A MABEL MERCER BROADWAY PORTFOLIO to Feature Phillip Officer at Birdland

Phillip Officer will celebrate the artistry and influence of legendary song stylist Mabel Mercer in A Mabel Mercer Broadway Portfolio, playing Birdland on Monday, October 26 at 7 p.m.

Officer will be joined by special guests Tony Award winner Alice Ripley, Natalie Douglas and Marieann Meringolo for an evening exploring the Broadway repertoire associated with Mercer.

Known for her distinctive approach to lyric interpretation and storytelling, Mercer influenced generations of singers including Frank Sinatra, Lena Horne, Tony Bennett, Bobby Short, Peggy Lee and Nat King Cole. Her repertoire encompassed work by many of the major Broadway songwriters of the 20th century, including Cole Porter, George and Ira Gershwin, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, and Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh.

Rather than imitating Mercer's style, Officer will offer his own interpretations of standards and rarely heard selections from her repertoire, with an emphasis on storytelling and the lyric.

The evening will feature Mark Hartman as music director, arranger and pianist, with Jonathan Michel on bass and Mollie Rose on violin.

About Phillip Officer

Officer appeared on Broadway in the Tony Award-nominated musical Side Show and has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Algonquin Hotel's Oak Room, Birdland, Symphony Space, 92NY and Rainbow & Stars, as well as theatres and concert venues across the country.

His recordings include Fancy Meeting You: The Lyrics of E.Y. “Yip” Harburg, which received a Bistro Award; Many a New Day: The Lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein II; Heart and Soul: The Musical World of Hoagy Carmichael; and You Keep Coming Back Like a Song.

His newest release, You Fascinate Me So, is a tribute to Mercer.

A Mabel Mercer Broadway Portfolio

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