Ervin Drake News

Ervin Drake has had many birthday tributes recently and one of the most interesting ones was held at the legendary Friars Club. Host and well known interviewer Bill Boggs, together with music critic/historian/author Will Friedwald traced the life of the 95 year old music icon.

On Monday, June 16, 2014 at 7:00 PM, Randie Levine-Miller will present and host Showstopper Divas --'The Broadway Songbook' at Stage 72/Triad (158 West 72nd Street) to benefit The National Multiple Sclerosis Society*. Critically acclaimed theater and cabaret 'divas', Deborah Grausman, Corinna Sowers-Adler, Christianne Tisdale and Deborah Tranelli will star.

Jon Weber one of the most prominent music directors in New York cabaret performed his one man show at the Metropolitan Room last night. The acclaimed Milwaukee born Jazz pianist and composer lectured and played a program which demonstrated how jazz piano evolved over the last 115 years. From Scott Joplin to Keith Jarrett Mr. Weber recreated the sounds and styles of the various pianists and showed how they influenced piano jazz over the years. Jon is the host of Piano Jazz with Jon Weber on National Public Radio and his recent album titled Simple Complex features his own compositions.

If you are even a semi-regular reader of this column of reviews, you know that about every three or four months, I post a compilation of observations of shows from the previous quarter of the year. This cabaret critiquing mash up happens for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that I admittedly see too many cabaret shows for the amount of time I have to promptly review them (and then, of course, the usual writer's procrastination sets in). So I have to prioritize the timeliness of the reviews based on the prestige of the performer, the length of a show run, the strength (or lack thereof) of the performance, etc. The quality of the shows in these compilations—which can range from a half dozen to a dozen reviews in one shot—are usually a mixed bag of outright raves, qualified positives, and constructive pans (I'm not a fan of the word “negative” in the reviewer lexicon). With that in mind here are a collection of cabaret show reviews going back to the start of a very harsh winter.

Clint Holmes brought his critically acclaimed show "This Thing Called Love" to Landmark On Main Street on May 10th. The show imagines the two songwriters, Cole Porter and Paul Simon, meeting at a bar and brings together such classics as Night & Day, The 59th Street Song, Have A Good Time and It's Alright with Me plus many more.

Last night more than a dozen musical theater and cabaret stars celebrated the remarkable musical career of Ervin Drake in a special concert to benefit The Gold Coast Arts Center and Landmark on Main Street, two non-profit cultural gems located on the North Shore of Long Island.

This April, legendary songwriter Ervin Drake will turn 95. A Long Island Music Hall of Fame Inductee, Mr. Drake has written some of the American Songbook's most beloved classics, including: 'It Was a Very Good Year,' 'I Believe,' 'Tico Tico,' 'Quando Quando Quando,' 'Perdito' and 'Good Morning, Heartache.' 2014 also marks the 50th anniversary of the Broadway production of Drake's 'What Makes Sammy Run' (starring Steve Lawrence), which featured songs 'A Room Without Windows' and 'The Friendliest Thing.' On Today, April 25 at 8 pm, Producer Sandi Durell, Musical Director Jon Weber, and Host Charles Grodin will lead a tribute to Ervin's illustrious career that will feature a star-studded cast of musical theater and cabaret stars

This April, legendary songwriter Ervin Drake will turn 95. A Long Island Music Hall of Fame Inductee, Mr. Drake has written some of the American Songbook's most beloved classics, including: 'It Was a Very Good Year,' 'I Believe,' 'Tico Tico,' 'Quando Quando Quando,' 'Perdito' and 'Good Morning, Heartache.' 2014 also marks the 50th anniversary of the Broadway production of Drake's 'What Makes Sammy Run' (starring Steve Lawrence), which featured songs 'A Room Without Windows' and 'The Friendliest Thing.' On Friday, April 25 at 8 pm, Producer Sandi Durell, Musical Director Jon Weber, and Host Charles Grodin will lead a tribute to Ervin's illustrious career that will feature a star-studded cast of musical theater and cabaret stars

On Monday, January 27, Broadway, jazz and pop performers jammed Jim Caruso's Cast Party at Birdland, as they have every Monday for the past ten years! The evening was made especially meaningful with the 5th 'Mentor Monday,' a monthly musical segment that pairs up and coming composers with established artists. Presenter Trevor McQueen combined Broadway's Lillias White with writers Ethan Pakchar and Douglas Lyons, a young songwriting team who began collaborating while touring with The Book of Mormon. The resulting performance was the song, 'Not Meant To Be in Love,' accompanied by Matt Aument, which gave Lillias ample opportunity to be vampy and campy and otherwise leave the audience helpless with laughter. It was a perfect way to introduce the community to Lyons & Pakchar's clever wordplay and catchy melodies!

Frank Wildhorn with Jane Monheit & Clint Holmes continues 'At the Piano in Song and Story', featuring Wildhorn's pop, jazz, and theatre songbook at Cafe Carlyle, through February 1st, 2014. Check out phtos from the concert below!

Winners of the 12th Annual Nightlife Awards and Special Guest Stars joined together to celebrate New York Nightlife on Monday, January 27th at 7 PM at The Town Hall. Special Guest Stars included Stephanie J. Block. Tony Award Winner Bill Irwin, Tony Nominee Jason Robert Brown, Recording and Concert Artist Nellie McKay, and the show's Three-Time Emmy Award-winning host, Bruce Vilanch. Check out a look behind the scenes below!

NEW YORK FESTIVAL OF SONG continues its new series NYFOS AFTER HOURS with “A GOYISHE CHRISTMAS TO YOU!” Yuletide Classics by Jewish Songwriters.

If you're wondering whether or not 2013 was a fantastic year for the cabaret art form in New York, all you have to do is scan the amazing list of nominees for this year's BroadwayWorld New York Cabaret Awards and you'll know it was one of the best ever. So now it's time for all you cabaret performers and fans to vote for the best singers, musicians, songs, and shows of the year. Voting will continue until Sunday night January 5 and the winners will be announced later that week. We hope that all the winners will be able to perform in the Award show on Sunday night February 23 at Joe's Pub.

NEW YORK FESTIVAL OF SONG continues its new series NYFOS AFTER HOURS with “A GOYISHE CHRISTMAS TO YOU!” Yuletide Classics by Jewish Songwriters.

ScoBar Entertainment and Iridium NYC last night presented a one-night-only Tribute to Ervin Drake. The evening celebrated the life and music of legendary 94-year-old American songwriter whose works include Great American Songbook standards such as 'It Was A Very Good Year,' which was popularized by Frank Sinatra. Drake, who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983 also wrote the songs 'I Believe,' 'Good Morning Heartache,' 'Tico-Tico,' 'Perdido,' 'Now I Have Everything,' 'A Room without Windows,' 'AL DI LA,' & 'Quando Quando.' He is also the composer and lyricist of the 1964 Broadway show, What Makes Sammy Run.

ScoBar Entertainment and Iridium NYC have announced that they will present a one-night-only Tribute to Ervin Drake tonight, September 17th at 8pm. The evening will celebrate the life and music of legendary 94-year-old American songwriter whose works include Great American Songbook standards such as 'It Was A Very Good Year,' which was popularized by Frank Sinatra.

ScoBar Entertainment and Iridium NYC have announced that they will present a one-night-only Tribute to Ervin Drake on Tuesday, September 17th at 8pm. The evening will celebrate the life and music of legendary 94-year-old American songwriter whose works include Great American Songbook standards such as "It Was A Very Good Year," which was popularized by Frank Sinatra.

ScoBar Entertainment will present A TRIBUTE TO ERVIN DRAKE, one night only, Tuesday, September 17th at 8pm. The evening will celebrate the music & life of legendary American songwriter Ervin Drake, whose works include "I Believe," "Good Morning Heartache," "It Was A Very Good Year," "Tico-Tico," "Perdido," "Now I Have Everything," "A Room without Windows," "AL DI LA," & "Quando Quando," to name a few.

Five Towns College is honoring entertainment luminaries for their Contributions to the World of Entertainment by naming four schools, three centers, a theater and a new graduate library after them. The naming dedications are: John Lennon Music & Technology Center, Charles Strouse School of Music, Jule Styne School of Theatre, Maury Yeston School of Education, Stewart F. Lane School of Business, Frank Loesser College Theater, Ervin Drake Popular Music Center, Stanley Cohen College Library, Barbara Siman Dance Center, Richard Hayman Graduate Library and the Nederlander Worldwide Production Center. Scroll down for photos from last month's dedication ceremony!

In addition to her New Year's Eve performances at the Metropolitan Room on December 31, Marilyn Maye kept the party going with five unprecedented, by-request shows during the first week of the year. 'Marilyn By Request,' in which Maye and her Billy Stritch-led band will create a new show based on audience requests, marks her return to her downtown stomping ground. Check out photos from the closing night show below!