Marian McPartland News

At a ceremony held last night in New York, the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs announced the winners of the 2015 MAC Awards. The show was hosted by Karen Mason, with musical direction by Barry Levitt, and was produced by Julie Miller and directed by Lennie Watts.

GABRIELLE STRAVELLI - the acclaimed pop/jazz vocalist called 'ingenious' by The Wall Street Journal and known from her tours with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, appearances at the 92nd Street Y and her long-running Soho jazz brunch - will join tenor saxophonist Ed Finkel as he brings a group of well-known New York jazz artists to the Heinz W. Otto Gallery at the Watchung Arts Center in Watchung, NJ tonight, March 28 at 8 PM. A dessert reception will follow the performance.

Following the success of the previous two festivals, the 3rd Annual New York Hot Jazz Festival -- produced by the impresario Michael 'Misha' Katsobashvili, performer Bria Skonberg, and composer/producer Patrick Soluri (of Prohibition Productions and The Salon) -- returns to The Players this year and promises some of the biggest stars of the Hot Jazz and swing scenes in a summit of uptown and downtown talent spanning three generations.

GABRIELLE STRAVELLI - the acclaimed pop/jazz vocalist called 'ingenious' by The Wall Street Journal and known from her tours with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, appearances at the 92nd Street Y and her long-running Soho jazz brunch - will join tenor saxophonist Ed Finkel as he brings a group of well-known New York jazz artists to the Heinz W. Otto Gallery at the Watchung Arts Center in Watchung, NJ on Saturday, March 28 at 8 PM. A dessert reception will follow the performance.

The singer, songwriter and recording artist Carolyn Montgomery-Forant continues her recent comeback as she adds new shows to the critically acclaimed run of 'Visible Phoenix' at the Laurie Beechman Theater, 407 West 42nd Street, a show which took off in October. The flame-throwing wit's first solo show since returning to the stage in January of last year, 'Visible Phoenix' marches on Fridays, tonight, March 13, and April 10, May 8. All shows are at 7pm.

The singer, songwriter and recording artist Carolyn Montgomery-Forant continues her recent comeback as she adds new shows to the critically acclaimed run of "Visible Phoenix" at the Laurie Beechman Theater, 407 West 42nd Street, a show which took off in October. The flame-throwing wit's first solo show since returning to the stage in January of last year, "Visible Phoenix" marches on Fridays March 13, April 10, May 8. All shows are at 7pm.

Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts presents the 2014-15 Jazz series finale: AARON DIEHL QUARTET featuring Aaron Diehl, piano, Peter Washington, bass, Pete Van Nostrand, drums, and Warren Wolf, vibes. Tonight, March 7, 2015, 8:00 p.m. at the Miller Theatre at Columbia University (2960 Broadway at 116th Street).

The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs will present the 29th Annual MAC Awards on Thursday, March 26st, at 7:30pm, at B.B King Blues Club & Grill in New York City.

Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts presents the 2014-15 Jazz series finale: AARON DIEHL QUARTET featuring Aaron Diehl, piano, Peter Washington, bass, Pete Van Nostrand, drums, and Warren Wolf, vibes. Saturday, March 7, 2015, 8:00 p.m. at the Miller Theatre at Columbia University (2960 Broadway at 116th Street)

Whidbey Island Center for the Arts has announced the The 88 Keys Piano Club in Zech Hall featuring some of the top talent in the genre side by side with host Maureen Girard tonight, January 24, 2015, 7:30 pm.

As the days dwindled down to a precious few in 2014, a few cabaret goers and performers in what is affectionately but also self-mockingly called the “cabaret community” would sidle up and ask if I was planning my annual end-of-the year “Best Of” column, similar to the “Top 20 Bests and Favorites” piece over the first half of the year I posted back in early July. I would respond in the negative with very reasonable and believable excuses, but the truth is I didn't want to reveal my “Bests” of the year until the voting for the 2014 BroadwayWorld New York Cabaret Awards had ended. There's enough baggage and backstage whispering that comes with administering the BWW Awards, so I wasn't about to publish any opinions that might influence the vote while it was in process. I may be crazy but I'm not masochistic. But now all bets are off. You want lists? I'll give you lists.

Stacy Sullivan will reprise 'On the Air,' honoring the legacy of of Marian McPartland, harmonic genius and composer, who created 'Piano Jazz,' the longest running cultural program in the history of National Public Radio. The show will play one show only at Metropolitan Room on Friday, January 16th at 9:30pm. BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at the show below!

Stacy Sullivan, will reprise 'On the Air,' honoring the legacy of of Marian McPartland, harmonic genius and composer, who created 'Piano Jazz,' the longest running cultural program in the history of National Public Radio. The show will play one show only at Metropolitan Room tonight, January 16th at 9:30pm.

Whidbey Island Center for the Arts has announced the The 88 Keys Piano Club in Zech Hall featuring some of the top talent in the genre side by side with host Maureen Girard on Saturday, January 24, 2015, 7:30 pm.

Stacy Sullivan, will reprise 'On the Air," honoring the legacy of of Marian McPartland, harmonic genius and composer, who created "Piano Jazz," the longest running cultural program in the history of National Public Radio. The show will play one show only at Metropolitan Room on Friday, January 16th at 9:30pm.

If you've been a regular reader of this particular reviewer's musings, you know that every year there are long stretches of time where I just haven't been able to critique all the shows I've seen that deserve commentary. So I end up playing what they call in sports, 'Catch-up ball,' and post a mash up of belated reviews from past shows. It's kind of like a critic's version of the song 'Six Months Out of Every Year,' from Damn Yankees. Give or take a month or two, that's usually the time period during which I store unpublished reviews in my fevered brain and then unload them all in one seemingly endless column-like this one is going to be. If my cabaret-show reviewing days will be over (as chronicled here), I might as well go out with a bang-and relieve my procrastination guilt during holiday season. Now I can scratch one New Year's resolution off the list.

Stacy Sullivan tells the audience she became interested in Marian McPartland when she was asked to sing at her memorial in 2013. With her show last Saturday night at Don't Tell Mama, On The Air: Songs for Marian McPartland (which enjoyed a late September run of four shows at the York Theatre), the multi MAC-award winning Sullivan has created a beautifully crafted, biographically-driven show featuring the original music, the history, and the life of a jazz icon, who was best known for hosting Piano Jazz on National Public Radio from 1978-2011. Now Stacy Sullivan has made us all interested in the amazing Marian McPartland.

Legendary Jazz Pianist McCoy Tyner will be the Jazz Master Honoree at this year's annual Giants of Jazz Concert at South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) in South Orange, NJ. The concert will take place tonight, November 29 at 8pm at 1 SOPAC Way, South Orange, NJ, 07079, and will feature an unparalleled gathering of jazz artists who will play in tribute to McCoy Tyner.

Legendary Jazz Pianist McCoy Tyner will be the Jazz Master Honoree at this year's annual Giants of Jazz Concert at South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) in South Orange, NJ. The concert will take place Sat., November 29 at 8pm at 1 SOPAC Way, South Orange, NJ, 07079, and will feature an unparalleled gathering of jazz artists who will play in tribute to McCoy Tyner. Last minute additions to the roster of artists are expected and highly anticipated. The tribute will be a celebratory event as renowned jazz artists come together to honor one of their own. Tickets are priced from $40- $60. To purchase, contact SOPAC at 973.313.ARTS (2787) or visit www.SOPACnow.org. Proceeds help to support South Orange Free Summer Concerts.

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director; Andrew Levine, Executive Director), dedicated to the development of new musicals and preserving musical gems from the past, presents a special event On the Air: Songs for Marian McPartland, a musical tribute honoring the legendary radio host, starring vocalist and radio personality Stacy Sullivan, with Jon Weber, on piano. Four performances only, Friday, September 26, 2014 through Sunday, September 28, 2014 at The York Theatre Company's home at Saint Peters (Citicorp Building, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue).