Jill Switzer News

There were many highlights in this show, but memorable for me were Clint’s haunting vocal and narrative for “Nature Boy” and Stritch’s wistful rendition of “Somewhere Along The Way.'

Continuing the Thursday night special at Table 26, Jill & Rich Switzer brought their Jazz and Pop music to the delight of the dinner crowd at the popular Palm Beach restaurant last night. 

A few days post Marilyn Maye’s memorable engagement in the Wick Theatre Cabaret Johnny Carson’s favorite singer was relaxing and dining with friends at Table 26 in Palm Beach.  The other patrons in the restaurant subsequently got an unexpected rare treat. 

Friends, Celebrities, Fans, Dick Robinson’s Legends Radio, together with Mo Rocca and the CBS Sunday Morning Show crew were all in the Cabaret Room at The Wick Theater last night for a momentous performance by Marilyn Maye on the occasion of her 93rd Birthday.  It wasn’t only CBS that had its cameras on for the big event. 

And now the Wick Theater has deservedly and symbolically been anointed as one of the most important Cabaret venues by another Marilyn - Marilyn Maye, who without doubt is one of the most towering vocalists in American popular music. She began her 4 night engagement last evening in the Wick Cabaret. (The Wick Theatre will be opening shortly).

Imagine  a night club gig starring  Mel Torme, with Anita O’Day or Ella Fitzgerald as his guest vocalist, and the Oscar Peterson Trio backing them up.  That’s the way it sounded in the Wick Theater’s Cabaret last night as the award winning singer Nicolas King had guest vocalist Veronica Swift and pianist Mike Renzi and trio on the stage with him.  It was a musically sophisticated audience at the dinner tables for this show.. Everyone in the elegant room had reserved well in advance.  

Billy Stritch brought the musical elegance of his wildly successful internet show “Billy’s Place” to the glamorous Cabaret Room at The Wick Theatre last night. Miami and Palm Beach celebs turned out for the event as did Billy’s South Florida fans who filled every table in the CDC compliant Cabaret space created by Marilyn Wick.

Mr. Caruso keeps lining up great guests for his devoted fans.

Join the party tonight (8pm) with special guests Warren Wright, Terry Burrell, Tom Kitt, Rich & Jill Switzer, Derek Klena, Brain Carter and Stephen Mahy.

Because of the current crisis there may not have been many places on the planet where anyone was smiling last night but for 90 minutes at least, Steve Tyrell was able to remind us that there will be a “Sunny Side Of The Street”. It's one of his signature songs that was used by NASA to wake up the astronauts in space every morning.   Sitting in Table 26 and listening to Steve's song list which had many Great American Songbook tunes on it written during the Great Depression and WWll it reminded me that this too shall pass albeit with some pain.  

There has never been a “menu special” more special than the one that Table 26 served up last night. Steve Tyrell one of the most celebrated crooners of American Songbook standards returned to Eddie & Ozzies popular restaurant and brought the excitement, glamour, and great music that used to reign in the legendary Royal Room back to the Palm Beach area. The food at Table 26 has some secret ingredients that stimulate the palate and Steve Tyrell possesses the melodic secret ingredients that stimulate your musical palate. It's that combination of exceptional melody, harmony, rhythm, and his vocal expression that make the songs of the great American composers and lyricists come to life.

The Pat Boone family and the Legends Radio family were on the Eissey Campus Theater Stage last night as the legendary singer/actor/composer received the Lifetime Achievement Award from The Society for the Preservation of The Great American Songbook and daughter Debby Boone performed a concert that thrilled the Palm Beach audience.

Michael Feinstein, the artist most thought of when the words “The Great American Songbook” are spoken, returned to one of his musical homes away from home last night. Michael and The Kravis Center Pops Orchestra Big Band filled Dreyfoos Hall at The Kravis Center with the swinging sounds of Frank, Dean, Sammy and Bobby Darin among others.

Young & Old Friends of great music had much to celebrate at Jan McArt's Live at Lynn University last night. Clint Holmes, Veronica Swift and Nicholas King brought the Musical Review “New York, Old Friend” to the Live at Lynn Theatre Series produced by Jan McArt.

'If nominations for the first couple of Palm Beach County music were held, vocalist Jill Switzer and multi-instrumentalist Rich Switzer would be near the top of the list of candidates,' raved Florida Weekly. They are also the perfect musical couple with which to celebrate New Year's Eve with two amazing performances at the Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 N.W. Ninth Street in Delray Beach (33444).

Most performers have a career/performance arc. Oftentimes fans compare early Sinatra crooning to the Chairman of the Board's later rugged vocal swagger. As the years ascend it's not unusual for vocalists to descend a key on the melodic scale. Marilyn Maye connoisseurs marvel at her early recordings but are also completely captivated by the current version of the super singer.

The RRAZZ ROOM audience got a Christmas gift last night, a voice and musician sent from heaven. Maureen McGovern, with her glorious tone, phrasing and dynamics filled the RRazz Room with a performance that was musical perfection. Actually, the same accolades go to her pianist for the evening, the legendary Mike Renzi. His pianistic tone, phrasing, dynamics, and harmonics are equalled by few. Maureen McGovern's voice “gets you” on all levels, she has a compelling Alto, a haunting Mid Range, and a Soprano that possesses the virtuosity to handle her excellent improvisational ability. This was the 45th Anniversary of Maureen's theme song “ The Morning After” which won the Oscar for Best Song of the year 1973 and yes, Jill & Rich Switzer of Legends Radio and everyone else present are talking about Maureen McGovern “ The Morning After”

"If nominations for the first couple of Palm Beach County music were held, vocalist Jill Switzer and multi-instrumentalist Rich Switzer would be near the top of the list of candidates," raved Florida Weekly.

The temp may be a bit high during the summer months in Florida but the music at Jazz on a Summer Night With Jill & Rich was pretty cool (and Hot) at the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County last night.

Eric Yves Garcia had a great pianist to accompany his singing last night at the Pelican Cafe…..Mr. Garcia himself was on the keys! There is nothing musically more satisfying than the experience of hearing an eloquent and serious pianist creating the arrangements that envelope his vocals. The piano harmonies always integrate more effectively and accurately when the voice and the fingers combine. It's a great club that Mr. Garcia belongs to, Nat King Cole, Buddy Greco, Diana Krall, Bobby Short, BIlly Stritch, Tony DeSare and others. An added treat for last night's patrons was having Avery Sommers and local celebrity Rob Russell in the audience and Mr. Garcia also played effectively for them.