Review: OUR SINATRA: A MUSICAL CELEBRATION at Birdland Salutes the Legendary Singer

 What a “swelligant, elegant party” this was at OUR SINATRA: A MUSICAL CELEBRATION at Birdland, JANUARY 11, 2024.  Attired in their finest black evening clothes as elegant and debonair as the man himself, the singing trio of Eric Comstock (on piano), Hilary Kole, and Brian Long, accompanied by Boots Maleson on bass, took the rapt audience on a delightfully smooth journey with Ol’ Blue Eyes through his decades of memorable and emotion-filled music. 

The library of songs made famous by the late, great Frank Sinatra is vast and the trio joyfully and playfully interacted as they moved through the years.  From classic 1940’s ballads through his saloon and movie songs, to those swinging 50’s and 60’s classics, OUR SINATRA: A MUSICAL CELEBRATION at Birdland didn’t forget a note or in Sinatra’s case, any of his emotions.

A “mother of all medleys” consisting of 31 of Sinatra’s hits had theatergoers singing along with the performers.  Stand out performances included: Hill ary Kole’s sonorous rendition of Cole Porter’s timeless ballad, “Night and Day”, Brian Long’s deep and intense version of “Old Man River” by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II and the joyful “Pennies From Heaven” in which Eric Comstock engaged the entire audience’s participation.   With so many brilliant and delicious melodies to choose from in the repertoire of Sinatra how could you go wrong?  From the crooning “Come Rain or Come Shine” to the melodious “Summer Wind” to the uplifting “Fly Me To The Moon” and “The Best Is Yet To Come” among many many more, this reviewer was completely enchanted by this overwhelming recognition of the amazing talent that was Frank Sinatra.  We were told that it was Sinatra who was the first to show an emotional connection to singing, much less express vulnerability, something unheard of before him.

Yet no such swell party could end without the hometown gift that Sinatra made his own, the renowned “New York, New York.”  As if on cue, the entire darkened room in the Big Apple complete with native New Yorkers and tourists from beyond our borders all erupted in chorus with the vocalists.  As Sinatra himself said, “May you all live to be 100, and may the last voice you hear be mine.” This reviewer thought that the night was just “too marvelous for words.”

OUR SINATRA: A MUSICAL CELEBRATION featured Eric Comstock (on piano), Hilary Kole, Brian Long, and accompanied by Boots Maleson on bass.

Find more great shows to see on The Birdland website here.

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