Review: BILLY STRICHT - ALL FOR YOU at Feinstein's At The Nikko

Billy Stricht made his Feinstein’s at the Nikko solo debut an auspicious evening, stepping into center stage, commanding the Yamaha keys, and mesmerizing his fans with a nearly two-hour set of two dozen musical gems. For decades Stricht has been the go to accompanist, confidant and composer to the elite (Liza Minelli, Tony Bennett, Marilyn Maye, Linda Lavin, Linda Eder, Christine Ebersole and Paulo Szot), and he certainly knows how to fashion a set, thoughtfully weaving tempos, rhythms and styles into a pleasing menu of some chestnuts, but mostly seldom heard treasures.

A New Yorker by way of Sugarland, Texas, Stricht hit the Big Apple at the tail end of the golden age of the Great American Songbook and pulls material from the likes of Jimmy Webb, Cy Coleman, and Arthur Freed. Opening with a rousing “Come Fly with Me/ Up, Up and Away,” Billy segued into the lovely, optimistic  “Lucky To Be Me” (Leonard Bernstein). David Frishberg’s “Sweet Kentucky Ham” is introduced as a travelling musician’s song, and Billy also covered Carole Bayer Sager and Peter Allen’s 1976 “Planes”, another travelling tune. A writer himself, his original ballad “Since You Left New York, co-written with Sandy Knox, is their pandemic breakup song.

Stricht stays with his baritone range, and his piano work is exceptional. He’s a musical historian, chock full of backstories and an encyclopedic knowledge of song. His nod to Cy Coleman with “Let Me Down Easy” is a classy breakup song handled impeccably. A Singing in the Rain medley illustrated how songs culled from movies twenty years earlier made their way into the 1952 film and is a crowd pleaser. A Mel Torme tribute celebrating his 100th birthday was a good fit for Stritch’s vocals. “Born to Be Blue,” You’re Driving Me Crazy,” “A Nightengale Sang,” and “Mountain Greenery” were heartfelt and beautifully arranged.

A highlight was his interpretation of “When the World Was Young” by Philippe-Gérard and Angèle Vanniet, with English lyrics by Johnny Mercer, and his encore of Sammy Fain and Lew Brown’s  “That Old Feeling” / “I Thought About You” (Jimmy Van Heusen/Johnny Mercer) from his 2020 CD Billy’s Place. Stricht is a natural performer, comfortable with his material and banter. He mentioned that he usually sits stage right but likes to be center stage. He certainly deserves that spot.

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