MAC Award-Winning Vocalist Gary Crawford Presents BARRY LEVITT SONGBOOK at the Met Room Tonight

Vocalist Gary Crawford burst onto the New York cabaret scene like a "thunderbolt" in October 2014 with his debut show In Love With Love at the Metropolitan Room. With the veteran Music Director and Arranger Maestro Barry Levitt at the piano, Crawford produced a captivating show that earned him rave reviews from BroadwayWorld.com and Cabaret Scenes Magazine and ultimately a 2014 Manhattan Association of Cabaret & Clubs Award (MAC) for "Best Male Vocal Debut." (Crawford had already performed a "CD Release" show of In Love With Love at the Metropolitan Room that April, see video).

After spending the past year and a half performing as a guest singer in variety shows throughout city at venues such as Iridium, Birdland, Don't Tell Mama, and Urban Stages, Crawford has again teamed up with Levitt for a new show, this one featuring songs composed by Levitt himself. Crawford will star in Secret Dreams: Gary Crawford Sings The Barry Levitt Songbook at the Metropolitan Room on September 2 at 7 pm. The show will feature the Barry Levitt Quartet, including Jon Burr on bass, Ray Marchica on drums, and Jack Cavari on guitar, as well as special guest vocalists. The set list will feature songs with lyrics by Crawford, as well as many of Barry's past and present collaborators, including his wife Brenda Levitt, his daughter Dori Levitt, Peter Napolitano, Jack Wrangler, Ari Dane, and Sunny Leigh.

The genesis of this collaboration between Crawford and Levitt ("Who knew that a man who was 70-plus would end up being my muse," Barry jokes) began more than four years ago when Crawford heard the veteran Music Director playing piano at cabaret performer and host Dana Lorge's Wednesday Night at the Iguana open mic shows. "Barry's music took me to a magical place," Crawford admits, "and it took me a year to get up the courage to ask him if he would listen to me sing. When he did and thought I was good, it turned out to be the beginning of a new life for me."

Crawford has been working with Levitt ever since and the two teamed up to produce Crawford's CD and cabaret show based on that set list. During those recording and rehearsal sessions, Levitt would play a number of his original songs written over the last couple of decades. "As I listened to Barry's tunes, I know almost immediately that I wanted to sing them and share them with the world. The result is going to be this show."

Gary Crawford made his public singing debut in October 2011 at Dana Lorge's Wednesday Night at the Iguana Open Mic show, surprising everyone with his smooth baritone, natural rhythm, keen ability for phrasing, and engaging stage presence. Less than three years later, Gary was posing for pictures at B.B. King's while holding a MAC Award for his show In Love With Love.

During a career that has spanned four decades, Barry Levitt (photo right) has been an award-winning composer, pianist, conductor, music director, arranger, producer, and educator. As a ubiquitous presence within the New York music, cabaret, and theater communities, Levitt has served as music director and arranger for two Broadway shows, four Off-Broadway shows, and countless recording stars and iconic concert performers, including Marilyn Maye, Ben Vereen, Benadette Peters, Eartha Kitt, Rosemary Clooney, Sergio Franchi, Margaret Whiting, Julie Wilson, Marilyn Michaels, Karen Mason, and many more. Levitt has also conducted the New York, Boston, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Detroit, and Indianapolis Pops Orchestras, and from 1998-2003 he was the Producing Artistic Director for the 92nd Street Y's world renowned Lyrics & Lyricists series.

Secret Dreams: Gary Crawford Sings The Barry Levitt Songbook at the Metropolitan Room, Wednesday September 2, 2015 at 7 pm. Tickets are $20 (with a two-beverage minimum) and be purchased at http://metropolitanroom.com/event.cfm?id=211007 or by calling 212-206-0440. The Metropolitan Room is at 34 West 22nd Street, NYC, 10010.