The Metropolitan Room Welcomes Sally Kellerman And More This April
By: Gabrielle Sierra Mar. 16, 2011
April events announced for The Metropolitan Room, begins with:
4/1,2,3 @ 7:00PM Sally Kellerman Sally Kellerman has the unique ability to make a song her own. Blessed with one of the most recognizable voices in the world and a thriving film and voice-over career that spans more than three decades, Sally maintains her Signature Sound while shifting effortlessly from the big screen to the recording studio... never missing a beat. On her most recent CD "Sally," on the Music Force Group label, Sally teamed with Grammy Award-winning producer Val Garay. As richly layered and provocative as Sally herself, "Sally" is a fitting and contemporary mix of jazzy blues and adult standards with a touch of soulful rock. Sally Kellerman has one of the most recognizable voices in the world. She also starred as the infamous Hot Lips Houlihan in Robert Altman's M*A*S*H, one of the most popular feature films of all time for which she was nominated for both an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award. Sally Kellerman has amassed an impressive resume of memorable feature film, television and theater credits that total in the hundreds and continues to grow each year .and she has done all of this while gaining the respect and admiration of an extremely loyal worldwide audience and an equally discriminating industry. She has made us laugh (Back To School opposite Rodney Dangerfield), she has made us cry (Big Blond). She has made nearly all women in the world proud (Boynton Beach Bereavement Club) while making their husbands.well.(think M*A*S*H). Sally Kellerman has even made us hungry (the renowned voice behind the Hidden Valley Salad Dressing commercials and current voice of a popular Milkyway spot). There is not much Sally Kellerman has not done. But what is most exciting about Sally Kellerman and all that she has accomplished so far during her more than 30 years in the business is. that it is only the beginning. A quintessential woman who has successfully balanced a thriving career with marriage, motherhood and personal growth for more than three decades. A role model who has humbly earned pop icon status, Sally has always been and remains a vibrant and necessary example of a positive, risk-taking, truly unique person who lives life with an indelible passion that keeps her eternally young. $20
4/1 @ 10:00PM METROJAM MetroJam, hosted by Jenna Esposito, is the monthly open mic at Room. Each month boasts a different guest star, a terrific lineup of performers and the fabulous MetroJam House Band: John DiPinto on piano, Ritt Henn on bass, and
Bobby Sher on drums. Singers and instrumentalists of all types are encouraged to join in the fun - just bring two copies of your music (uptempo songs are preferred) and arrive early to (sign-up begins at 9:30 p.m.).$20
4/4 Randi Shane @ 7:00PM Randi Shane No gimmicks; just beautiful, heartfelt singing of some of the best songs ever written, accompanied by one of New York's most hypnotic guitarists. After a 13 year career doing Broadway tours and regional theater and a 3 year hiatus from the stage, Randie Shane returns to her vocal roots, driven only by a passion for melodic storytelling. Every song a little journey, "On My Way" is a perfect hour to sip a cocktail or glass of wine, close your eyes and follow along. (this is very helpful for advertising, web site etc) Randie Shane: Theater credits include; Swing! (Laura, Japan tour, 2008), My Way (Woman 2, Shadowland), Swing! (Ann, Westchester Broadway Theater), Swing! (Various, Broadway National Tours), Music Man (Zaneeta, Stages St. Louis), Bye-Bye Birdy (Kim, Stages St. Louis), Showboat (Broadway National Tour), Brigadoon (Jean, Candlelight). Randie is currently a Masters Candidate in Marriage and Family Therapy at Capella University. $12
4/4,4/11 @ 9:30 Pm Lauren Fox Lauren Fox was born and raised in New York's Upper West Side near Lincoln Center, where she attended the High School of Music and Art. Her summers were spent at the well-known performing arts training camp, Stagedoor Manor. She began her career in musical theater, but never got the jazz hands right, so she retired her dance shoes to focus on film. Lauren made her film debut in the Miramax film, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU NOT, directed by Billy Hopkins. The following year she appeared in two films that premiered at Sundance, Darren Aronofsky's award winning PI and Wonsuk Chin's TOO TIRED TO DIE. She can be seen as the spiritually driven, tree-hugging artist, Camille, in the film, STANDING ON FISHES. She also starred in the Emerging Pictures film, TWELVE. Her most notable role to date is Eris, the grad student driven to paranoid insanity in the conspiracy thriller, NOON BLUE APPLES, which premiered at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. Her most recent film, REVOLUTION SUMMER, was released by Vanguard Pictures in 2009 and has garnered much critical acclaim for Lauren's edgy, daring performance as a drug-addicted stripper, hell-bent on destruction. Most recently, Fox appeared on two television shows, NEW AMSTERDAM and FRINGE. Fox also played the lead last fall in Unfolded Films', THE GEOGRAPHY. Upcoming films include, HAMILL, opposite Raymond J. Barry, and Lynne Ramsay's, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, where she had the privilege of working with Tilda Swinton. Fox has penned several scripts that are in development, including ATLAS OF THE SOUL, which is slated to go into production in winter 2011, under the direction of Raul Esparza, with Fox in one of the lead roles. With her sister, Haley Fox, Lauren co-wrote the ALICE'S TEA CUP COOKBOOK, named after the restaurants the sisters' created, published by HarperCollins, and just released for worldwide sales. Lauren is currently in the show, HILLBILLY WOMEN, at the ArcLight Theater, NYC, directed by Sandra Lee. Her performance as Appalachian factory worker, Sharleen, has won critical praise from The New York Times. This is her cabaret debut, accompanied by the brilliant Jon Weber. $20
4/5,4/12,4/19,4/26 @ 9:30 PM Annie Ross "Ms. Ross is a master class in how to sing jazz inside out, upside and down......Her sense of time and rhythm will fracture you...." ~ Rex Reed Annie Ross has been an abundant contributor to the art of jazz for over 50 years. Born in the UK, she has been a permanent resident of the USA for many years and a US citizen since 2001. The following are some highlights of what has been a long and illustrious career in jazz:
Annie Ross is one of the pioneers of vocalese and the composer of "Twisted", one of the most well known examples of that art, as well as "Farmers Market", quot;Jackie" and many others. A founding member of Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, considered the greatest jazz vocal ensemble of all time, her influence is present in all subsequent practitioners of vocalese. "Twisted" has been recorded by a host of vocalists, including some not normally associated with jazz, including Joni Mitchell and Bette Midler.$25
4/5,4/6 @ 7:00 PM Sigali Hamberger Sigali Hamberger is thrilled to be returning to the Metropolitan Room this
spring with her latest show, A TOAST TO Ava Gardner.
Inspired by the life of one of the 20thcentury's most alluring screen
goddesses, and drawing heavily from the American songbook, the set for
this performance extends far beyond the music from Ava's films, and
reflects on her life as a femme fatale both on and off the screen.
Cabaret Scenes called Sigali's 2010 New York City, Metropolitan Room
debut"impressive"-praising her "grace, charm, and good
instincts," and adding that she would soon "have us all on the run to
catch one of her next shows!" TimeOut New York's starred review
stated that "Sigali has a name out of MAD Magazine and a voice and
carriage right out of a vintage edition of Vogue."
of classic American Songbook standards, art songs, and Broadway gems.
Accompanying Sigali on the piano is acclaimed Juilliard-trained pianist
and composer, Ido Alexander, who also serves as the show's Musical
Director & Arranger. The show is directed by Scott Coulter.$15
4/6 @ 9:30 PM Keith Dames Vocalist Keith Dames paying Homage to Eleanora...aka Billie...Wishing Ms. Billie Holiday a Happy 96th Birthday with Love from Keith... Please supply a bio or web site where one may be obtained- Keith Dames is originally from Miami, Florida and is of Bahamian descent. Now residing in NYC and living in Harlem USA. Mr. Dames considers himself of the "Billie Holiday" School of Music and is looking forward to paying Homage to his favorite "Vocalist" of all time and sharing with the audience some tunes associated with Bille.$15
4/7 @ 7:00PM Tami Tyree ony/Legacy music producer Nedra Olds Neal had this to say about her soloist for the Riverside Church Inspirational Choir, TAMI TYREE: "She brings the song to life in a way that raises the roof and your spirit. Tami doesn't just sing the song, after she is done, you have lived it." TAMI TYREE has, in fact, lived the life she sings about in her songs. The evening with Ms. Tyree will mirror a life of jubilance, passion, introspection, pain, love and laughter...In her first cabaret appearance in nearly two years, TAMI TYREE has chosen for her debut at The Metropolitan Room time-honored standards, Broadway hits and gutbucket blues-all sung with the edgy pathos of a gospel song or as she admits, the humility of a spiritual. Born to be a singer/actress, this writer, poet, sales pro and Fifth Avenue fashion guru has come full circle as a creative talent committed to the preservation of traditional African-American musical genres: spirituals, gospels, blues, and jazz. Tonight will be thoroughly jazzy but with a reflection of all she has seen and sung in her life. She sings with the sophistication of a cosmopolitan New Yorker, and those who know her as a gospel belter over a choir of sixty are always surprised at this shift in musical interpretation but her timbre and outreach are far from restrained. Her "down home" personality keeps her engaging. With Tami you know that, what she's giving at the moment is truly for her as good as it gets, and as glamorous as she is-always-it is her guts that really make her gleam. TAMI TYREE the teaching artist honed every skill and passion into a program she calls Echoes of Our Ancestors www.echoesofourancestors.com and her African-American musical critique, performance, and educational outreach in the form of lectures, concerts, field trips, and workshops at schools and cultural venues is aimed at better understanding the African-American sojourn past, present, and future. A fine arts graduate of Howard University, Ms. Tyree studied jazz vocals at Harlem's famed Jazzmobile workshop founded by Billy Taylor. She has shared the stage with jazz luminary Wycliffe Gordon of Jazz at Lincoln Center fame, and the late Count Basie trombonist Al Grey. Her love and understanding of jazz was cultivated at a very young age by a father who was truly a jazz aficionado. Tami stands in The Shadows of her maternal grandmother, a former ragtime pianist who in the 1960's dared to start a gospel choir at the Catholic church of her membership. To this end, Ms. Tyree is writing a book on the history and performance of gospel music and is a voting member of The Stellar Awards Gospel Music Academy. Currently touring with a musical tribute she developed to inform the public of the achievements of blues pioneer and "father of gospel music" Thomas A. Dorsey, Ms. Tyree is a proud charter member for the development of a national African-American museum in Washington, DC, slated for groundbreaking in 2012. $20
4/7 @ 9:30 PM Jason Danieley and The Frontier Heroes ason Danieley and his rural jazz band The Frontier Heroes (JD & TFH) put a back-porch twist to standards written by Arlen, Mercer, Carmichael, Connick and Gershwin to name a few.
JD & TFH know you'll enjoy their barn-fresh take on some of your favorites - and maybe you'll find some new favorites along the way. "(Danieley's) voice shades smoothly into a relaxed country-folk crooning style, reminiscent at times ofLoudon Wainwright III. Mr. Danieley remained true to himself, standing confidently astride the distance between rural and urban, classical and folk." (New York Times) "No one can dispute (Danieley's) artistry and serious vocal chops. - The Frontier Heroes provided the perfect blend of musicality and folksy charm... it's definitely worth the trip." (Broadway Café Society)
"... (Danieley is) supported by top-grade backup musicians... (who) add so much to the spirit of this show." (Cabaret Scenes)$20
4/8,4/10 @ 7:00 PM Richard Holbrook Throughout his life, Burton Lane wrote some of the most memorable melodies for The Great American Songbook. He collaborated with some of the finest lyricists of the twentieth century such as Ira Gershwin, Frank Loesser, Alan Jay Lerner, and E.Y. "Yip" Harburg. Singer Richard Holbrook presents this musical feast covering Burton Lane's career as a composer, beginning with his early success as a motion-picture songwriter, and leading up to his great triumphs on Broadway with Finian's Rainbow and On A Clear Day You Can See Forever. Born in New York City, Richard grew up in the small town of Congers, New York, as the middle child in a family of nine -- just enough players for a baseball game. However, Richard found a different game to play -- show business. At an early age he became addicted to watching old films, especially the great Hollywood musicals. He dreamed of becoming a movie star. He literally taught himself how to sing by listening to the recordings of Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, and Bing Crosby and by watching their films. Richard's chance to see whether he could really sing happened when he was a freshman in high school. He believed enough in himself to audition for the school production of How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying with the song "I Believe In You." The result was "they" believed in him and gave him a role in the show. This began a life-long love affair with performing. Although he had no formal vocal training, when he performed the role of Freddy Eynsford-Hill in My Fair Lady some years later, many people felt he was a trained singer. After high school he studied music and drama at Curry College in Milton, Massachusetts. Returning to New York, he found success as an actor on such hit television series as The Sopranos and Spin City. No stranger to daytime television, he frequently appeared in All My Children and One Life to Live. Regional theatre productions included leading roles in Deathtrap and The Subject Was Roses. In 1985 Richard began performing his cabaret act to enthusiastic audiences. In 2003, backed by the Tom Nelson Trio, he did a tribute to Fred Astaire by focusing on the legendary dancer's other talents ... that of a singer and a musician. The act Richard Holbrook: The Untapped Fred Astaire, directed by Rex McGraw, received critical acclaim. David Hurst of Show Business Weekly said "A good musician with excellent diction and long, arching phrases that are impressive . a burnished tenor voice with a nice ring and a Garland-esque vibrato that can be effective". In August, 2004, Richard released his first CD entitled Richard Holbrook Steps Out. This recording features several well-known songs from his Astaire show and other selections by such composers as Portia Nelson, Ronny Whyte, and Kander & Ebb. Over the past several years, Richard has appeared at such popular Manhattan night spots as Danny's Skylight Room, Don't Tell Mama, The Hideaway Room @Helen's and guest appearances at the Cafe Pierre. He has also been a guest on two WOR Radio programs - The Joe Franklin Show and The Joey Reynolds Show. In December, 2006, Richard performed a Christmas cabaret show at Danny's that was so successful, he reprised it at Don't Tell Mama in 2007 to even greater acclaim. In 2008 and 2009, Richard successfully performed his cabaret act Richard Sings Burton - The Songs of Burton Lane at Don't Tell Mama. The show was directed by Richard Barclay. Tom Nelson was the musical director, and Richard was accompanied by the Tom Nelson Trio. Richard's CD, Richard Holbrook Steps Out, is available at Cabaret Scenes Magazine and cdbaby.com. Richard currently lives in Manhattan on the West Side and loves being a New Yorker. $20
4/9 @ 7:00 PM Cory Jamison San Francisco-based singer Cory Jamison is one of the leading young cabaret artists in America. Her interpretations of the American popular songbook have captivated audiences coast to coast in venues ranging from New York's Town Hall in the east, to the Chicago Jazz Festival in the midwest, and to The Plush Room and the Cinegrill in the west. According to The Chicago Tribune, "Here is a triple-threat performer whose obvious musicianship, interpretive savvy, and lovely lyric instrument cannot help but disarm an audience." Her second CD, "Kenton's Cool School: The Music of June Christy, Chris Connor, and Anita O'Day", produced on her new label C Jam Records, was released in November 2008. With this recording, Jamison brings together an eclectic blend of songs all performed and recorded by the three pivotal Stan Kenton vocalists. This diverse collection celebrates the musical legacies of these three jazz musicians and in adding her own distinct interpretation to each tune, Jamison brings their artistry to a new generation. Jamison emerged on the national scene with her critically acclaimed centennial tribute to the composer Hoagy Carmichael and her debut CD "Here's to Hoagy" which became the top selling CD of 2000 on the LML Music label. The Chicago Tribune's annual CD review ranked it 4th out of the year's Top Ten Jazz Releases claiming, "If the centennial of Hoagy Carmichael is going to inspire just one new recording, then this release deserves to be it." After headlining the Bloomington Pops Carmichael Celebration with Randy Carmichael, the Bloomington Herald raved, "Cory Jamison managed to transform the large-scoped Auditorium into an intimate cabaret. Here, indeed, is a true cabaret talent, a la Barbara Cook". Building on her success with the Hoagy Carmichael material, she expanded her popular following with tributes to Johnny Mercer, Cole Porter, Noel Coward, The Women of Tin Pan Alley, Richard Rodgers, and contemporary composers like Joni Mitchell and David Wilcox. She is also a regularly featured vocalist in the prestigious Chicago Humanities Festival and Mabel Mercer Foundation's Cabaret Conventions in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco and performs often with the cabaret legend Julie Wilson. In addition to performing, Jamison often brings her material to the educational stage. She is an historian of American popular music and is passionate about educating young musicians and students about America's unique musical heritage. She currently tours with her "musical lectures" to high schools and college campuses throughout the country. Cory Jamison is a graduate of Indiana University and a Eugene O'Neill Cabaret Symposium fellow. She is also a certified Music Together teacher.$20
4/12 @ 7:00 PM 4/15 @ 9:30 PM Halie Loren Halie Loren, an internationally recognized jazz/pop artist, is excited and looking forward to her upcoming debut at the Metropolitan Room. Loren is a fresh young talent who, at age 26, is already a veteran entertainer and recording artist, with 5 critically-acclaimed albums to her name. An award-winning vocalist and songwriter, Alaskan-raised and Northwest-resident Loren has been winning hearts of music fans the world over for years with her molasses-dipped, sweet/sultry vocals and intuitive song interpretations. Singing fluently in several languages, she pays tribute to the jazz and blues standards that have held steadfast across the years, and sprinkles her own originals and delightful ‘jazzified' surprises throughout her shows that fit seamlessly into her large repertoire of ageless classics. Over the past year, Loren has gone from being a celebrated West Coast artist to a rising star in many corners of the globe. Along with a stunning year-long presence on Japan's jazz charts and enjoying a string of highly successful club shows at Tokyo's Cotton Club and the Blue Note in Nagoya, her music has caught on with audiences across the U.S. and Canada and is now taking hold in Europe and in countries throughout Asia. She will be joined by her long-time band leader, pianist Matt Treder, and world-renowned New York bassist Mary Ann McSweeney for two shows at the Metropolitan Room www.halieloren.com www.myspace.com/halieloren www.facebook.com/halieloren www.twitter.com/halieloren.$15
4/14 @ 7:00PM Karine Hannah Montreal-born Karine Hannah began singing at age 4. In her teens she performed in musical reviews and on local TV shows. With her powerful, passionate vocal delivery, Grammy-winning producer Jim Steinman heard a demo & called her "the best singer I have heard since Celine Dion." Apparently, the world's best-selling singer agreed. She was invited to perform at Dion's wedding celebration in December 1994, accompanying a 21-piece orchestra directed by David Foster, serenading guests as they were seated for dinner. Karine moved to New York in 1998, working with industry legends Diane Warren & Rick Allison as well as Turkish pop superstar Sezen Aksu. Over the next decade, flexing her vocal versatility, she was trademarked at various times as a gospel singer, rock goddess, pop diva and soul songstress. In the winter of 2002, songwriter/producer Ayhan Sahin asked friend and colleague Larry Dvoskin to recommend a singer to record vocals on a new song he had composed, "Forget Tomorrow." Sahin recalls, "It was never supposed to be Karine Hannah that showed up at the studio. The morning of the session, the singer canceled and I was left with a studio rental and no one to record the vocal." Following an exasperated call to Dvoskin, fate literally stepped in. Karine & Sahin had never met, but it was obvious that kinship was on the horizon. Karine says, "I immediately loved the song. The lyric was about a love gone wrong, and Ayhan's production perfectly captured the melancholy surrounding it. After the first run through, I looked at him for approval and the look in his eyes was..." Completing her sentence, Sahin says, "Disbelief. It's a cliché, but I found my muse." Seven years later, the pair has collaborated on some five dozen songs, but this marks the first time their efforts have been assembled into a cohesive collection. "Karine" was released globally Jan. 27 on Young Pals Music-with support from the Turkish American Assn. and corporate sponsors Alke, and Asina Kitaplar-focusing first in North America and Turkey. Regarding the process of culling 60 songs into just over a dozen for this project, Sahin notes, "It would have been easy enough to tinker with some of our earlier productions, but as Karine and I revisited them, we respected what inspired those moments. We think they stand the test of time." Karine adds, "There are so many memories attached to our sessions, whether the laughter, the emotion, what was going on in our lives at the time. We agreed to let their essence remain." Along with consummate ballad "Forget Tomorrow"-that first song, which artfully reflects on love gone wrong-"Far Away" is a stunningly visual snapshot about anticipating her man's return; with rock-dance gambols "Breathe It All In" and "The Only One"; and sassy, funk-fortified "Gone," an invitation to commit-or walk. "Frida's Sonnet," a forlorn tome of a love affair in its final days, showcases a more theatrical hue, adapted from Sahin's full-length musical "Swedish Style." Karine also delivers two foreign-language gems: French chug-along ballad "Si tu pars" ("If You Leave") and Turkish "Sirtimda Askin" ("The Love On My Shoulders"), which meshes instrumental influences of Arabic and flamenco. In all, "Karine" hearkens a bygone era where an album was designed to serve up the full spectrum of an artist's ability-instead of so many gimmick-driven, pinhole-targeted acts that drive today's marketplace. Karine's versatility is her trump, imbued with innate celestial talent and consummate emotive fervor. Aligned with these dozen-plus sing-along treasures, here is a project whose stamp is utterly timeless. See the Discography page for more on 'Karine' the album plus all other music. $15
4/15,4/23 @ 7:00PM Hechter Ubarry Film and Broadway actor Hechter Ubarry, a native New Yorker who grew up in Harlem, brings his highly acclaimed musical and acting talents to "CALL ME PAPO" an evening of songs and stories.$20
4/16 @ 7:00PM Sue Marcus Rauch $15
4/17 @ 7:00 PM Joan Curto Called "a cabaret icon" by NBC Chicago, for her new show acclaimed vocalist Joan Curto will formally kick off what will be a number of musical tributes across the nation celebrating the Tony and Grammy Award winning composer Jerry Herman's 80th birthday. With the landmark musicals Hello Dolly!, Mame and La Cage Aux Folles, Herman is one of only three composer-lyricist to have three musicals that ran more than 1,500 consecutive on Broadway. The timelessness and longevity of Herman's music and words is illustrated with the 2010 Tony Award for La Cage as Best Musical Revival. Joan Curto has established herself as one of the top performers in Chicago. Awarded the Chicago After Dark Award for Outstanding Cabaret Artist, she has appeared across the nation appearing in concerts and clubs. Most recently, Joan opened the 2009 On Stage Series at The Auditorium Theatre in Chicago in her new show, Shaking the Blues Away. Garnering a reputation for her thoughtful interpretations of the American Songbook, she performs regularly at venues throughout Chicago including The Harris Theater, The Drury Lane Theater, Thorne Auditorium and Maxim's. Nationally, Joan has performed in some of the top cabaret clubs and concert series including New York's Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Gardenia in Los Angeles and the Colony Hotel Palm Beach. The Chicago Tribune has praised Joan's work, describing her as a " seasoned interpreter who makes every note count."$20
4/20,4/21 @ 7:00 PM Steve Ross Steve Ross, the incomparable, joins the exquisite Baroque diva Ann Monoyios and the Four Nations Ensemble for an hour long dialogue of love and obsession from the 17th through the 21st century. Please supply a bio or web site where one may be obtained- http://www.fournations.org/ http://www.annmonoyios.com/ http://www.steveross.net/$25
4/22 Lady Leah and The Jazzmasters eah Elizabeth, a.k.a. Lady Leah began her professional singing career in NYC where she founded her band, The Jazzmasters. Her clear alto resonates throughout her Jazz and R&B repertoire creating the perfect ambiance for dining and dancing. She invites you to listen. A native of Ohio, graduate of Northwestern University, Leah Elizabeth, a.k.a. Lady Leah, grew up in a home filled with music. Her father was the Minister of Music for their local church where she and her siblings performed with him on special occasions. They also travelled throughout the region singing for private and corporate events. Her sister played bass, her brothers, the guitar and drums, while she and her father were the lead vocals. Her mother, also a vocalist, exposed her to the sounds of Nancy Wilson, Ray Charles, and Aretha Franklin. Other influences include Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Stanley Turrentine, and Otis Redding. She studied voice and piano with local artists in Cincinnati, Ohio. Lady Leah's clear alto is well suited to her Jazz/R&B repertoire. Her stage presence and classic beauty captivate audiences everywhere she plays. $15
4/27 @ 7:00 PM Ray Charles sang just about every kind of music there is, from rock & roll to Broadway, blues, country, and jazz. "InspiRAYtion: The musical legacy of Ray Charles" touches on all of those genres with songs by Lennon & McCartney, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Irving Berlin, Ashford & Simpson, and Buck Owens - as well as Ray Charles himself. With musical director Tedd Firth on piano and Adam Armstrong on bass. As a teen, Elaine St. George's major vice was staying up until the wee hours of the morning to watch 1930s Busby Berkeley musicals on television. As a result, she fell in love with music that was, at the time, more than 40 years old. She's still singing 40-year-old songs - only now they're by Ray Charles, Paul McCartney, or Carole King. Look for her cover of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" in 2049. Time Out New York declared, "Barbara Cook and Elaine St. George must have been separated at birth. St. George hits the same gorgeous, shimmery notes as the grande dame of cabaret." Elaine has also been called "a distinctly hip performer" ( Bay Windows ) and "a showstopping songstress" (New York). She's been flattered to be compared to some of her favorite singers: HX wrote "St. George combines a great mezzo voice with interpretive skill approaching that of a Keely Smith or a Christine Ebersole." Her critically acclaimed cabaret shows include Ain't We Got Fun?: a love story about looking for work - named "Best Concept Show" by Theatermania; Do Re Mi, Democracy - which featured the New York cabaret debut of a love song written by Senator Orrin Hatch; and The Girl That I Marry - her third show to be a Time Out New York "Critic's Pick" every week of its run. Elaine's CD That Old-Fashioned Love, recorded live during that show's off-Broadway run at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Playwrights Horizons, is available through Amazon.com and iTunes. Her debut CD - Just Around the Corner: songs of love and longing from the 1930s - is a direct result of her misspent youth. Elaine graduated from The Brearley School and Smith Collegeand lives in New Jersey with Lauren Simonds, her partner of 15 years. $15
4/28 @ 7:00 PM Nancy Stearns As our snowy winter melts into a beautiful spring, there's music..."Weather Or Not": Nancy Stearns will share songs of the seasons, the weather and all the moods & colors that come with their changes. She & her musical partners, Gregory Toroian, on piano, and David Finck, on bass, will bring you standards and lesser known gems by Irving Berlin, Vernon Duke, Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke, as well as Randy Newman, James Taylor, New York's own Daryl Sherman and Francesca Blumenthal and others . Nancy Stearns has been performing annually in New York City cabaret rooms with her music director, Gregory Toroian, since 2001. Nancy returns to the Metropolitan Room with her new show "Weather or Not." A lawyer by day, Nancy first "found" cabaret as a student at Helen Baldassare's Cabaret Performance Workshop, for which Nancy now serves as Administrator. Nancy has recorded five of her shows with Gregory Toroian, on piano and David Finck, on bass: The Words of Women (2006), Sing Me A Song With Social Significance ... Or Not (2006), With Rhyme, But For No Particular Reason (2007),This Moment (2008), and Yip Harburg: With Humor and Hope (2009). Nancy's CDs have received air play on radio stations throughout the U.S. and Canada, in the Netherlands, Australia and Japan, and can be heard on internet radio at www.Pandora.com and are available for sale at www.CDBaby.com. Nancy repeatedly appeared at Barnes & Noble/Lincoln Triangle, New York City in the MAC award winning Any Wednesday series performing selections from her CDs and as part of a celebration of the Broadway revival of Finian's Rainbow. "Sometimes it doesn't take the biggest voice to make a big impact. Nancy Stearns, though quite musical, is rather a minimalist as a singer. Crisp and clear, she sings the notes lightly but doesn't sustain them; however, she sustains interest with her thoughtful renditions." (Rob Lester: TALKINBROADWAY.com) "Her delight in well-crafted intelligent songs is infectious. ... As a lawyer who dedicated her career to progressive causes and equal right, she's a kindred spirit to the pacifist writer of similar bent ... . As usual, her musical partners here (and on the resultant CD) are sterling pianist Gregory Toroian and bassist David Finck, supplying rich, surprising, welcome textures." (Rob Lester: Cabaret Scenes reviewing Nancy's show devoted to the lyrics of Yip Harburg, "Yip Harburg: With Humor and Hope") For additional information contact: www.nancystearns.com $20
4/28 @ 9:30 PM, 4/29 @ 7:00PM, 4/30 @ 7:00 PM Bending Threads "DREAMSCAPE" is A THREE NIGHT CABARET SERIES THAT EXPLORES YOUR DREAMS! Come out and let us 'Rock" your world with a musical variation that is nothing like you've ever heard before! Expect everything from Marvin Gaye to Stephen Sondheim. Accompanied by Drums, Guitar & Violin, four mixed voices will bring harmony and insight to the cabaret stage. Featuring some of NYC's most extraordinary Spoken Word Artists reciting the poetry of Langston Hughes, Tupac Shakur & Maya Angelou, this will be a series you'll never forget. On Night One: Discover Your Fantasies, on Night Two: Uncover Your Nightmares, and on Night Three: Awaken To your Dreams Come True! 'We are "Bending Threads" : Four Artists, One Voice; Poetic Harmony'.$15
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