Jeff Leibowitz

Dave Lawrence, President & CEO of the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, welcomed more than 100 fans of cool conversation and hot music to this season’s final CULTURE & COCKTAILS, held last week in the beautiful rooftop ballroom of The Ben Hotel in downtown West Palm Beach. See photos of the event.

Last night Danny Bacher, the award-winning singer, saxophonist, songwriter, and entertainer brought his “Swing Party” to Cafe Centro. Check out photos here!

Carole J. Bufford, award-winning cabaret star and powerhouse vocalist, returned to Cafe Centro last night with a tribute to the fearless, fabulous females of the 1960s. Check out photos here!

The Cafe Centro Cabaret Series produced by Sanford Fisher is winding down for the season and it’s sending its sold out  audience of ladies (and gentlemen) off with the music of movie star looking male singers filling the night air with romance. 

Clint Holmes, Grammy nominated singer/songwriter and one of the most exciting entertainers in the country was on the stage of the Wick Museum Club last night.

If there was any doubt that Cafe Centro was a bona fide Cabaret Venue it was dispelled last night.  Billy Stritch was seated at the Cafe’s Grand Piano and Linda Purl was the songstress headlining on the cabaret stage of the South Florida restaurant. 

Billy Stritch & Gabrielle Stravelli couldn’t see it from the stage, but behind every audience member’s mask at the Kravis Center last night was a smiling face. Reason being… it’s a rare treat when artists of this caliber join forces for an evening of song.  

Rob Russell survived the pandemic and two heart operations this past year so his return to the stage caused a joyous celebration last night at the Pelican Cafe Cabaret.   His Palm Beach fans gave him a standing ovation as they sang “It’s so nice to have you back where you belong” to “Mr. Palm Beach”.  

Although the official location of Billy’s Place is located on Manhattan’s Central Park South it’s now transforming itself into anywhere that Mr. Stritch sits at the piano and croons in his musically elegant style.

Loston Harris brought his elegant piano and vocal interpretations a thousand miles from his usually perch in The Carlyle Hotel's Bemlmans Bar to Delray's Arts Garage last night. The jam packed Arts Garage audience might have been dressed a little more casually then Manhattan's urbane jazz lovers, but this jazz savvy Delray turnout had the same appreciation and enthusiasm for the talented pianist/singer as New Yorkers do. Loston gets you in three ways, his inventiveness at the keyboard, his sophisticated vocals, and his vivacious personality. He is the consummate musician/entertainer in the true tradition of Bobby Short. Loston brings a unique rhythmic percussiveness to his fluent melodic lines which may be due to the fact that he started his music life as a drummer. Luckily for his fans worldwide he switched to piano.

Yankee Stadium has it's 'Legends Seats' and Monuments prominently displayed in the 'House That Ruth Built'.  Then the current team takes the field and future legends start to play ball.  In the Friars Club show biz past and present are always in the house.  Their photos are on the wall and names are engraved on the chairs in the Frank Sinatra Dining Room.  Then as so often happens an 'insiders' great show is produced for the members and those legends current and future entertain their fellow Friars.  So it happened last night as the Friars Club honored Bobby Short, the legendary cabaret singer/pianist who was best known for his three decade plus music residency at Cafe Carlyle in New York City.  The music of Bobby Short was brought to life by some current Cafe Carlye and Bemelmans Bar stars in a spectacular evening produced and hosted by Friar Jeff Leibowitz and Co-Produced by Friar Will Friedwald.

Usually the microphone he holds is used for talking, but Emmy winning talk show host and interviewer supreme Bill Boggs sang to a packed house at Le Cirque last night.  

Friars Club had a special  Bottoms Up Happy Hour last night to introduce two new bartenders, Jeanette and Joe. The jam packed Lucille Ball room also featured the piano stylings and vocals of Friar Stephen Sorokoff. After a very happy few hours many members enjoyed dinner in the Frank Sinatra dinning room where one of the menu selections was Friar Jimmy Fallon's Favorite Chicken Chow Mein. Even some Friars who were rained out of the Tennis Open were happy as they listened to Stephen's Billy Stritch, Buddy Greco, Errol Garner, & Steve Tyrell influenced musical offerings.

Randy Graff won a Tony and Drama Desk award for City of Angels, originated the role of Fantine in the original Broadway company of Les Miserables and has been in Fiddler on the Roof, High Society, Falsettos, Moon Over Buffalo, and A Class Act. Musically and theatrically Randy Graff is also a class act and one of the best Cabaret performances you will ever see. Her voice, phrasing and tonality are perfection and it's encased in a Cabaret Act that is full of wit, humor, and drama as she chronicles her life from Brooklyn to Broadway.  You can't take the subway to get to Mr. Finn's Cabaret at Barrington Stage, but if you travel to Pittsfield MA., you're going to see one of the best.

Many show business greats have been honored by the Friars Club, and have performed before an audience of entertainment savvy members at the club house on 55th street. Nicole Henry was the latest addition to that list on Feb. 10. This great tradition was continued in the Frank Sinatra Dining Room with an event produced by Friar Historian Bruce Charet and co-produced by Friar Jeff Leibowitz. Singer/pianist Loston Harris was also on the bill. Rosario Dawson hosted the evening of great dining and great music.

Friar Neil Sedaka, wife Leba and daughter Dara were in the Frank Sinatra Room of the Friars Club last night to attend a Tribute Show to Connie Francis and Neil Sedaka. Jenna Esposito and Jim Van Slyke performed the hit songs of Connie & Neil and the show was produced by Jeff Leibowitz, Laura Slutsky and Jenna. Friar Bill Boggs hosted. A special Tribute Menu was presented by Friars Chef Anatoly Veksler. It consisted of "Stupid Cupid Vegetables, Mama's Potato Crusted Brook Trout, Roasted Loin of Veal Is Hard To Do, Artichoke & Peppers On Your Collar Chicken Breast and Where The Chocoholics Are Pyramid." Connie Francis was present via a wonderful video message. An emotional highlight of the evening was when Neil was "coaxed" to take the piano bench. He sang a song he wrote for his cousin who recently passed away..Eydie Gorme.

MetroJam, the monthly open mic at The Metropolitan Room hosted by Jenna Esposito, is back with its February edition on Friday, February 4, 2011! The special guest for the night will be 4-time Emmy Award winner, star of stage, television, and screen, author, personality, and motivational speaker BILL BOGGS!