Well, the weather outside was frightful-ly cold, but Salon, as always, was warm and welcoming. perhaps especially so tonight, since the theme was "High Hopes." Our co-host was 2-time MAC nominee Michael Kirk Lane: actor, singer, puppeteer, film maker, emcee, and who knows what else. Host Mark Janas introduced Michael, then joined him to harmonize on the opening number, the song that was a must for this evening, Sammy Cahn and Jimmy van Heusen's "High Hopes."
Michael Kirk Lane
For his set at the opening of the second half, Michael chose three songs from his critically acclaimed 2015 show, "Now You Know." He opened the set with "I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City" (Harry Nilsson), then proceeded to tell us about how, after six exciting months in the Big Apple, he was wrongly accused of a crime, and subsequently had to spend seven years of his life clearing his name, and then suing the people responsible. But, as artists do, he took these experiences and turned them into Art, creating this show. As his show's title song--Stephen Sondheim's "Now You Know," from Merrily We Roll Along--explains, "Now you know...now you grow.". And as Michael so aptly put it, these experiences change us, but they don't define us. To close this set, he offered the song "I Have Found," by William Finn.
As the final number to close out the evening, and his first Salon experience, Michael gave us the bittersweet, but ultimately hopeful, "Laughing Matters" (Howard Crabtree and Mark Waldrop, from When Pigs Fly).
BREAKING NEWS: Michael Kirk Lane's new show, "Glass Half Full," is at Don't Tell Mama tomorrow night (10/22), 7 pm!
Salon Spotlight: Marnie Klar
Tonight, the spotlight was on Salon favorite Marnie Klar, who presented a taste of her upcoming show, "Marnie Klar sings Bobbie Gentry," directed by Salon producer Tanya Moberly. Tanya introduced Marnie and her accompanist, Steven Ray Watkins, and told us that this show was her fifth collaboration with Marnie. She also let us know that, while most of us know Bobbie Gentry's big hit, "Ode to Billie Joe," Bobbie wrote a lot of other great material, and Marnie wowed us with a few of those wonderful songs. She opened with the lively "Poppa, Won't You Let Me Go to Town with You?" A hilarious version of "Ace Insurance Man" followed, giving both Marnie and Steven a chance to show off their acting chops. Next came a beautiful ballad, "I Saw an Angel Die," and, of course, to close it out, Marnie treated us to a great rendition of "Ode to Billie Joe.""Marnie Klar sings Bobbie Gentry" opens on November 5th at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC, at 7pm, followed by performances on November 10th and 16th, and December 7th. Musical Director is Steven Ray Watkins, featuring Matt Scharglass on bass and Don Kelly on drums.
Marnie Klar
Quick Wrap - Classical Corner
Host Mark Janas opened tonight's Classical Corner with an observation: if your mind is occupied with something in particular, you will often find references to, or reminders of, that thing wherever you turn. His case in point: he had just been thinking that he didn't play enough Brahms, and should make him the focus of tonight's Classical Corner, when, lo and behold, there in today's New York Times, was an article about Brahms and his use of polyrhythm! So, that became the subject for this evening.
Brahms used rhythms, accents, syncopations, and hemiolas (not a blood disease!) in unexpected ways in his music, as well as utilizing unexpected harmonic changes. He liked to write in bars of six because they could be divided in various ways, making the accents irregular. To illustrate, Mark enlisted the audience in an exercise: while the audience kept a steady 3 beat, with a strong accent on one, Mark played a passage from Brahms's Second Symphony, so that we could really feel how often the accents shifted.
After our rhythmic discussion, Mark played Brahms's Two Rhapsodies, Opus 79, pieces written in the composer's youth. Mark noted that often, the "younger" pieces of a composer may be less subtle and more mainstream than his fully mature works, but they are usually full of passion, and hint at the music to come. Rhapsodies, in particular, are passionate, emotionally open works. The first of these beautiful pieces showed us Brahms's youthful, fiery spirit; the second one a more somber, mysterious tone that builds in intensity.
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.
Michael Kirk Lane
Sally Darling
Ira Lee Collings
Richie Eisenberg
Jaye Maynard
Jared Gilmore (at the piano)
Heather Villaescusa (with Steven Ray Watkins at the piano)
Bennett Silverstein
Janice Hall
Meg Flather
Salon Spotlight: Marnie Klar (with Steven Ray Watkins at the piano)
Tanya Moberly (with Steven Ray Watkins at the piano)
Classical Corner
BREAK
Co-Host Michael Kirk Lane
Tanya Moberly
Dawn Melody
Sally Darling
Ira Lee Collings
Raissa Katona Bennett
Heather Villaescusa
Jaye Maynard
Bennett Silverstein
Richie Eisenberg
Jared Gilmore(at the piano)
Michael Kirk Lane
Special thanks to tonight's musicians: Mark Janas and Steven Ray Watkins. Also thanks to Jared Gilmore on lights and sound, our videographer Ruben Olvera, and the amazing waitstaff and management at Etcetera Etcetera.
Upcoming performances by guests of this evening's Salon:
Ongoing Performances:
Tuesdays, 6:00-7:00pm: take a break from the stress of the city, and immerse yourself in beautiful music, with "Peaceable Hour," with Sarah Rice, Janice Hall, and Mark Watson. At either St. Clement's Church or St. Malachy's Church, NYC. Check St. Clement's website for location and time each week. (FREE!)
Upcoming Shows:
Monday, October 22, 2018 (7pm): Michael Kirk Lane in "Glass Half Full," atDon't Tell Mama, 345 W 46th Street, NYC.
Thursday, October 25, 2018 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Kendra Cunningham in "This Could Be You" at Don't Tell Mama, 345 W 46th Street, NYC.
Friday, October 26, 2018 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Amy Beth Williams at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Monday, October 29, 2018, (7pm): Mama's Next Big Act winner Heather Villaescusa reprises her show, "The Happiness Project," with Steven Ray Watkins, musical director, at Don't Tell Mama, 345 W 46th Street, NYC.
Monday, November 5, 2018 (7pm): "Marnie Klar Sings Bobbie Gentry," directed by Tanya Moberly, at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Friday, November 9, 2018, (7pm): Mama's Next Big Act winner Heather Villaescusa reprises her show, "The Happiness Project," with Steven Ray Watkins, musical director, at Don't Tell Mama, 345 W 46th Street, NYC.
Saturday, November 10, 2018 (1pm): "Marnie Klar Sings Bobbie Gentry," directed by Tanya Moberly, at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Sunday, November 12, 2018 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs "She Bangs She Bangs," written and performed by Jennifer Bangs at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Sunday, November 12, 2018 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs "Lisa Viggiano Sings Bruce on Restaurant Row" at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Monday, November 13, 2018: Raissa Katona Bennett celebrates the release of her CD, with a reprise of the show "Can't Help Singing: The Music of Jerome Kern," at Green Room 42, 570 10th Ave, NYC.
Thursday, November 15, 2018 (7pm): Bennett Silverstein performs "Born to be Bennett," at The Duplex, 61 Christopher Street, NYC.
Friday, November 16, 2018 (7pm): "Marnie Klar Sings Bobbie Gentry," directed by Tanya Moberly, at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Saturday, November 17, 2018 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Amy Beth Williams at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Monday, November 26, 2018 (7pm): Tanya Moberly performs in "Hidden Treasures VI: Songs of Larry Kerchner" at The Triad, 158 W 72nd St, NYC.
Tuesday, November 27, 2018: Raissa Katona Bennett celebrates the release of her CD, with a reprise of the show "Can't Help Singing: The Music of Jerome Kern," at Green Room 42, 570 10th Ave, NYC.
Thursday, November 29, 2018 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Kendra Cunningham in "This Could Be You" at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Friday, November 30, 2018 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Amy Beth Williams at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Saturday, December 1, 2018 (5pm): Tanya Moberly directs "She Bangs She Bangs," written and performed by Jennifer Bangs at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Sunday, December 2, 2018 (4pm): See Janice Hall and Tanya Moberly in "Lennie Watts and Those Girls Holiday Spectacular" at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 402 W 42nd, NYC.
Sunday, December 2, 2018 (6 pm): Meg Flather teams up with Lisa Viggiano for some "Real Joy," Don't Tell Mama, 345 W 46th Street, NYC.
Friday, December 7, 2018 (7pm): "Marnie Klar Sings Bobbie Gentry," directed by Tanya Moberly, at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Monday, December 10, 2018 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Amy Beth Williams at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Tuesday, December 11, 2018 (7pm): See Janice Hall and Tanya Moberly in "Lennie Watts and Those Girls Holiday Spectacular," at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 402 W 42nd, NYC.
Thursday, December 13, 2018 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Kendra Cunningham in "This Could Be You" at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Sunday, December 16th, 2018 (3 pm): Sally Darling reprises her Bea Lillie show, with Matthew Martin Ward, at Urban Stages Winter Rhythms Festival.
Sunday, December 30, 2018 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs "Lisa Viggiano Sings Bruce on Restaurant Row" at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Next Salon Sunday, October 28th, 2018:
Dust off those costumes and scary masks, bring your candy corn and a song, and join co-hosts Janice Hall and Adam Shapiro for the annual Halloween Salon! This year's theme is "The World is a Scary Place: Halloween Traditions Around the Globe," and Salon Spotlight will be Dr. Bradley Jones.
Janice Hall
Blogette for The Salon
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