Cabaret
The Glorious Corner


Marianne Faithful with Mick Jagger
JAMES’ SHINDIG — Weeks before the world fell apart, I was sitting with some friend’s at dinner when they mentioned they had just gotten tickets to see the legendary Tommy James –at Westbury Music Fair– in Long Island. Two lights went off in my head: I had never seen Tommy and have always been a huge fan, and, two: I happened to know his manager. So, I emailed her, and, I got two tickets.
Literally the Monday after this dinner, everything went dark. At first Tommy was going to do the show, but no backstage greetings. One day later … the show was officially postponed till July … although, now that show will probably be canceled too.

His book Me, The Mob and The Music (2011), IMO has always been one of the better reads for a look inside the then-swaggering music industry. Sure, it was a way different ballgame back then, but the book was a great tread and surprisingly, I knew most of the gunslingers: Morris Levy, Herbie Rosen, Ritchie Cordell, Juggy Gayles … it was almost like I was there when I read it and considering the times… I just might have been.
I started reading it again it loved it as much as that first read. Tommy’s first major label, Roulette, was Morris Levy’s label and he ran it pretty much like a mob-run enterprise. I’d prefer not to get to specifics, because still, to this day, some of those infamous faces (and, their families) are still around.
But, they were colorful characters and many of James’ descriptions are priceless.
Having been right smack-dab in the middle of all those antics described in the book, I can readily attest, it’s all true.
I have regularily advise people getting into that crazy business today, to give it a read (also Fredric Dannen’s Hit Men). It’s not so much as how the business is run today, but if you get connected with the wrong people … antics like that can certainly occur.
It’s funny: my copy, which I guess was one of the original releases, says that’s it’s soon to be a major Broadway-musical … now, it’s been slated to be a movie. I can only imagine getting all the rights. It’s kind of like a Sopranos-Vinyl-mash up. I’ve love to see as movie of it.
Who’d play Levy? DeNiro? Pesci? Liotta? Sorvino? Keitel?
MARIANNE FAITHFUL — (Via Deadline) UPDATE: Marianne Faithfull has apparently beaten the coronavirus. The 73-year-old singer/actress has been discharged from a London hospital after a 22-day battle with the disease. Faithfull thanked fans for “kind messages of concern” and said she “is very grateful to all the NHS staff” who saved her life, according to a Twitter post.
“We are really happy to say that Marianne has been discharged from hospital today, 22 days after being admitted suffering from the symptoms of Covid-19. She will continue to recuperate in London,” the statement read.
EARLIER: Singer/actress Marianne Faithfull is in a London hospital being treated for coronavirus. The 74-year-old was said to be stable, her management said on Saturday.
“Marianne Faithfull’s manager Francois Ravard has confirmed that Marianne is being treated for COVID-19 in hospital in London,” the singer’s reps said in a statement to Deadline’s sister publication, Rolling Stone, on Saturday. “She is stable and responding to treatment. We all wish her well and a full and speedy recovery.”
Faithfull friend Penny Arcade told Rolling Stone that Faithfull was sheltering in place, but caught a cold. Faithfull checked herself into the hospital on Monday, where she tested positive for COVID-19, and developed pneumonia, Arcade said.
The edgy Faithfull, a former heroin addict, has long been in shaky health, and has hepatitis C and a bout with breast cancer in 2016 on her charts. Faithfull has also been open about past drug abuse, self-scarring and anorexia.
The London-born Faithfull was first discovered at a Rolling Stones launch party she attended with John Dunbar in 1964. Later that year, she released her first song, “As Tears Go By,” written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and the man who discovered her, Andrew Loog Oldham, the Stones manager at the time.
She has released 22 studio albums, the most recent being 2018’s Negative Capability.
In addition to her music, Faithfull has a long acting resume. She has appeared in such television shows as The Sopranos, Cold Case and American Horror Story, as well as several documentaries and feature films.
SHORT TAKES — Gremlins got into our last column, and the Iron City Houserockers got mashed-up the wrong way. Apologies. We also tacked on the question of whether industry-honco Steve Leeds (now talent-macher atSiriusXM) had A&R’d the album. A little sleuthing showed that not only did he serve as A&R-mastermind, but he saved the band from being dropped by MCA and oversaw their second album (which included two cover tunes, one of which was “Hit The Road Jack”) produced by Kenny (Joan Jett) Laguna …

I’m as happy as anyone that Christopher Meloni is returning to the Law & Order-world, but don’t think he’s not getting a boatload of greenbacks from creator/producer Dick Wolf. With the Law & Order-franchise and Chicago-franchise on NBC and the FBI-franchise on CBS, Wolff is literally printing out money. Team-Meloni wisely decided that this was the time. Turns out that the Meloni-character and his TV-wife were slated to make a guest appearance on the final Law & Order; SVU show this season… but, that taping was scuttled by the health crisis. Whatever, count me in for Law & Order; Stabler … This week, the Rolling Stones returned with a new song, and “Living In a Ghost Town” finds Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood feeling a little funky.“I’m a ghost, living in a ghost town,” sings Jagger in the song’s opening lines. “You can look for me/But I can’t be found,” he sings in the engaging track, the first bit of new music from the Stones in quite some time. Produced by Don (Fagenson) Was, “Living In A Ghost Town” is the Rolling Stones’ first new, original song in eight years — following “Doom & Gloom” and “One More Shot,” both taken from the band’s 2012 greatest hits compilation GRRR! And, it’s pretty perfect. Check it out here:
Happy Bday Chuck Darrow and Jill Christiansen … Been listening to TUNE-IN’s 70’s channel and been loving what I’m hearing. Lots of Village People; Chicago; Gordon Lightfoot; CHIC; Sugarloaf; and “Him” by Rupert Holmes … terrific record, How’d I miss it in 1979? …

Dennis Scott’s brilliant Thank You Mister Rogers album (Vanessa Williams, The Cowsills, Micky Dolenz, Sandy Patti, and more) is a Parent’s Choice 2020 Recommended Award winner. Check it out here: https://www.parentschoice.org/product/thank-you-mister-rogers-music-and-memories/

And, don’t forget Saturday’s All Together Now Telethon (2:00 PM PST) for the LA Emergency COVID 19 Crisis Fund; with Mary Wilson; Paul Rodgers; Tim Allen; Steve Lukather; Micky Dolenz; Jim Messina; Melissa Manchester; Jesse Colin Young; Alan Parsons; Denny Laine; Rick Springfield; Peter Asher; Jeff Bridges; Lisa Loeb and more. Alerttheglobe.com and AlltogethernowLA.org.
NAMES IN THE NEWS — Steve Walter; Alan Kaplan; Tom & Lisa Cuddy; Hal Wilner; Lee Jeske; Mike Greenblatt; Mary Wilson; Markos Papadatos; Howard Bloom; Chip Rachlin; Tony King; Barry Zelman; Gene Friedman; Don Wardell; Mark Bego; Craig Fruin; and, CHIP!
Broadway
Santino Fontana Brings Voice, Comedy and Showmanship To 54 Below

Tony Award® winner Santino Fontana brings his tremendous talent to 54 Below and it is a show that wraps you up in his humor, charm, vocal prowess, laid back demeanor, jeopardy style musical choices and over all entertaining. By the end of the show you feel as if you know him or at least a part of him. Starting off with Charles Strouse and Lee Adams’s “Stick Around,” the night turned into a Russian roulette of material. The audience picked numbers and as Santino put it “if you don’t like the show, it’s your fault.” First up for my show was the naughty but amusing “Making Love Alone” followed by Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella‘s “Do I Love You,” which made for an amusing combination of songs. During Cinderella Mr. Fontana had shoes that were built up 2 inches inside and 2 inches outside, which cause a tremendous amount of pain, so the song told the story of his plight, which made the song take on a much different meaning. Sondheim’s “Anyone Can Whistle,” was sung for a Carol Burnett tribute, that luckily we were treated to.
His guest for the evening was Sarah Steele (“The Good Wife,” The Humans, The Country House) who sang “out There On My Own” from Fame. On the 14th it will be Greg Hildreth (Company, Disney’s Frozen, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella). Click on the name and you can hear that version.
Showing off his baritone side with Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “If I Loved You.” We almost got to see Santino in Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields”s Sweet Charity, instead we got hint of what that would be like with “Too Many Tomorrows.” A hilarious version of “I feel Pretty” from West Side Story lightened the mood and had the room in tears. Recreating his duet “Love Is An Open Door” from Frozen, Santino channeled Dorothy Michaels from Tootsie. Again the room was laughing with the sheer comedic genius that won Mr. Fontana a Tony Award. Bringing the energy to a calmer state was the emotional Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley’s “Who Can I Turn To?”
Vocally the most impressive song of the night was “Joey, Joey, Joey” from Most Happy Fellow. Mr. Fontana’s voice was glorious in the tones and the subtle texturing. Keeping in the ballad mode and honoring Marilyn Bergman he launched into the iconic “Where Do You Start,”while accompany himself on the piano, which was highly impressive. Back to the uptempo mode “I Met A Girl” from Bells Are Ringing, was given a rigorous, amusing take. This was his original audition song. Lerner and Loewe’s “How to Handle a Woman,” from the recent Camelot, showed how Santino would have made an excellent King Arthur.
Another favorite moment of the night was “Buddy’s Blues” from Follies. Already a personal favorite, this made me want to see Santino play this role at a later date, though personally I would cast him as Ben.
For the finale songs “The Music In You” from Cinderella, told how he and the cast loved watching the magnificent Victoria Clark perform. “This Can’t Be Love” from 1938 Rodgers and Hart musical The Boys from Syracuse, ended up in an encore, of Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones’s “They Were You” from The Fantasticks, which made my guest producer Pat Addiss extremely happy.
Santino was backed by his musical director and accompanist Cody Owen Stine, who played flawlessly.
Santino Fontana opened September 10th at 54 Below and you can still catch this marvelous show tonight September 14th. 54below.com
This is a do not miss!
Cabaret
Talking With Mauricio Martínez About His New Show 5’11, Based in NYC and More

I met Emmy Award winner Mauricio Martínez when he was performing in Children of Salt and have watched him ever since. He then became known for the Broadway musical On Your Feet!, but before that he appeared in the Emmy Winning TV Show El Vato NBC, the hit Señora Acero Telemundo and several Mexican telenovela. T2C talked to this prolific actor/ singer to learn more.
His new show at 54 Below talks about all the self-tape sides filling up his Dropbox. In his new show, 5’11, Based in NYC, Mauricio is putting those to good use in a musical “What If…,” sorting through what might have been. Pushing aside the ring light, you will lean more about this uber talented Mexican American.
His show on October 5 and 6 at 7pm is at 54 Below. The show feature Linedy Genao (Bad Cinderella, On Your Feet!) and Alexis Michelle (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”) and is written by Mauricio Martínez & Robbie Rozelle, with musical direction and arrangements by Brian J. Nash. Directed by Robbie Rozelle.
Video by Magda Katz
Cabaret
Ken Fallin’s Broadway: Linda Purl Not Just An Actress

Last night Linda Purl took the audience at The Green Room 42 on a magical journey.
In 2020 Linda Purl starred as Ryan Spahn mother in Vivian Neuwirth’s Mr. Toole at 59E59 Theaters.
Ms Purl just released her fourth album of standards, This Could Be the Start. If the CD is anything like the concert this s a must have,
Cabaret
Linda Purl Had The Room In Her Hand at The Green Room 42

You know Linda Purl, for her work on Movies of the Week, Happy Days, The Bold and the Beautiful, Matlock, Murder She Wrote, The Office and more. Recently she released her fourth album of standards, This Could Be the Start, and she celebrated its debut with a special concert Monday, September 11th at The Green Room 42.
Standards such as “This Could Be The Start,” I’ve Gotta Lot of Living,””Shall We Dance,” “Caravan,“Blue Moon,” “Let’s Get Lost,” “Taking a Chance on Love,” “Here’s To Life” and more were given a sultry, laid back, come hither approach. You can tell Ms. Purl is an actress first, as these song, all told stories that wrapped you in their spell. The lyrics become front and center, but are thrown away with a knowing that surpasses time. Part of the magic is the alternating rhythms to the originals that make these versions stand out and draw you in.
Part of this intoxication is her musical director Ted Firth, who is a musical genius. Purl has been working with him for 15 years. When ever I fall in love with an arrangement, inevitably it is always Ted Firth at the helm. Firth was on piano with David Finck on bass and Ray Marchica on drums. Purl smartly uses the best of the best.
During Ms. Purl’s patter we learned about her love of hiking, she hails from Colorado, her partner, Patrick Duffy, and their sourdough starter company, as well as painting old trees with paint and glitter.
Purl knows how to keep her audience in the palm of her hand and wanting more. She is warm, engaging and a song stylist, that will keep you coming back for more.
All photo’s and video are Magda Katz
Cabaret
Daisy Jopling and Frank Shiner Raise Money To Give Kids The Gift 0f Music

Classical/rock violinist Daisy Jopling, vocalist Frank Shiner and her fabulous band performed at Chelsea Table + Stage Saturday, September 9 at 9:30 PM. The duo perform an eclectic mix of music from blues and standards to classical. The magical band that accompanied them included Ray DeTone on guitar, Sofia Gould on saxophone, Jeff Miller on piano, Lavondo Thomas on bass and Dan Weiner on drums.
17 year old, Sofia Gould was a Daisy Jopling student and one of the reasons this foundation is so needed.
For a special treat 17 year old Melisa Muñoz played a mean trumpet.
Daisy tours the world with her own band, and also runs a music mentorship foundation.
The Daisy Jopling Foundation has given 6,810 children world class music performances for free.
4,500 hours of time volunteered.
1,000 residents given free tickets to our concerts.
920 children served in their mentoring programs.
Partnered with over 50 non-ройt organizations to.
transform their student’s lives.
Daisy was the first international violinist to perform a major concert at the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt on November 4, 2022, collaborating with Egyptian stars Hany Adel, Wust El Balad and Noha Fekry.
Daisy started off by playing a concerto at the Royal Albert Hall in London at the age of 14, the opening of the Vienna Festival, 53 stunning concert halls in China, creating “Illuminance” on Bannerman Island, NY which aired on PBS in 2021 and 2022, and performing her own “Awakening” Concert at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center.
Frank Shiner released his debut album, The Real Me, in 2014, A second LP, Lonely Town, Lonely Street, he released on his own Bakerson Records label. He is now writing a musical about his dad, in which he debuted one of the songs.
They ending the concert with “Joy To The World.” This was a great night of raising funding for children and music.
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