The Salon Wrap-Up for September 30, 2018: "It’s Not Where You Start, It’s Where You Finish"

From Chicago, from an incredible musical family and with three solo shows under her belt, a trained dancer from the Martha Graham company, our Co-Host was Off-Broadway performer Judi Mark! Dressed in a black dress and heels, Judi saucily started the evening out by singing "And All That Jazz" with fun and quirky accompaniment, complete with her signature dancing around the stage and against the piano! Then for Act II she swung into the cheeky "Goody Goody!" After taking a swig of the drink on her table, she wistfully went into "Vodka" by Hammerstein, Gershwin and Harbaugh, explaining how this particular alcohol makes her feel "odd-ka." She then warned us further with the classic "I'll Be Hard to Handle" by Jerome Kern, with lyrics written by Bernard Dougall, then swung into Cole Porter's sizzling "Too Darn Hot." She then took a moment with Tanya Moberly to sing the wonderfully vicious and wry "Bosom Buddies" from Mame. To end the evening, Judy belted out the very theme of the evening: "It's Not Where You Start, It's Where You Finish" by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields from the musical Seesaw.

Judi Mark

Judi is Producer of Radio Host and Comedian George Bettinger’s Memorial and fund raiser, taking place October 17th at a private event at The Friars Club. At his last public performance, George opened for Judi's show before he passed away. This is a closed event, but a Memorial Fundraiser is open to the public and is scheduled in Ft. Lauderdale on January 10. You can also donate via the GoFundMe campaign online.
Also, Tanya had a great update for all of us: she will be helping Sidney Meyer as a co-Booking Manager for Don't Tell Mama, so she will be a contact point for future shows going forward!

Quick Wrap - Classical Corner

For the Classical Corner this week, Mark first called friend-of-the-Salon Len Cariou so we could all wish him a "Happy Birthday," then went into a bit of the familiar-to-the-Salon Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin - which begins and ends with the same refrain! Gershwin went into classical works and infused them with jazz and 4 days ago was his 120th Birthday so we honored him in this week's Classical Corner. George wanted to study in France and auditioned for Nadia Boulanger, but was rejected; she was afraid that teaching him classical style would ruin his Jazz! He also auditioned and was rejectied by Ravel - "Why be a second-class Ravel if you could be a first-class Gershwin?" Ravel told him, knowing that Gershwin was the highest-paid composer of all time - in fact, Ravel felt like he should study with Gershwin!  Mark then introduced a 1926/27 Gershwin piece - 3 Piano Preludes, all infused with jazz. Gershwin wrote five, but these three have been played by pianists in recitals and concert halls as a featured trio ever since the late 20s. The first one is marked at a ridiculous tempo of quarter note having 100 beats, which is almost impossible to hear the individual harmonies (Mark played it half tempo for our benefit). The First Prelude has incredible rhythmic drive, that it has to almost be played drummer-esque. The Second Prelude is slow and more of a Sonata, has a section where you can reverse the hands as an option! Mark said he'd experiment with switching, as his right hand "sings" better than his left hand (to me, it sounded very much like a Bernstein/On The Town ballet piece!). The Third Prelude is "just nuts," in Mark's words, as it is another rhythm ride; the last 8 bars are insane, and he warned us that he may miss a couple of notes. It was indeed a "ball-buster" of notes and rhythmic trickery!

You can watch a video of Krystian Zimerman play these via YouTube to take a listen.

Salon Spotlight 

Our Salon Spotlight was no stranger to Salon, two-time Bistro Award Winner and Hansen Award Winner, Amy Beth Williams! With a few rumbling opening chords on the piano from Music Director Ian Herman, Amy Beth burst onstage with a brow-raising rendition of "I Love to Hate Myself in the Morning" which melded into "Alright OK" and then seamlessly into "And This is My Beloved," showing off her silvery and powerful soprano. She then segued into the hilariously biting "I Told Ya, I Love Ya." Charming and effervescent onstage, Amy then sang the poignant "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" with effected soulful soprano. Then Ian and she swung into a peppy "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart," in which Ian was able to show of his superb instrumental break Ragtime-style piano stylings. With this selection of her upcoming show, Amy Beth was knocking out some Great tunes by some Great singers! In fact...

Amy Beth Williams, with Ian Herman as Music Director and Directed by Tanya Moberly, will show off all her vocal stylings in new show "Great Ladies Great Songs" on Friday October 26th, November 17th, November 30th, and December 10th, all at 7:00pm at Don't Tell Mama, 345 W 46th Street, NYC.

Amy Beth Williams

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: Judi Mark
Barb Malley
Bobbie Horowitz (Matthew Martin Ward at the piano)
Rian Keating
Jonathan Kuhn
Hillary Rollins
Michele Herman (spoken word)
Frances O'Flynn (Matthew Martin Ward at the piano)
Sally Darling (Matthew Martin Ward at the piano)
Matthew Martin Ward (self at the piano)

Annie Lebeaux (self at piano)

Sierra Rein
Jaye Maynard

Salon Spotlight: Amy Beth Williams (Ian Herman at the piano)

Classical Corner
BREAK
Co-Host: Judi Mark 
Tanya Moberly and Judi Mark
Charlotte Libov
David Ballard

Encores:
Rian Keating
Jonathan Kuhn
Hillary Rollins
Michele Herman
Bobbie Horowitz (Matthew Martin Ward at the piano)
Frances O'Flynn (Matthew Martin Ward at the piano)
Sally Darling (Matthew Martin Ward at the piano)
Matthew Martin Ward (self at the piano)
Co-Host: Judi Mark

Special thanks to tonight's musicians: Mark Janas, Annie Lebeaux, Ian Herman, and Matthew Martin Ward. Also thanks to David Ballard on lights and sound, our videographer Joe Pena (we will miss him as he heads to Los Angeles! Tell your film friends!) and the amazing waitstaff and management at Etcetera Etcetera.

Upcoming performances by guests of this evening's Salon:

Ongoing Performances: 

Tuesdays, 6:30-7:30pm: "Peaceable Hour" is at St. Malachy's (The Actor's Church) in September. Take a break from the stress of the city, and immerse yourself in beautiful music, with Sarah Rice, Janice Hall, and Mark Watson. 239 W 49th Street, NYC. (FREE!)

Tuesdays, 6pm-9pm: Annie Lebeaux sings and plays piano (and offers the mic to others!) at Townhouse, 236 East 58th Street, NYC.

Upcoming Shows:

Thursday, October 4, 2018 (7:00 pm): Barb Malley takes us "From Brooklyn to Broadway," at Don't Tell Mama, 345 W 46th Street, NYC.

Saturday, October 6, 2018 (4:00pm): Rian Keating performs "Sentimental Melancholia" at Don't Tell Mama, *no cover!*, 345 W 46th Street, NYC.

Thursday, October 11, 2018 (7pm): Tanya Moberly will be in "The Church of the Alien Love Child Presents the Passion of Reverend Yolanda" by Justin Anderson Taylor, Rev. Yolanda Roger Anthony Mapes, Justin Anderson Taylor, Phil Carroll, and Eric Tipler, Directed by Shaun Peknic at BRIC House Artist Studio, 647 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NYC.

Friday, October 12, 2018 (7pm): Tanya Moberly will be in "The Church of the Alien Love Child Presents the Passion of Reverend Yolanda" by Justin Anderson Taylor, Rev. Yolanda Roger Anthony Mapes, Justin Anderson Taylor, Phil Carroll, and Eric Tipler, Directed by Shaun Peknic at BRIC House Artist Studio, 647 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NYC.

Saturday, October 13, 2018 (2:00 pm): The final NY encore performance of Dan Ruth's award-winning "A Life Behind Bars," directed by Tanya Moberly, will be at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 402 W 42nd, NYC.

Tuesday, October 16, 2018 (7:00 pm): Barb Malley takes us "From Brooklyn to Broadway," at Pangea, 178 2nd Ave, NYC.

Tuesday, October 16, 2018 (7pm): Frances O'Flynn and Matthew Martin Ward perform a Jimmy Kennedy show at Don't Tell Mama, 345 W 46th Street, NYC.

Thursday, October 18, 2018 (7pm): Bobbie Horowitz presents "It's Just a Number," at Don't Tell Mama, 345 W 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, October 19, 2018 (9:30pm): Tanya Moberly directs "She Bangs She Bangs," written and performed by Jennifer Bangs at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.

Thursday, October 25, 2018 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Kendra Cunningham in "This Could Be You" at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, October 26, 2018 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Amy Beth Williams at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC. 

Wednesday, October 31, 2018 (7pm): Sarah Rice and Sierra Rein (as part of Marquee Five) performs in a special Halloween "Into Sweeney Todd's Woods: Sondheim Unplugged" at Feinstein's 54 Below, 254 W 54th St, Cellar, 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.

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.

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.

Sunday, November 25, 2018 (7pm): Sierra Rein (as part of Marquee Five and as a soloist) a part of"Sondheim Unplugged" at Feinstein's 54 Below, 254 W 54th St, Cellar, 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.

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): Tanya Moberly in Lennie Watts' Christmas Show at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 402 W 42nd, 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.

Sunday, December 9, 2018 (3:30pm): Frances O'Flynn and Matthew Martin Ward perform a Jimmy Kennedy show at Don't Tell Mama, 345 W 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): Tanya Moberly in Lennie Watts' Christmas Show 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.

Saturday, December 22, 2018 (7pm): "Sally Darling Sings Beatrice Lillie" as part of "Winter Rhythms" with Matthew Martin Ward, Music Director at Urban Stages, 259 West 30th Street, NYC.

Saturday, December 29, 2018 (4pm): "Sally Darling Sings Beatrice Lillie" with Matthew Martin Ward, Music Director at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.

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! October 7th, 2018:

Theme for next week will be "Fall"! So fall in love, fall out of love, Fall to Winter, anything that fits or falls out of the Theme is welcome! Our Co-Host will be Broadway, National Tour, and Regional Theater star actress Kristine Zbornik! And our Salon Spotlight will be pianist, singer and musical director Kenneth Gartman.

-Sierra Rein
Bloggette for The Salon
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