Imagine  a night club gig starring  Mel Torme, with Anita O’Day or Ella Fitzgerald as his guest vocalist, and the Oscar Peterson Trio backing them up.  That’s the way it sounded in the Wick Theater’s Cabaret last night as the award winning singer Nicolas King had guest vocalist Veronica Swift and pianist Mike Renzi and trio on the stage with him.  It was a musically sophisticated audience at the dinner tables for this show.. Everyone in the elegant room had reserved well in advance.  The evening was a spectacular jazz/pop super spreader of music as these accomplished, respected artists (arguably some of the best in the business) used their improvisational genius to explore the melodies and harmonies of The Great American Songbook.  Nicolas, Veronica and Mike all possess that special musicality that enables them to excite you with their technique, while at the same time emotionally bringing you inside a song….. notes and lyrics became a constantly reshaped dalliance that kept the patrons continually absorbed as these artists performed the well known tunes of the Songbook.    Many regulars of Manhattan nightlife were in attendance at the venue, which has become South Florida’s answer to New York’s Cafe Carlyle, Birdland, and Feinstein’s 54/Below. 

And what an audience it was. 

Famed Producer/ Director Richard Jay-Alexander, Broadway Producer 5 time Tony & Olivier Award Winner Catherine Adler, Composer/Pianist Ron Abel, Artist Helmut Koller, and 44 (yes 44) time Tony Award Winners Ken Greenblatt & Seth Greenleaf were at a table celebrating Eda Sorokoff’s birthday. Also in the room were NYC notables Arlene and Allan Lazare, Dom and Sally Taglialatella, Jane Shevell, Larry Weissfeld, and Legend Radio’s Jill & Rich Switzer.   Sloans Curve Palm Beach was represented by Tennis Pro Karen Donnelly.