Cabaret
Top Cabaret Artists Of 2024
It seems unfair to single out individual shows, when some of these performers have excelled in several different productions during the year. Ergo, here are my choices for this past year in no particular order.
Steve Ross – It’s appropriate to begin with he who is known lovingly as the Crown Prince of Cabaret. His specialty is Cole Porter (they go together like gin and vermouth), but his mastery of his craft has illuminated the work of Alan Jay Lerner, Irving Berlin, and Noël Coward, with occasional dabbles into Flanders and Swann, Stephen Sondheim, and anyone else who writes superlative music. He’s at Birdland every few months.
Marilyn Maye – Having saluted the Prince, let us offer a deep curtsy to the Queen of Cabaret. From her early beginnings on the TV shows of Steve Allen to Johnny Carson, Marilyn has become a legend who can still do a high kick or two on stage while singing a Jerry Herman song. She makes the audience feel that she knows just what songs they need to hear and delivers them expertly and exquisitely.
John Philip – A newcomer to the cabaret stage, John is a lawyer who is pursuing his dream of singing. What to expect, then? Surprise is the answer. The magic he conveys is best expressed as he served the lyrics, and he made the music serve him. He knows his limitations, and by being true to his strengths, he provided a memorable hour of music.
Craig Rubano – To say his music is his ministry is quite accurate—Craig is also an ordained minister whose renditions of classic songs can heal the spirit, warm the heart and surprise the skeptic. His latest show was entitled Take the Moment; when next he appears, take an hour to enjoy a most rewarding show.
Renee Katz – Another relatively new arrival, Katz delivered a program of Irving Berlin at Don’t Tell Mama this year that left the audience feeling embraced by not only Katz, but by Berlin himself. The youthful innocence of this woman underscored the simple lyrics of Berlin and brought the audience back to a less complicated era. It was the most heartwarming show of the year.
BRYCE EDWARDS
Bryce Edwards – A more energetic performer you will not find in this lifetime. Bryce concentrates on the music of another time, the one before most of us were born. He does it with zest, a huge smile, and the use of more instruments than you have fingers. He’s intoxicating, so don’t miss his next show at Birdland.
Klea Blackhurst
Klea Blackhurst – If Renee Katz can make you feel embraced, Klea Blackhurst can make you feel bear-hugged. Her stentorian voice is so reminiscent of Ethel Merman that one of her shows is all about Ethel. Whether she’s performing solo or with Billy Stritch and Jim Caruso, she’s a powerhouse not to be missed. Hint—she’ll be at Birdland on January 27.
Philip Officer – He doesn’t come to town often—maybe twice a year. But when he does, his home is Birdland, which sells out almost before the ink is dry on the announcement of his arrival. He is an excellent interpreter of people like Hoagy Carmichael, and will captivate you with his style and artistry. Rumor has it that he’ll be back in October. . .
Jeff Harnar – So you think you’ve understood every complex lyric in Sondheim’s songs? Guess again, and catch any one of his shows—Sondheim, Coleman, Cahn—and discover yet even more wonder in the tunes you think you know so well. A crooner in the style we all love, Harnar has an impish smile that is reminiscent of Dean Martin, and he uses it to punctuate a lyric very effectively. It simply must be seen to be appreciated, which you can do on February 3rd at Birdland.
Matthew Martin Ward — Ward is a composer, teacher, and musical director of many notable shows, but he is also something not often found anymore: an old-fashioned saloon singer, i.e. someone who accompanies himself on piano and sings songs many times of his own creation. Think John Wallowitch, Charles DeForest, Steve Ross et al. He’s a charmer with several tricks up his sleeve.
Karen Mason — If sassy, sexy and sophisticated appeals, Karen delivers it all to the max. She can do with a simply hip bump what Jeff Harnar does with raised eyebrow. She’s a Broadway Baby who drops into the cabaret world when we’re lucky. When she delivers “All That Jazz” you understand the magic of not only Karen, but the art of cabaret itself.
Deborah Zecher and Joshua Zecher-Ross —This mother and son brought new meaning to familial with their recent show Family Matters which paid tribute to the esteemed Rodgers, Rodgers and Guettel clan. This show not only helped the neophyte understand the impact this family has had on our culture, but also the contributions of Hart, Hammerstein, Sondheim and Marshall Barer. It was revelatory and wonderful. In fact, it was one of my favorite things!
Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano – This married duo is a familiar feature in the cabaret world here in New York and elsewhere. Masterful interpreters of the Great American Songbook, they have recorded separately and have finally celebrated their collaboration by bringing forth their first CD entitled Painting the Town. It launches at Birdland on March 2.
Jason Henderson – Gone but not forgotten, Jason left New York and London with the happy memory of his show Getting to Noël You, a rather personal celebration of Mr. Coward. He’s in his home now– New Zealand–awaiting visa approval and clearance. Hurry back, Jason – you are sorely missed at Don’t Tell Mama and Jim Caruso’s Cast Party!!!!
Cabaret is such an intimate art form—sitting in the dark, sipping a cocktail while a candle flickers and someone sings beautiful songs. We are so fortunate to have these people performing regularly here in New York. Some of them are veterans while others are novices with lots of promise. What unites them is their ability to take you on a unique musical journey. Get to know them when they appear—you won’t regret it. And check out their websites for appearances out of town. After all, what good is sitting alone in your room? Come, here the music play while the candles flicker!
Sony Hall was packed for last night’s Sydnie Christmas concert with a wait-list of lines down 46th street, and quite frankly, I’ve rarely witnessed an audience respond to a performer with the kind of enthusiasm that Sydnie received. Coming from the era when black and white television talent shows were often the launching pad for extraordinary careers it was my opportunity to discover whether the phenomenon that began on Britain’s Got Talent can evolve into something far bigger.
The applause meter on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts, one of the most widely watched television shows of the 1950’s was a proving ground for some remarkable talent. Vic Damone, Tony Bennett, Pat Boone, Connie Francis, Eddie Fisher, and Rosemary Clooney all went on to become household names after appearing on the show (Elvis Presley auditioned but was rejected). Other contest winners were Frank Sinatra on Major Bowes’ Original Amateur Hour and Gladys Knight on Ted Mack’s Amateur Hour.
As the 2024 winner of the British counterpart to America’s Got Talent, Christmas captured audiences with a series of remarkable performances before taking the title. Now, with a string of successful concerts behind her, the real question is whether that television triumph can be the beginning of a substantial and enduring career.
The manufactured drama woven into today’s television talent shows often dictates not only the songs contestants choose but also the vocal fireworks they unleash. A singer’s style can be every bit as important as the voice itself when it comes to winning over judges and the public. Does Sydnie Christmas have something else besides that type of performance that targets the judges and the public?….She attempted to answer that question from the very start, opening with a haunting “Amazing Grace,” followed by a two-act concert filled with Pop, Broadway, Soul and Disco standards, as well as several originals. Many of the songs received standing ovations from an audience that had clearly come to celebrate—and exalt—their hero.
There is no question that Sydnie Christmas is likable, possesses a powerful instrument, and brings an original approach to a song. It’s easy to understand why the jury and audience at BGT gave her such an enthusiastic thumbs-up. But this “jury” is still deliberating. We need to hear more before reaching a final verdict.
Some Broadway friendships end when the final curtain comes down. Others apparently turn into a rock-and-roll band.
Michael Longoria
The Midtown Men brought their irresistible combination of Broadway polish, four-part harmony and pure 1960s swagger to Eisenhower Park’s Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, proving once again that Jersey Boys may have introduced these four men to one another, but it certainly wasn’t the end of their story.
Christian Hoff
Tony Award winner Christian Hoff, Michael Longoria, Daniel Reichard and Tony Award nominee J. Robert Spencer first shared a stage as members of the original Broadway company of Jersey Boys, the musical phenomenon that turned the story and songs of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons into one of Broadway’s biggest hits.
Daniel Reichard
They spent more than a thousand performances together before doing something rather unusual: instead of simply moving on to their next individual Broadway jobs, they took the chemistry they had developed eight shows a week and created something of their own.
J. Robert Spencer
The result was The Midtown Men.
Michael Longoria, Christian Hoff, Daniel Reichard and J. Robert Spencer
And while their pedigree is unmistakably Broadway, this isn’t Jersey Boys on tour. The Midtown Men became their own musical act, expanding beyond The Four Seasons to embrace the glorious pop landscape of the 1960s—The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Motown, The Rascals, The Mamas & the Papas, The Ronettes and more. Their official repertoire has long celebrated the decade that gave America some of its most enduring pop music, with four singers who know exactly how to sell both a harmony and a story.
Michael Longoria, Christian Hoff, Daniel Reichard and J. Robert Spencer
What makes the group work isn’t simply nostalgia. Plenty of acts can recreate the music of the ’60s. The Midtown Men have something considerably harder to manufacture: history with one another.
Michael Longoria, Christian Hoff, Daniel Reichard and J. Robert Spencer
They learned how to listen to one another on a Broadway stage. They know where the other voices are going, when to step forward, when to pull back and how to turn four leading men into one sound. Reichard has recalled that while they were still performing Jersey Boys, the four would gather in dressing rooms between shows and work out harmonies to other songs they loved from the decade. In other words, The Midtown Men were quietly being born backstage while another show was happening out front.
Michael Longoria, Christian Hoff, Daniel Reichard and J. Robert Spencer
That musical shorthand followed them to Eisenhower Park.
Christian Hoff
Christian Hoff
Christian Hoff
Hoff brings the confidence that won him the Tony Award for his portrayal of Tommy DeVito. Reichard, Broadway’s original Bob Gaudio, possesses the musical-theatre storyteller’s instinct for finding the character inside a song. Spencer, the original Nick Massi and later a Tony nominee for Next to Normal, supplies formidable Broadway chops, while Longoria—who originated Joe Pesci before succeeding John Lloyd Young as Frankie Valli—knows a thing or two about sending a voice soaring above a crowd.
Michael Longoria
Michael Longoria
Michael Longoria
Together, however, they stop being four Broadway résumés and become a genuine group.
J. Robert Spencer
J. Robert Spencer
J. Robert Spencer
There is something wonderfully circular about what happened to these men. They began as actors playing a band, only to discover along the way that they actually were one. What started under Broadway lights developed into years of concerts across the country, recordings and even a nationally televised concert special.
Daniel Reichard
Daniel Reichard
Daniel Reichard
The Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre is precisely the sort of setting where this music feels at home. These songs weren’t created to sit politely behind glass as artifacts of another era. They were made for summer nights, for dancing, singing along and suddenly realizing that you remember every word to a song you haven’t consciously thought about in twenty years.
Christian Hoff, Daniel Reichard
That’s the pleasure of The Midtown Men. They don’t treat the 1960s as a museum exhibition. They remind you why this music became permanent in the first place.
Christian Hoff, Michael Longoria
The Beatles gave us exuberance. Motown gave popular music sophistication and irresistible rhythm. The Beach Boys made adolescent longing sound like California sunshine. The Four Seasons gave us those impossible harmonies and that unmistakable falsetto.
Daniel Reichard
J. Robert Spencer
Daniel Reichard, J. Robert Spencer,
Michael Longoria
Christian Hoff
Four Broadway actors fell in love with all of it. Nearly two decades after first coming together, Hoff, Longoria, Reichard and Spencer are still standing beside one another, still singing, still touring and still having what appears to be a ridiculously good time doing it.
Michael Longoria, Christian Hoff, Daniel Reichard and J. Robert Spencer
Not bad for four guys who were originally hired to pretend to be a band. Turns out they were just getting started.
Karen Mason photo by Maryann Lopinto
Ironically, the hottest show in town is also the coolest. This can only mean that Karen Mason is back at Don’t Tell Mama for her return engagement of “More SPF!..The Summer ”
Karen Mason photo by Maryann Lopinto
In this case, the SPF doesn’t refer to sun protection but rather Songs, Patter and Fun, which she delivers copiously.
Karen Mason photo by Maryann Lopinto
Catch her one-more-night-only show on August 18th at 7 pm. From an original review: Her sleek frame allows her to dramatically punctuate a lyric with a quick twitch of her shoulder or hip. It feels like every corpuscle in her body is working double time to make sure she gives an unforgettable performance, which translates into her love for the music and the audience.
Karen Mason photo by Maryann Lopinto
Karen Mason photo by Maryann Lopinto
Brian Lasser photo by Maryann Lopinto
By the way, Karen is launching a new CD “Birthday Bash at Birdland” on September 28 at—where else?–Birdland. Even though she’s an April baby, this is one party you won’t want to miss.
Raul Esparza and Lily Rabe
I’ll add my acclaim to the enthusiastic critical response for “The Winter’s Tale” currently playing at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park. And hats off to the Public for giving this lesser-known Shakespeare play the attention it deserves. Everything from the stunning performances by Raul Esparza and Lily Rabe to the costumes and set, this Winter’s Tale was a perfect complement to a warm summer evening in Central Park.
A real treat awaits musical theatre lovers on August 23rd at 6 pm when the AMT Theatre will present
Penny Fuller
Broadway: The Golden Age, Rick McKay’s beloved documentary, which features interviews with dozens of Broadway legends. Historian Rob Schneider will moderate a Q&A with two-time Tony nominee (Applause, Rex) Penny Fuller after. The following week is same format/different film: Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy. AMT is at 354 W. 45th Street; for further information and tickets call 917.388.2630.
Glenn Crytzer Quartet
Just back from a week on Queen Mary 2, the Glenn Crytzer Quartet will be at Birdland on August 30 at 5:30. I can personally attest to the fact that they had passengers enthralled with their renditions of songs from the early part of the previous century.
Bryce Edwards
They are the perfect hors d’ouevre, so to speak, for Bryce Edwards show at the same stage next month on September 14th. And if you love Bryce (and who doesn’t?) you’ll love these four musicians.
Jeff Harnar
Back from Las Vegas and Chicago, Jeff Harnar returns to the stage that launched him—Don’t Tell Mama—on September 16th in a show entitled “Blame It On My Youth.” From an original review: There is always a poetic sensitivity to Harnar’s work, perhaps most keenly achieved in this program. Harnar is truly one of the masters of the cabaret artform. See for yourself!
Like a Bolt of Lightning (and shinny cloth) fashion icon Isaac Mizrahi charged onto the stage of 54 Below last night wearing a silver suit and declaring to a cheering audience…”It’s a mess out there but it’s beautiful in here”! There are singers whose earthy, distinctive voices may not necessarily send chills down your spine, yet they can be enormously appealing because of their innate musicality and their ability to deliver a lyric with honesty and sincerity. Isaac Mizrahi is that kind of performer. He is chaotic, lovable, bawdy, witty, hysterical, and most importantly, completely authentic in his performances. What this product of the Garment Center may lack in vocal chops, he more than makes up for with a musician’s innate sense of time and phrasing. The result is an exciting reimagining of the dozen excellent tunes Isaac weaves (also knits) seamlessly between his humorous exchanges with the audience.
Having also spent my career in the Garment Center and also being a pianist, I like to think I know good “material” when I hear it—whether in textiles or music. Isaac, newly appointed Creative Director at Large for Target Stores performed several of our favorites, and on more than one occasion he tugged at our musical heartstrings with his interpretations of “Baubles, Bangles & Beads,” Laura Nyro’s “Save the Country,” and “Some Other Time” from On the Town, to name just a few. His story about meeting Betty Comden is absolutely hysterical, but I won’t spoil it’s surprise ending for you.
Whether he is entertaining or enlightening us through his music, fashion, or commentary, Isaac Mizrahi is truly a one-of-a-kind and formidable force in the entertainment world.
In his current show “Hooray” at 54 Below Isaac again appears with his excellent band of six musicians playing world class arrangements..Music director Benjamin Waltzer, Daniel Freedman (drums) Bruce Jamar Christopher (trumpet) Kellin Hanas (trumpet), Daniel Duke (bass), Dan Aran (percussion)
ISAAC MIZRAHI
Cabaret
My View: The Best Is Yet To Come…And It’s Here…Songbook Sunday’s Tony Bennett at Dizzy’s Club
One of Tony Bennett’s signature songs famously reminds us that “The Best Is Yet to Come.” But for the audience at Dizzy’s Club last night, there was no need to wait—the best had already arrived with the latest edition of Songbook Sundays, hosted by Deborah Grace Winer and with Debby Boone opening the show with Tony’s signature song.
Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Columbus Circle and Central Park, Dizzy’s offered the perfect stage for a stellar gathering of world-class entertainers, adding another memorable chapter to New York City’s cabaret celebrations honoring the music and legacy of Tony Bennett during his Centennial Year.
Ms. Winer assembled an impressive roster of talent to celebrate the timeless music of Tony Bennett, including two Grammy winners. Billy Stritch, fresh from his critically acclaimed Tony Bennett solo show at 54 Below, served as the evening’s musical director, pianist, and vocalist. Joining him was Debby Boone, also a Grammy winner who became a household name with her legendary, chart-topping hit “You Light Up My Life.” Rounding out the stellar lineup were celebrated jazz vocalist Gabrielle Stravelli and rising young artist David Marino.
As usual, I won’t give away any spoilers, although I suspect most readers are already quite familiar with the Tony Bennett songbook. Still, hearing these timeless favorites brought to life by such talented vocalists was a wonderful reminder of just how enduring Bennett’s music remains. His music was represented beautifully throughout the evening, and, as always, Deborah Grace Winer—one of the foremost experts on the American Songbook—added fascinating stories and insights that brought the songs and their history to life.
Tony was a perfectionist when it came to choosing his musicians, and he undoubtedly would have approved of Marc MacLean on drums, Caylen Brant on bass, and Jacob Chung on saxophone. And, of course, Billy, who served as Tony’s musical director during one momentous year with the legend, provided the perfect musical foundation and created the ideal accompaniment for the evening.
Tony Bennett lived just a few blocks from Jazz at Lincoln Center, and it wasn’t unusual for Eda and I to see him walking these very streets on his way to an event at Dizzy’s Club. Somehow, it feels especially fitting to imagine him taking in this particular Songbook Sunday. He would have loved every moment of it.
Photos: Stephen Sorokoff
THE BEST IS YET TO COME
BILLY STRITCH & DEBBY BOONE
BILLY STRITCH
DEBBY BOONE
GABRIELLE SSTRAVELLI
DAVID MARINO
GABRIELLE STRAVELLI, DAVID MARINO, DEBBY BOONE
DEBBY BOONE
BILLY STRITCH & DEBBY BOONE
DAVID MARINO
DAVID MARINO
GABRIELLE STRAVELLI, DAVID MARINO, DEBBY BOONE
GABRIELLE STRAVELLI, DAVID MARINO, DEBBY BOONE
DEBORAH GRACE WINER
DIZZY’S CLUB
DIZZY’S CLUB
CAYLEN BRANT, BILLY STRITCH, GABRIELLE STRAVELLI, MARK MacLEAN, DEBBY BOONE, DEBORAH GRACE WINER, JACOB CHUNG
ELANOR & HOWARD MORGAN, Sponsors, EDA SOROKOFF
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