertain You Again", written by Doug Davita, directed by Elkin Antoniou, with musical director Joe Goodrich at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, June 9, 2017 (7pm): Sierra Rein (as part of Marquee Five) brings "Broadway By The Letter" back to The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W 42nd St, NYC.

Friday, June 9, 2017 (7pm): Sally Darling in "Love Lust and Longing" with music director Matthew Martin Ward, at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Sunday, June 11, 2017 (5pm): Patti Bottino Bravo in "Dreams Come True" with musical director Barry Levitt and Director Lina Koutrakos, at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Wednesday, June 14, 2017: "Bastard Jones", the new musical by Mark Acito and Amy Engelhardt opens at the cell theatre, featuring Adam B. Shapiro. The show runs through July 14. www.thecelltheatre.org 

Wednesday, June 14, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Amy Beth Williams in "Carried Away," with Daryl Kojak (piano), Ritt Henn (bass), Will Holshouser (accordion), and John Henry Williams (violin) at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Thursday, June 15, 2017 (7:30pm): Joan Jaffe, with her music director, Bill Zeffiro, is bringing her show "Food" to Pangea, 178 2nd Avenue, NYC.

Tuesday, June 20, 2017 (7:30pm): Mabel Mercer Foundation presents Marta Sanders and others in "That's Entertainment: Dietz and Schwartz and Friends" at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, 57th Street and Seventh Avenue, NYC.

Tuesday, June 20 2017 (7pm): Maria Corsaro and Linda Kahn in "What the Hell is Cabaret?"  with Kenneth Gartman on piano at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W 42nd St, NYC.

Saturday, June 24, 2017 (7pm): Maria Corsaro and Linda Kahn in "What the Hell is Cabaret?" with Kenneth Gartman on piano  at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W 42nd St, NYC.

Sunday, June 26, 2017 (7:15pm): Sue Matsuki's "Coming Home To Mama's" series continues with "Celebrating Food" with special guest Adam B. Shapiro. Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Monday, June 26, 2017: Sally Darling and four other 2017 MAC Nominees for Female Vocalists are doing a show together, Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Wednesday, June 28, 2017 (7pm): Becca Kidwell will bring "A Song and It's Girl," with Tracy Stark as Music Director and Gretchen Reinhagen as Director, back to Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Thursday, June 29, 2017 (7pm): Lane Bradbury, Broadway's original Dainty June, in "Let Me Entertain You Again", written by Doug Davita, directed by Elkin Antoniou, with musical director Joe Goodrich at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

June 30-July 16, 2017: Erin Cronican is starring in the Caryl Churchill play "Cloud 9" with The Seeing Place Theater, NYC.

Wednesday, July 5, 2017 (7pm): Sally Darling in "Love Lust and Longing" with music director Matthew Martin Ward, at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Sunday, July 9, 2017 (5pm): Sally Darling in "Love Lust and Longing" with music director Matthew Martin Ward, at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Wednesday, August 23 (7pm): Andrea Wolff with Barry Levitt, at The Metropolitan Room, 34 W. 22nd Street, NYC.

Saturday, September 23 (9:30pm): Andrea Wolff with Barry Levitt, at The Metropolitan Room, 34 W. 22nd Street, NYC.

Sunday, October 15 (4pm): Andrea Wolff with Barry Levitt, at The Metropolitan Room, 34 W. 22nd Street, NYC.

Saturday, December 2 (7pm): Andrea Wolff with Barry Levitt, at The Metropolitan Room, 34 W. 22nd Street, NYC.


NO SALON UNTIL JULY 9th! I know, I know, it seems like forever, but come on! Mark and Tanya deserve a vacation! Have a great start to the summer and we will be back on July 9th with the theme "When I Go, I'm Going Like Elsie: A tribute to Kander and Ebb" with co-host Kathleen Stuart

Adam B. Shapiro
Blogger for The Salon

Monday, May 15, 2017

The Salon Wrap-Up for May 14, 2017: "Mother, Daughter, Sister, Wife"

Mama meeeea! "We are lucky in our mothers," Mark reminisced at the top of the evening, remembering how his mother noticed how he plunked at a toy piano, then supported him by bringing him a real piano, then lessons, then all it took to achieve a career in music. Tonight was on the theme of mothers and the women who guide us along in our lives, "Mother, Daughter, Sister, Wife." Nancy McGraw was the Co-Host of the evening; she is a wonderful producer of the MAC Awards, she originated a role in Nine and was on the national tour in Godspell! She and her husband Steve McGraw also produced a two-person play that experienced 15 years of recent success, and are also developing a new comedy, which recently had a reading starring Sandy Duncan.

Nancy began the evening by dishing to us some good motherly advice with "Blues in the Night," which highlighted her deep and motherly alto and sweet, emotional soprano. Becoming "Betty Crocker at heart," Nancy brought in the second act with the poignant and sweetly funny "Putting Thing Away" by Amanda McBroom. She then switched to a different kind of housewife with Sondheim's "In Bobby's Eyes" from Follies. To finish her mid-show set, she brought to life Jimmy Webb's parental advice song, the sweeping "Time Enough for Love," and then melded into Amanda McBroom's stunning tribute to her father (David Bruce) entitled "Errol Flynn."  To close the night, she sang the gloriously aching "The Promise (I'll Never Say Goodbye)."
Nancy McGraw
Quick Wrap - Classical Corner


If you've ever watched a scene from a movie that somehow affects you deeply or has you especially on the edge of your seat, double-check the underscoring (the music accompanying the scene). More often than not, the underscoring is particularly chosen to elicit some emotional content using a specifically psychological method. As he explained, "Music opens the poetic door to prose." Mark was inspired by the business section of the New York Times and a seminar Leonard Bernstein once gave about music existing "in the poetic sphere." To Bernstein, poetry leaves things out, whereas prose gives every little detail. Poetry forces the mind to connect things - it's a communication rather than a report on how things link together, and the audience is a participation. On the other hand, music doesn't exist in that sense; after all, without the human element of interpretation and meaning, it would have no release and no expanse, even within repetition, sounding more like a robotic midi version of an idea of a song. Mark also noted that underscoring has to have a specific repetition to it: a good balance of new themes and repetitions, and it holds up the prose like repeating waves lift a boat; too many changes and flourishes, and the music distracts the mind too much. Mark took these concepts and applied it to four college essays written by four incredible teenagers and published by The New York Times. Kyle Scudder, Sierra Rein, Jaye Maynard, and Tanya Moberly were on hand to read these essays (by Jonathan Ababiy, Zoe Zottile, Tillena Trebon, and Caitlin McCormick respectively), while Mark improvised behind us on the piano. As each twist and turn of the story commenced, the music would swell, switch tempos and keys and tones, to bring further poetry to the words before them.

If you would like to read the essays, you can do so on nytimes.com

Roster of performers for the evening (in order of appearance):
Click link to visit the performer’s website or other links, when available.
All piano accompaniment by Mark Janas unless otherwise noted.


Co-Host: Nancy McGraw
Jerome Weinstein
Louisa Lee Poster
Becca Kidwell
Maria Corsaro
Linda Kahn
Marnie Klar
Jackie Kelly
Joan Jaffe
Lauren Stanford
Kathleen Stuart
Sally Darling (with Matthew Martin Ward on piano)
Matthew Martin Ward (self on piano)
Sierra Rein
Jaye Maynard
Classical Corner: Mark Janas (on piano) with Kyle, Sierra, Jaye, and Tanya
BREAK
Co-Host: Nancy McGraw
Tanya Moberly
David Ballard
Jared Gilmore (self on piano)
Encores:
Sally Darling (with Matthew Martin Ward on piano)
Matthew Martin Ward (self on piano)
Becca Kidwell
Louisa Lee Poster
Joan Jaffe (with Matthew Martin Ward on piano)
Sierra Rein
Co-Host: Nancy McGraw

Special thanks to tonight’s musicians: Mark Janas, Matthew Martin Ward, and Jared Gilmore!

And thank you to Jared Gilmore on lights and sound, and to David Ballard and our amazing waitstaff!

Ongoing Shows: 

Monday nights (7pm): Opera Open Mic at Shanghai Mong with Mark Janas and Matthew Martin Ward, 30 West 32nd Street, NYC. www.shanghaimongnyc.com

Monday and Wednesday nights (8pm): Bill Zeffiro performs weekly at La Rivista, 313 West 46th St, NYC.

This summer: Tanya Moberly will judge Mama's Next Big Act at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Upcoming Shows:

Monday, May 15, 2017 (7pm): Marnie Klar featured at Bobbie Horowitz's "It's Just a Number" at The Metropolitan Room, 34 W 22nd St, NYC.

Wednesday, May 17, 2017 (9:30pm): Tanya Moberly directs Dan Ruth in "A Life Behind Bars" at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W 42nd St, NYC. Use discount code "Behindbars" for $5 off!

Friday, May 19, 2017: Louisa Lee Poster sings with the Rick Bogart Quartet at the Mariott Marquis Hotel, 1535 Broadway, NYC.

Friday, May 19, 2017 (8pm): Jaye Maynard (as part of a cappella group The Art Mob) in "Blood, Sweat, and Cheers" at St. John's Church in the Village, 224 Waverly Place, NYC.

Saturday, May 20, 2017 (8pm): David Ballard will sing in a joint Spring concert with the NYC Gay Men's Chorus and the London Gay Men's Chorus at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, NYU, 566 LaGuardia Place, NYC.

Saturday, May 20, 2017 (4:30pm): Marcia Roney performs in "Letting Go" with Matthew Martin Ward at the piano, directed by Peter Napolitano, at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Saturday, May 20, 2017 (8pm): 
Jaye Maynard (as part of a cappella group The Art Mob) in "Blood, Sweat, and Cheers" at the LGBT Community Center, 208 W. 13th Street, Room 101 (Kaplan Assembly Hall), NYC.

Sunday, May 21, 2017 (3pm): Jaye Maynard (as part of a cappella group The Art Mob) in "Blood, Sweat, and Cheers" at Home Studios, 873 Broadway, at 18th Street, Studio 2, NYC.

Sunday, May 21, 2017 (4pm): Maria Corsaro and Linda Kahn with Kenneth Gartman on piano in "What the Hell is Cabaret?" at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W 42nd St, NYC.

Sunday, May 21, 2017 (4pm): Sally Darling and Matthew Martin Ward, and others, are "Groovin' on a Sunday Afternoon" at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Tuesday, May 23, 2017 (7pm): Maria Corsaro and Linda Kahn with Kenneth Gartman on piano in "What the Hell is Cabaret?" at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W 42nd St, NYC.

Wednesday, May 31, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Amy Beth Williams in "Carried Away," with Daryl Kojak (piano), Ritt Henn (bass), Will Holshouser (accordion), and John Henry Williams (violin) at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Sunday, June 4, 2017 (5pm): Sally Darling in "Love Lust and Longing" with music director Matthew Martin Ward, at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, June 9, 2017 (7pm): Sierra Rein (as part of Marquee Five) brings "Broadway By The Letter" back to The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W 42nd St, NYC.

Friday, June 9, 2017 (7pm): Sally Darling in "Love Lust and Longing" with music director Matthew Martin Ward, at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Wednesday, June 14, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Amy Beth Williams in "Carried Away," with Daryl Kojak (piano), Ritt Henn (bass), Will Holshouser (accordion), and John Henry Williams (violin) at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Thursday, June 15, 2017 (7:30pm): Joan Jaffe, with her music director, Bill Zeffiro, is bringing her show "Food" to Pangea, 178 2nd Avenue, NYC.

Tuesday, June 20, 2017 (7:30pm): Mabel Mercer Foundation presents Lauren Stanford and others in "That's Entertainment: Dietz and Schwartz and Friends" at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, 57th Street and Seventh Avenue, NYC.

Tuesday, June 20 2017 (7pm): Maria Corsaro and Linda Kahn in "What the Hell is Cabaret?"  with Kenneth Gartman on piano at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W 42nd St, NYC.

Saturday, June 24, 2017 (7pm): Maria Corsaro and Linda Kahn in "What the Hell is Cabaret?" with Kenneth Gartman on piano  at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W 42nd St, NYC.

Monday, June 26, 2017: Sally Darling and four other 2017 MAC Nominees for Female Vocalists are doing a show together, Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Wednesday, June 28, 2017 (7pm): Becca Kidwell will bring "A Song and It's Girl," with Tracy Stark as Music Director and Gretchen Reinhagen as Director, back to Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

June 30-July 16, 2017: Erin Cronican is starring in the Caryl Churchill play "Cloud 9" with The Seeing Place Theater, NYC.

Wednesday, July 5, 2017 (7pm): Sally Darling in "Love Lust and Longing" with music director Matthew Martin Ward, at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Sunday, July 9, 2017 (5pm): Sally Darling in "Love Lust and Longing" with music director Matthew Martin Ward, at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

NEXT SALON... 
...will be our LAST SALON for the first half of 2017! Our Co-Host will be the effervescent Gary Crawford on the theme "Sweet Dreams," and then The Salon will snuggle down for a summer nap until July 9th!

Sierra Rein
Blogette for The Salon
Updates and kitten pictures can be emailed to me!

Monday, May 8, 2017

The Salon Wrap-Up for May 8, 2017: "It's a Jersey Thing: Sinatra to Springsteen"

With everything that has been going on in the world, many of us just want to hold onto the simpler times. One of the things that can transport us from our troubles is music. Tonight's theme was "It's a Jersey Thing: Sinatra to Springsteen" - and it was interesting to explore songs and their connections with artists that hailed from the Garden State. It made to reminisce about those simple times when I first heard these songs, and led me to deeper research about each song's roots. This is one of the wonderful things about Salon - it helps me to give context to the music we hear every day.

This week's Co-Host was MAMA’S NEXT BIG ACT 2015 Runner Up & MAC Award Nominee, the sweet-voiced Lisa Yaeger, with the incomparable Rick Jensen on piano! Lisa began the evening with a sweet and contemplative tune by Mary Chapin Carpenter - "Hometown Girl."As Lisa so aptly put it, what would be a Jersey theme without The Boss? So she kicked off her mid-show set with Bruce Springsteen's, "Fire." The next song was a big hit for the Fifth Dimension (and Dionne Warwick, who did the first demo) - Burt Bacharach's "One Less Bell." She followed that with a tune made famous by Connie Francis (from Newark!), the classic and gutsy, "Who's Sorry Now?" To finish out the evening, Lisa gave us a heartbreaking and powerful version of Johnny Mercer's, "Summer Wind."

Lisa will be appearing at The Metropolitan Room – 34 West 22nd St, NYC 10010 – in JERSEY GIRL on June 2nd & June 21st. Both shows at 7pm. For more information: www.lisayaeger.com 

Co-Host Lisa Yaeger

Our Salon Spotlight featured MAC Award Winner Doris Dear (also being accompanied by Rick Jensen.) Doris kicked off her set saying, "Anyone who knows me knows that it's always about my mother." Thus, her first song was a charming and warm, "Mother's Day."  She then pulled out a book with highlighted phrases of perfect advice from Mom, interspersing this sage advice with Craig Carnelia's song, "Just A Housewife" from the musical, Working. The song then segued into a delicate and haunting, "I'm Becoming My Mother." To complete the set, Doris livened up the room with a sassy, honky tonk, "Beautiful" (as in Big, Blonde and Beautiful!)

Doris will be at 54 Below – 254 West 54th St, NYC 10019 – in THE DORIS DEAR MOTHER’S DAY SPECIAL on Friday, May 12th at 9:30pm. For more information: www.dorisdear.com.

Salon Spotlight: Doris Dear, with Rick Jensen. Photo by Takako Harkness.

Quick Wrap - Classical Corner

Mark Janas started off by wishing Brahms a very happy birthday! When it comes to Brahms' work, not many songs for the piano are known other than his concerti. But Mark says that there is a special set that he wrote known as The Seasons, 12 pieces that represent each month of the year. One is pretty well known (June), which Mark demonstrated for us briefly.

He then began to reflect on the theme, "It's a Jersey Thing." It seems that when it comes to music, much as wrapped up in nostalgia. When Mark was in college, as a part of his major he started listening to a lot of music, but one piece of music hit him in a very powerful way. That piece of music was Brahms Piano Concerto in B flat. To illustrate how impactful it was - when in college he introduced a recording of it to a close friend and she said, "The music makes me feel out of breath all the time." There's so much passion to the work, and Mark started to demonstrate parts of the concerto with some of the favorite techniques that Brahms employed:

First, Brahms loves 2 against 3 (one hand doing 2 counts, the other hand doing 3 - this boggles my mind just thinking about it!) He liked doing inversions at the same time - sounds from the opposite sides of the keyboard being playing toward each other. As a classicist, he wrote out the holds in the music (example; indicating 8th notes to quarter to half to whole notes, rather than simply noting "ritard.") And he wrote the piano parts to be a seamless addition to an orchestra rather than leading or following - with woodwinds and brass taking an equal part with the piano, as well as the orchestra as a whole outlining the piano line from time to time. As Mark played through this, he would call out the techniques so we could understand them in real-time. He finished the segment by sharing an excerpt of the original recording that he grew up with, so that we could hear all of the instruments working together. And his friend was right - I was breathless just listening to it. Part of it was the drama, and part of it was the romance - it gave me a sense of floating and then hurtling toward earth and then floating again. Magical!

I have to add - looking around the room, there were lots of heads bowed with eyes closed as the audience took in the music. It's amazing how reverent good music (and excellent musicians) can make us feel!


Roster of performers for the evening (in order of appearance):
Click link to visit the performer’s website or other links, when available.
All piano accompaniment by Mark Janas unless otherwise noted.


Co-Host: Lisa Yaeger (with Rick Jensen on piano)
Richard Becker (with Rick Jensen on piano)
Sally Darling (with Matthew Martin Ward on vocals and piano)
Matthew Martin Ward (also on piano)
Jerome Weinstein
Becca Kidwell
Todd Monroe
JoAna Gray
Sonja Stuart
Sean Patrick Murtagh
Adam B Shapiro
David Ballard
Erin Cronican
Zach Wobensmith
Salon Spotlight: Doris Dear (with Rick Jensen on piano)
Classical Corner: Mark Janas (on piano)
BREAK
Co-Host: Lisa Yaeger (with Rick Jensen on piano)
Tanya Moberly
Richard Eisenberg (also on piano)
Blair Alexis Brown
Jen Bradley
Carly Ozard (with Rick Jensen on piano)
Jamie Salzano (with Rick Jensen on piano)
Rick Jensen (also on piano)
Co-Host: Lisa Yaeger (with Rick Jensen on piano)


Special thanks to tonight’s musicians: Mark Janas, Rick Jensen, Matthew Martin Ward, and Richard Eisenberg.

And thank you to Gil Alexandre on lights and sound, to David Ballard and our amazing waitstaff, and to Michael Stever who is providing video footage for people interested in that service!


Ongoing Shows: 

Monday nights (7pm): Opera Open Mic at Shanghai Mong with Mark Janas and Matthew Martin Ward, 30 West 32nd Street, NYC. www.shanghaimongnyc.com

Monday & Wednesday nights (8pm): Bill Zeffiro performs weekly at La Rivista, 313 West 46th St, NYC.

Upcoming Shows:

Tuesday, May 9, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Dan Ruth in "A Life Behind Bars" at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W 42nd St, NYC. Use discount code "Behindbars" for $5 off!

Wednesday, May 10, 2017 (7pm): Sally Darling in "Love Lust and Longing" with music director Matthew Martin Ward, at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, May 12, 2017 (7pm): Doris Dear is bringing "The Doris Dear Mother's Day Special" (with music director Rick Jensen) to 54 Below, 254 West 54th St, NYC.

Wednesday, May 17, 2017 (9:30pm): Tanya Moberly directs Dan Ruth in "A Life Behind Bars" at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W 42nd St, NYC. Use discount code "Behindbars" for $5 off!

Wednesday, May 31, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Amy Beth Williams in "Carried Away," with Daryl Kojak (piano), Ritt Henn (bass), Will Holshouser (accordion), and John Henry Williams (violin) at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, June 2, 2017 (7pm): Lisa Yaeger is offering brand new show, "Jersey Girl" at The Metropolitan Room, 34 W 22nd St, NYC.

Friday, June 9, 2017 (7pm): Sierra Rein (as part of Marquee Five) brings a revamped "Broadway By The Letter" back to The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W 42nd St, NYC.

Wednesday, June 14, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Amy Beth Williams in "Carried Away," with Daryl Kojak (piano), Ritt Henn (bass), Will Holshouser (accordion), and John Henry Williams (violin) at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Wednesday, June 21, 2017 (7pm): Lisa Yaeger is offering brand new show, "Jersey Girl" at The Metropolitan Room, 34 W 22nd St, NYC.

Sunday, June 25, 2017: Adam B Shapiro is appearing in Sue Matsuki's show at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Monday, June 26, 2017: Sally Darling and four other 2017 MAC Nominees for Female Vocalists are doing a show together, Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Wednesday, June 28, 2017 (7pm): Becca Kidwell will bring "A Song and It's Girl" back to Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

June 30-July 16, 2017: Erin Cronican is starring in the Caryl Churchill play "Cloud 9" with The Seeing Place Theater, NYC.

August 10, 2017 (7pm): Robin Kradles is bringing her new show "Gambling on Love" (music directed by Rick Jensen) to Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

September 23, 2017: Steve Bustamante in 50th Birthday solo show - save the date!

October 6, 2017 (7pm): Rick Jensen is doing his second annual birthday show at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

October 21, 2017: JoAna Gray is bring a new show to The Metropolitan Room, 34 W 22nd St, NYC.

November 11, 2017: Jamie Salzano is bringing back her show, "Soul." Save the date!


NEXT SALON 

Our next Salon will be May 14th on the theme "Mother, Daughter, Sister, Wife" with Co-Host: Nancy McGraw. It's Mother's Day, so bring in any song that makes you feel closer to mom (or your own motherhood.) And for those of you who've lost your moms or don't have the kind of relationship you want with her, we'll provide all kinds of love and support. We'll see you then! 


Erin Cronican
Blogette for The Salon

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Monday, May 1, 2017

The Salon Wrap-Up for April 30, 2017 - "Songs of the 21st Century"

No matter how often the temperature fluctuates outdoors or the politic climate fluctuates our blood pressure, the Salon is always a safe and cozy respite of music, love and laughter. The theme for this evening was Songs of the 21st Century - anything written in or about the years 2001-present. The evening was mixed with contemporary musical theater, original songs, modern interpretations of standards, and current pop music - all played with panache by the musicians in attendance.

Our Co-Host was Bistro & Hanson Award Winner Lucille Carr-Kaffashan! Lucille started the evening with a jazzy and welcoming, "I Love Being Here With You" - which Lucille offered as a glimpse into one of the singers (Peggy Lee) who inspired many songwriters of the 21st Century. For her mid-show set, Lucille gave us a medley of three pop songs from her show: "Dear Future Husband" by Meghan Trainor, Ingrid Michaelson's "The Way I Am", and Jewel's, "My Father's Daughter." Music Director, Jeff Cubeta, sang some delicate and fun harmonies throughout the set. To close out the evening, Lucille sang a very charming and simple, "Carey."

Lucille returns to Don’t Tell Mama – 343 West 46th St, NYC 10036 – with UNWRITTEN – CELEBRATING 21ST CENTURY FEMALE SINGER-SONGWRITERS on April 29th at 7pm & May 4that 7pm. For more information: www.donttellmamanyc.com

Co Host Lucille Carr-Kaffashan

Our Salon Spotlight featured Kathryn Allyn! Kathryn told all kinds of fun and (slightly) titillating stories before each of her three smoky and scintillating songs: "Coax Me a Little Bit," "Love, You Didn't Do Right By Me," and "Just One Of Those Things." Kathryn will bring her show THE GIFT OF THE VAGI – BAD DECISIONS MAKE GOOD STORIES to Don’t Tell Mama – 343 West 46th St, NYC 10036 – on May 4that 7pm. If the set performed tonight is any indication of her show, you're in for an amazingly inventive and talent-filled evening. For more information: www.kathrynallyn.com.

Salon Spotlight- Kathryn Allen

Quick Wrap - Classical Corner

Mark Janas joined us fresh from the Frank Evans memorial service. Frank was a mentor to many cabaret writers in the community, and we cannot be more honored to have known him. We wish his family and friends healing, and the most glorious peaceful rest to Frank.

Mark invited the stunningly voiced baritone, Chris Stockslager, to the stage to help demonstrate how classical singers bring their work to the 21st Century. Mark said that recitals are the classic version of what we do in cabaret, but these kinds of performances require varied styles and interpretations. For their recitals, the singers are challenged to sing in different languages and different time periods (example, something from the Baroque and then Romance periods.)

The four selections that Mark and Chris presented this evening were:

"Er Ist's" ("It is spring" - in German) by Hugo Wolf
"Shining Night" (in English) by Morten Lauridsen
"One For My Baby and One For The Road" (in English) by Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer
"Al Lampo Dell'Armi" ("In the flash of an arm" - in Italian) by George Frideric Handel

I say this all the time - there is nowhere else in this city where we can get this kind of learning and entertainment in one short segment. Classical Corner is worth the price of admission alone.


Roster of performers for the evening (in order of appearance):
Click link to visit the performer’s website or other links, when available.
All piano accompaniment by Matthew Martin Ward (1st Half) and Mark Janas (2nd Half) unless otherwise noted.


Co-Host: Lucille Carr-Kaffashan (wth Jeff Cubeta on piano)
Jerome Weinstein
JoAna Gray
Ira Lee Collings
Richard Becker
Louisa Lee
Zach Wobensmith
Joan Jaffe
Maria Corsaro
Linda Kahn
Joel Harrington (also on piano)
David Ballard
Erin Cronican
Marnie Klar
Salon Spotlight: Kathryn Allyn
Classical Corner: Mark Janas (on piano) with Chris Stockslager
BREAK
Co-Host: Lucille Carr-Kaffashan (wth Jeff Cubeta on piano)
Tanya Moberly
Sally Darling (with Matthew Martin Ward on vocals and piano)
Matthew Martin Ward (also on piano)
Angela Leone (with Bill Zeffiro on piano)
Bill Zeffiro (also on piano)
Richard Eisenberg (also on piano)
Jen Bradley
Kristin Maloney
Adam MacDonald
Co-Host: Lucille Carr-Kaffashan (wth Jeff Cubeta on piano)


Special thanks to tonight’s musicians: Matthew Martin Ward, Mark Janas, Jeff Cubeta, Bill Zeffiro, Richard Eisenberg, and Joel Harrington.

And thank you to Gil Alexandre on lights and sound, to David Ballard and our amazing waitstaff, and to James Eden who is providing video footage for people interested in that service!


Ongoing Shows: 

Monday nights (7pm): Opera Open Mic at Shanghai Mong with Mark Janas and Matthew Martin Ward, 30 West 32nd Street, NYC. www.shanghaimongnyc.com

Monday & Wednesday nights (8pm): Bill Zeffiro performs weekly at La Rivista, 313 West 46th St, NYC.

Upcoming Shows:

Tuesday, May 2, 2017 (7:30pm and 9:30pm): Dawn Derow, Sean Harkness, and Suzanne Fiore, at Caroll Place, 157 Bleecker Street, NYC.

Tuesday, May 2, 2017 (7-10pm): Louisa Lee Poster is appearing at the Flatiron Hotel, NYC.

Wednesday, May 3, 2017: Matthew Martin Ward will perform with Christine Pedi in a Comden and Green show at Feinstein's 54 Below, 254 W 54th St, Cellar, NYC.

Tuesday, May 9, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Dan Ruth in "A Life Behind Bars" at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W 42nd St, NYC. Use discount code "Behindbars" for $5 off!

Wednesday, May 10, 2017 (7pm): Sally Darling in "Love Lust and Longing" with music director Matthew Martin Ward, at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Monday, May 15, 2017 (7pm): Marnie Klar and others will be featured at Bobbie Horowitz's "It's Only a Number" at The Metropolitan Room, 34 W 22nd St, NYC.

Wednesday, May 17, 2017 (9:30pm): Tanya Moberly directs Dan Ruth in "A Life Behind Bars" at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W 42nd St, NYC. Use discount code "Behindbars" for $5 off!

Sunday, May 21, 2017 (4pm): Maria Corsaro and Linda Kahn are bringing their show "What the Hell is Cabaret?!" back to The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W 42nd St, NYC.

Tuesday, May 23, 2017 (7pm): Maria Corsaro and Linda Kahn are bringing their show "What the Hell is Cabaret?!" back to The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W 42nd St, NYC.

Wednesday, May 31, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Amy Beth Williams in "Carried Away," with Daryl Kojak (piano), Ritt Henn (bass), Will Holshouser (accordion), and John Henry Williams (violin) at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, June 2, 2017: Dawn Derow will perform with with Barry Levitt in "Songs From 1941" at the Cape Cod Cabaret Festival.

Friday, June 2, 2017: Ira Lee Collings in "Life is a Song, so Why Not Sing it? Plus Weed Songs" at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, June 9, 2017 (7pm): Sierra Rein (as part of Marquee Five) brings a revamped "Broadway By The Letter" back to The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W 42nd St, NYC.

Monday, June 12, 2017: Ira Lee Collings in "Life is a Song, so Why Not Sing it? Plus Weed Songs" at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Wednesday, June 14, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Amy Beth Williams in "Carried Away," with Daryl Kojak (piano), Ritt Henn (bass), Will Holshouser (accordion), and John Henry Williams (violin) at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Thursday, June 15, 2017 (7:30pm) - Joan Jaffe, with her music director, Bill Zeffiro, is bringing her show "Food" to Pangea, 178 2nd Avenue, NYC.

Tuesday, June 20, 2017 (7pm): Maria Corsaro and Linda Kahn are bringing their show "What the Hell is Cabaret?!" back to The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W 42nd St, NYC.

Saturday, June 24, 2017 (2pm): Maria Corsaro and Linda Kahn are bringing their show "What the Hell is Cabaret?!" back to The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W 42nd St, NYC.

Monday, June 26, 2017: Sally Darling and four other 2017 MAC Nominees for Female Vocalists are doing a show together, Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Monday, June 26, 2017: Ira Lee Collings in "Life is a Song, so Why Not Sing it? Plus Weed Songs" at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

June 30-July 16, 2017: Erin Cronican is starring in the play, "Cloud 9" by Caryl Churchill, with The Seeing Place Theater, NYC.

August 10, 2017: Robin Kradles is bringing his new show "Gambling on Love" to Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

September 23, 2017: Steve Bustamante in 50th Birthday solo show - save the date!

October 21, 2017: JoAna Gray is bring a new show to The Metropolitan Room, 34 W 22nd St, NYC.



NEXT SALON 

Our next Salon will be May 7th on the theme "It's a Jersey Thing: Sinatra to Springsteen" with Co-Host: Lisa Yaeger. What songs remind you of New Jersey? Or perhaps try a song by someone who hails from there. Get into your Jersey finest, and we'll see you then! 


Erin Cronican
Blogette for The Salon

Do you see a change/addition you need me to make? Email me!
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