The thirty fourth annual Jazz in July series at the 92nd Street Y has just concluded with six shows, each one a gem. Series artistic director, Grammy Award-winning pianist, Bill Charlap, has…
If music is an international language, then it's nowhere more true than in the jazz world. Jazz artists"singers and instrumentalists"make up a tight community of travelers. Mention the name …
As time marches on, as new songs enter the American songbook and as more and more cabaret shows move further away from the classics of the past, preservation of this musical heritage becomes…
A new foundation, a rebranded foundation and two established foundations are stepping up to keep American music safe. And be assured, American music in all of its forms does need to be prote…
If ever there was a match made in entertainment heaven, it is Natalie Douglas with Dame Shirley Bassey. Both singers have remarkable vocal instruments"powerful voices and the wherewithal to …
If there's such a thing as reincarnation, KT Sullivan was surely a notable monarch in one of her past lives. Her command of a stage, large or small, is complete. On the intimate platform of …
Lee Horwin has been fascinated by actress, singer and philanthropist, Libby Holman, for decades. So has actor/director/writer Walter Willison. The two have combined their shared passion for …
Spider Saloff is so darn appealing you just want to wrap her up and take her home. The singer is a bubbly package of entertainment perfection. She's poised, witty, personable, smart and most…
The Tuscany Project 2018 is not your "usual" vocal workshop. This immersive experience offers a path to creative enlightenment, encouraging participants to "sing your song" in a way that con…
Nightlife, the naughty stepchild of live entertainment, may finally be finding redemption and validation with the long-awaited repeal of the so-called "Cabaret Law" and the creation of the C…
Composer Harvey Schmidt, perhaps best known for his work with lyricist Tom Jones in creating the legendary musical, The Fantasticks, passed away in Texas on February 28, at age 88. Schmidt a…
Five of the singing waiters, the Stardusters, from Ellen's Stardust Diner, descended the stairs to The Iridium on February 20th, and knocked the socks off an enthusiastic house (plus a huge …
Josephine: A Burlesque Cabaret Dream Play, billed as a combination of cabaret, theater and dance, scores high marks for story telling and presentation, even if the title of the show is a bit…
Ten years ago, Christine Pedi started what would become a tradition in New York City holiday shows. Originally she named it Holly Jolly Christmas Folly, until she received a cease-and-desist…
It's been almost ten weeks since Maestro Barry Levitt passed away suddenly and unexpectedly, sending shock waves through the music community he touched in so many ways. And yet, The Maestro …
By MARILYN LESTER**** When the music comes up at the Iridium this Wednesday night, December 6, 2017, the occasion will essentially mark the launch of The Barry Levitt Foundation " just the w…
When someone as beloved as Barry Levitt passes on, those who mourn are especially affected. When that transition to the larger life is completely unexpected, the shock and sorrow are magnifi…
From the moment the Dutch set foot here in 1624, New York has been a place ever-evolving. Ours is a city that dynamically reinvents itself " a place where change is a way of life. Until rece…
In 1939, the hugely popular international film star Marlene Dietrich made the western comedy, Destry Rides Again with the equally popular American actor James Stewart. It's from this highly …
On its website, The Algonquin Hotel rightly acknowledges itself as "one of the most historic and famous hotels in New York City." Its history is rich, stretching back to 1902. It was the hom…
He's dapper, distinguished and easily could have walked out of a Hollywood film " think the sophistication and eloquence of Burt Lancaster or Robert Preston or George Raft (who might well ha…
For as long as there's been a Great White Way, they come to New York City to break into the business " fresh-faced young talent with plenty of ability and energy to spare. Presently, sixty o…
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season o…
Never mind the dog days of August. For relief from a currently fraught political situation " or any of life's woes " Jerry's Girls is just the ticket. This special Summer Musicals in Mufti a…
The self-proclaimed "Gay Geezer," Ira Lee Collings, is, at 81, still a work in progress. No matter that he's been performing since he was a kid on the radio, the old guy is as young at heart…