The Cabaret Chronicles: Cast Party, Sean Harkness, Ray Jessel, and More!
By: Jenna Esposito Apr. 11, 2010
Happy Sunday! I've got a few weeks of nightlife to report on today, since I was out of town for the holiday weekend last week! It's been an eventful couple of weeks, starting with last Monday's (March 29th) Cast Party at Birdland. As usual, the room was packed to the gills with all kinds of fantastic entertainers! Performers included visiting Texan Cedric Neal, who brought the house down with his "It Ain't Necessarily So," Broadway's Wes Hart, who treated the crowd to a swingin' "Come Fly With Me," Cast Party regular David Goldman, who did his original tune "Blue Collar Town," and cabaret diva extraordinaire Ann Hampton Callaway, who did a gorgeous "My Funny Valentine" and later brought the house down with her soulful, heartfelt "At Last." Host Jim Caruso was his usual entertaining self, and the Cast Party Symphony Orchestra (Tedd Firth on piano, Steve Doyle on bass, and Steve Bakunas on drums) was superb!
A few nights later, it was time for super-duper double header. First up, it was guitarist Sean Harkness at The Metropolitan Room for a rare solo show. Sean can often be seen backing many of NYC's most talented singers, but on this night, he took over center stage and boy, what a treat it was! He did a great job of mixing in well-known songs (such as "Listen To The Music," "You've Got A Friend," and "Under My Skin") and original tunes (including "Wally The Bodysnatcher," "Summer Solstice" and "Coming Home"), and enjoyed an easy rapport with the audience. The show was refreshingly unscripted, and throughout the course of the evening Mr. Harkness took several requests and answered questions from the audience, making it feel more like we were in his living room than in a midtown Manhattan nightclub! It was a great start to the night, and made me feel energized as I headed uptown to catch Ray Jessel at Don't Tell Mama. This was my second time seeing Mr. Jessel during his current run, and my only regret is that he doesn't have more shows scheduled, or I'd probably go back again! It truly does not matter how many times I hear "Short Term Memory Loss Blues," "What She's Got," or "Life Sucks and Then You Die" - I still find my cheeks hurting from laughing so much! And then there are his beautiful ballads like "I'm Alright Now" and "What Ever Happened To Melody." Mix in a few new songs (which he continues to do, every run!) such as "She's No Longer In My Life" and "Piano Bar" and it all adds up to one terrifically entertaining show!
On Friday, April 2nd, it was off to The Metropolitan Room again - this time, though, it was for MetroJam, the monthly open mic I have the honor of hosting there! Even though it was a holiday weekend, that didn't deter a bunch of talented folks from coming out and sharing their skills! Mary Foster Conklin, Michelle Collier, Stan Gilbert, Mary Lahti, Richie Eisenberg and more all took the mic and performed some great songs! Additionally, the special guest from the evening was "that guitar man from Central Park," David Ippolito, who did a terrific 3-song set. As always, the MetroJam band (John DiPinto on piano, Ritt Henn on bass, and Bobby Sher on drums) was outstanding, and really helped to create an entertaining evening.
Although I was away for the weekend, I hit the ground running again on Monday, April 5th with another double header! First, it was off to The Duplex for the MAC Song & Special Musical Material Showcase. As I mentioned a last month, it's MAC Award season, so it's time for all of the nominees to showcase their goods - and this night, MAC put on a show to give voters a chance to hear each of the 12 songs that received a nomination this year. All of the songs were performed on Monday evening (and performed extremely well, to boot!), and nearly all of the songwriters were on hand, which was an extra special treat! Hearty congratulations to all of the composers, lyricists, and performers who helped make the showcase such a wonderful show! For a complete list of MAC Award nominees, and to listen to all of the nominated songs, visit www.macnyc.com! After the showcase, it was up to Birdland for yet another swell Cast Party! In addition to host-with-the-most Jim Caruso, some of the amazing performers this week included William Blake, Hilary Kole, Natalie Douglas, Danielle Grabianowski, Broadway star Tituss Burgess, and multi-award-winning songwriter Victoria Shaw! All in all, a truly great night!
Saturday evening found me at Iguana on 54th Street for Tom D'Angelo Presents: Spotlight at Iguana NYC. This new monthly variety show made its debut last month, and it's the perfect way to spend a Saturday evening in Manhattan! Hosted by the charming Tom D'Angelo, the show also features a fun-loving band (musical director Ritt Henn on bass, John DiPinto on piano, and Bobby Sher on drums), a "spotlighted guest," plenty of toasts, and a few other featured guests! I had the pleasure of being last night's "spotlighted guest," which involved an onstage interview and a duet with Mr. D'Angelo, in addition to my own songs. I had a wonderful time, both onstage and off! In addition to yours truly, last night also featured comedian Mike Fine, 2010 MAC nominated singer Rob Langeder, and well-known television personality Bill Boggs! So, when I was not on stage, I thoroughly enjoyed taking in the other talented performers!
That's all I've got to report on for now, but check back for a new column next weekend!
Where I'm Going This Week...
TONIGHT - Sunday, April 12th: Salon at Etcetera, Etcetera Restaurant. Founded and hosted by Mark Janas, this Sunday evening open mic is a hot destination for singers and songwriters. Each week features a guest co-host (this week, it's the MAC President and 2010 nominee for director Lennie Watts!) and a special guest star (this week, it's the lovely and talented Carole Bufford)! Salon runs from 7 p.m. - 10:30 p.m., but make sure to arrive early if you'd like to perform!
Monday, April 13th: Jim Caruso's Cast Party at Birdland. This fantastic weekly open mic runs from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. but again, make sure to arrive early to sign up if you want to sing!
Tuesday, April 13th: Rob Langeder at The Metropolitan Room. Rob is bringing back his MAC-nominated show for a special, one-night-only performance (and I have the pleasure of singing backup vocals and a few duets in it)! This "raucous romp through all-time song favorites" includes tunes made famous by Frank Sinatra, Nat "King" Cole, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Elvis Costello and more! Show begins at 7:00 p.m.
Pictured: Sean Harkness
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