Review: NIGHT OF COOL Simmers in the NYC Heat at Triad Theater

Nestled in the Upper West Side of NYC, the historic Triad theater hosted a glorious leap back in musical time last evening with the phenomenal Russell Moss and his “Night of Cool.”  A full-voiced baritone, the singer has the depth and capacity to hit those long notes not only to the back of the room, but to reverberate and envelop theatergoers.  What a voice!  Russell Moss, a veteran of film, TV and stage has honed his craft over the years as well as owning a cabaret theater of his own in Indiana. 

Suavely dressed in a gray pinstripe suit complete with blue tie, Moss started off the evening in a rather refreshing way, personally going through the audience as he introduced himself and shook hands with each and every member of the audience prior to even ascending to the stage.  This reviewer was pleasantly surprised, but soon found that the native LA performer obviously enjoys the immersive experience throughout his show. 

Bouncing up onto the stage, Moss hit the ground running with his own brand of “old sensibility at words” as he so aptly put it. So the songs that legends such as Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Louis Armstrong, Tom Jones and Burt Bacharach made famous took flight into the ears and hearts of the audience.   Songs such as “I’ve Got the World on a String”, “Lazy River” and “One For My Baby” had theatergoers singing along.  

A riveting version of the 1936 Louis Prima smash, “Pennies From Heaven,” showcased the talents of the amazing band.  Solos by Stan Killian (Sax), Andy Warren (trumpet) and Keith Crupi (Drums) had the audience on its feet.  Once again, the immersive element of this performance came into play, with band members going into the theater itself as they serenaded the audience.

Special guest partner Hannah Celeste joined Russell Moss on stage for a duet that included “St. James Infirmary.”  Clad in a pink dress with matching killer heels, Hannah Celeste has her own impressive set of singing chops.  She soars with ease on those high notes!  A later duet with her included a “Bacharach Medley”.  Wow, wow, wow is all this reviewer can say!  These two talented singers had the filled to capacity room emotional as they sang along with the well known tunes of the famous Burt Bacharach. Standout performances included “I Say A Little Prayer” and “Close to You” by the maestro of pop.

Post intermission, Moss re-emerged decked out in full over the top late 1970’s Elvis attire for rousing renditions of “Now Or Never’ and  “Love Me Tonight” to the squeals of joy by several female members of the audience. A final change of costume saw the melodious singer in gray slacks with a black and silver sequined jacket.  Rousing renditions of “King Of The Road,” “What a Wonderful World” (made famous by the late, great Louis Armstrong) and “My Way” (the Frank Sinatra classic) rounded out the evening.  A final performance of the Mary Hopkins hit, “Those Were The Days,” became a sing-along performance with the star of the night.  The Welsh singer’s smash 1968 song in many ways was the theme of the entire evening.  Each and every tune performed gave a unique history through the days of musical evolution.

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A Night of Cool Featuring Russell Moss presented the phenomenally talented master of song, Russell Moss with a guest performance by Hannah Celeste. Russell Moss’s Five Piece Orchestra included: Andy Warren on Trumpet, Stan Killian on Saxophone, Michael O’Brian on Bass, Keith Crupi on Drums and Antongiulio Foti on Piano.

Learn more about Russell Moss online at russellwmoss.com

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