Review: Lorna Luft's Triumphant Return to 54 Below with HOME AGAIN

Entering the packed house in a svelte hot pink pant suit, Lorna Luft graced the 54 Below stage on Friday May 3rd to a room of adoring friends and fans, singing Peter Nero/ Carroll Coates’ “Sunday in New York” (recorded by the likes of Mel Torme and Bobby Darin). This was quickly followed by a swell treatment of Bobby Darin’s “As Long As I’m Singing.”

The child of legendary performer Judy Garland and producer Sid Luft, Ms. Luft is no stranger to the stage, and she had the audience in the palm of her hand with this entertaining evening of music celebrating New York writers of Tin Pan Alley, the Brill Building, and beyond! Sharing informative anecdotes about some of her favorite composers and lyricists, and personal stories of her life in showbusiness, Ms. Luft charmed the crowd with titbits like recording the 1990 first complete studio cast album for the Gershwin’s Girl Crazy, which she proudly shared lives in the Library of Congress.

Backed by her incomparable band consisting of Joshua Priest on drums, Jim Donica on bass, Peter Calo on guitar, and her husband and music director Colin Freeman on keys, Ms. Luft had the audience swaying in their seats with the Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm,” before delving into somber patter about the sad life of Lorenz Hart. Her incredible rendition of Rodgers and Hart’s “My Funny Valentine” left this reviewer floored. It was utter perfection.

Picking the pace and mood back up, Ms. Luft then delivered fun, carefree renditions of “The Lady Is A Tramp” and “Johnny One Note” from Babes in Arms as part of a medley celebrating the musical, which she performed at the Chichester Theater Festival in the UK in 2007. She then shared stories of Rodgers’ next writing partnership with Oscar Hammerstein, before delivering a stunning, poignant rendition of “You Have To Be Carefully Taught,” emphasizing the relevance of the piece as it stands today. Another South Pacific tune followed - a captivating, slow and pared back arrangement of “Cockeyed Optimist.”

Next on the list was Neil Sedaka’s “Breaking Up is Hard To Do” (Ms. Luft is good friends with Sedaka) and gave guitarist Peter Calo a chance to shine with an excellent guitar solo, before he took the mic to sing “I Can Hear Music” by Jeff Barry, Phil Spector, and another of Ms. Luft’s friends Ellie Greenwich. Ms. Luft loves to celebrate her friends, and she took a moment to say hello to her fellow star-powered friends in the house - Christine Pedi, Chip Zien, Lee Roy Reams, Grease 2 director Patricia Birch, and legendary record executive Clive Davis (who was honored by The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall earlier in the week).

Then it was back to patter about Ellie Greenwich, which segued nicely into an audience interactive rendition of the Ronette’s “Be My Baby.” Ms. Luft then invited Leslie Uggams’ daughter Danielle Chambers up to the stage to sing another Greenwich tune, “Today I Met the Boy I’m Going to Marry.” Before long the audience began singing along to more Greenwich hits like, “Going to the Chapel” and “Da Doo Ron Ron” as the show came to a wrap.

Needless to say, the crowd leapt to their feet at this point, proving that Lorna Luft’s still got it!

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