Review: KT SULLIVAN...Tuesdays at The Algonquin Roundtable

I’m a devotee of singing/pianists and pianist/singers, so when longtime friend and artistic director of the Mabel Mercer Foundation KT Sullivan stayed with us in Palm Beach and woke us up each morning to the sound of her piano practicing, I was all ears.  Having some skills at that endeavor myself, I can always relate to the talents of artists that exemplify the amalgamation of both skills. Legends Nat King Cole, Buddy Greco, Frankie Randall, Bobby Short, Billy Stritch, Mark Nadler and Peter Cincotti are just a few of the favorites from my generation that come to mind. 

Well known and honored for her soprano voice, acting, and mastery of the Great American Songbook, KT recently rekindled some basic piano skills to be able to accompany herself for a few intimate engagements… the Round Table at The Algonquin on Tuesdays being one of them.

KT started accompanying herself during COVID lockdown when she couldn’t work with accompanists.  She tried out songs for her husband Steve Downey in their apartment in Manhattan Plaza and her first public performances were in August of 2020 at Westbank Cafe, playing and singing for masked audiences sitting on the 42nd Street sidewalk.  This led to KT being asked to be the weekly singing pianist in the Algonquin Hotel’s lobby adjacent to the famed Oak Room where KT was a headliner for over two decades, accompanied by pianists such as Larry Woodard, Jon Weber, Mark Nadler and Tedd Firth

 To be totally factual here, KT does not have the harmonic and technical keyboard skills of a Jon Weber or Tedd Firth, but what she does have is the facility that all singer/pianists have in creating an accompaniment that is distinct in it’s ability to envelope their voices. It  comes from the same performer employing both skills and weaving the music together.  

As KT recently told me, “I lost my husband on December 7th of 2021, but I’m never bored and never lonely because of all the songs I want to learn and all those joyful possibilities of chords to go with them.”  We were certainly not bored at The Algonquin last night listening to KT Sullivan’s beautiful voice, interesting conversation, and “all those chords.” Yes, Nights at The Roundtable have a long history of being interesting, and now especially on Tuesdays.

Find more information on the show, and KT Sullivan, on her website.

KT Sullivan

The Algonquin

KT Sullivan

KT Sullivan

KT Sullivan

KT Sullivan

KT Sullivan

Eda Sorokoff & KT Sullivan

Dorthy Parker & The Roundtable