Evan Stern & Steve Ross: Moon Country: The Songs of Johnny Mercer’s South
Evan Stern and Steve Ross
Moon Country: The Songs of Johnny Mercer’s South
Bruno Walter Auditorium, NYC, October 19, 2015
Reviewed by Peter Haas for Cabaret Scenes
On an early-autumn Monday evening, the far West Side rang with the singing of “Moon River.” It was the audience at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, at Lincoln Center, joining their voices with those of a new team—Evan Stern (pictured) and Steve Ross—to conclude their warm and entertaining new show celebrating the songs of Johnny Mercer.
Evan, a young and relative newcomer to cabaret, and seated on a stool mid-stage, narrated Mercer’s life story and took the majority of vocals to Ross’ sparkling piano accompaniment and occasional joining in. It was Mercer’s Georgia roots that first shaped his songwriting landscape, including the lyrics to “Skylark” and “Lazybones” (both written with Hoagy Carmichael), “Bob White” (written with Bernie Hanighen, and performed with Steve’s contributing Bob White’s whistling), and “Mister Meadowlark” (written with Walter Donaldson). Mercer later worked again with Carmichael on “In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening,” but became his own composer on such hits as “Dream” and “I’m an Old Cowhand (from the Rio Grande)”—all neatly performed, with a bass assist throughout by Jesse Behlenburg.
Mercer, noted Evan, found still another voice for his lyrics working with Harold Arlen, with whom he created “Blues in the Night,” “That Old Black Magic” and “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive.” But it was Henry Mancini with whom Mercer created the enduring “Moon River” for the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s. And it was “Moon River,” filling the night air over Lincoln Center, that concluded a warm, rich and highly professional evening.
It deserves more outings than its premier. We hope for its reprise.
Category: Cabaret Reviews, New York City, New York City Cabaret Reviews
