It’s De-Lovely: A 125th Birthday Celebration of Cole Porter

Alix Cohen | June 10, 2016

It’s De-Lovely:
A 125th Birthday Celebration of Cole Porter

Presented by The Mabel Mercer Foundation

Weill Recital Hall, NYC, June 7, 2016

Reviewed by Alix Cohen for Cabaret Scenes

Photos by Maryann Lopinto

KT Sullivan

A century after he started writing, Cole Porter’s songs remain the ne plus ultra of elegance, wit and sophistication. Donald Smith, creator of the Mabel Mercer Foundation, began throwing the songwriter birthday parties at age 9. I’ll give you a moment to picture that. Twenty-five years ago, Smith was able to move his urbane shindig to Carnegie Hall. Last night, the Foundation’s current Artistic Director, KT Sullivan, helmed Porter’s gala 125th at Weill Recital Hall. A cornucopia of vocalists flew in, dressed up and, performing, appeared to have as good a time as the audience.

Jeff Harnar

After being welcomed by a magisterial-looking Sullivan, the concert opened with Jeff Harnar, who’d also sung at Carnegie Hall. The vocalist’s “It’s De-Lovely” (Red, Hot and Blue) arrived with polished style and mellifluous tone. “De-lovely” has to fall trippingly off the tongue for this lyric to work. Harnar made it seem as natural as a silk pocket square. “A Little Skipper from Heaven Above” (from the same show), with the lyric “I’m about to become a mother,” written for and partly sung in the manner of Jimmy Durante, was a vaudeville-tinged hoot with the performer splendidly game and fun. (Alex Rybeck: piano; Saadi Zain: bass, David Silliman: drums)

Julie Reyburn

“I Concentrate on You” (from the film Broadway Melody of 1940) was rendered by Julie Reyburn with aptly besotted sincerity. Beautifully calibrated with long-lined phrasing, it spread like butter. (Bill Zeffiro: piano; Ritt Henn: bass)

Ronny Whyte

Ronny Whyte (on piano), who epitomizes the suave charm of another era, performed “Ev’rything I Love” (Let’s Face It) with evocative, lingering Ss. The effervescent high jinks of “They Couldn’t Compare to You” (Out of This World), god Mercury’s seduction of a bevy of goddesses, was wry yet swanky. Where else might one find lyrics like “…nestle ‘Essel’ Merman” and “…After that, I staged an orgy/For some friends o’ Lucrezia Borgie?” (Musicians: Zain; Silliman)

Barbara Brussell

In from California, Barbara Brussell offered a deeply sighed version of “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” (from the film Born to Dance) with shadowy, bowed bass, circling brushes, and undulating piano—a lovely arrangement. Brussell literally vibrates as music courses through her, making sentiments both personal and palpable. (Jon Weber: piano; Zain; Silliman.)

Tammy McCann

“From This Moment On” (Out of This World) and “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye” (Seven Lively Arts) were performed by Chicagoan Tammy McCann whose rich, refined alto and conversational phrasing are thoroughly appealing. The second number, verging on torch, was unusually moving. Piano almost comments with occasional textured contributions. (Musicians Weber; Zain; Silliman.)

Beckie Menzie & Tom Michael

Also from Chicago, Beckie Menzie (at the piano) and Tom Michael presented “Too Darn Hot” (Kiss Me, Kate)—with a bit of Irving Berlin’s “Heat Wave” and Holland/Dozier/Holland’s “Heat Wave” thrown in— followed by a unique treatment of “So in Love” (Kiss Me, Kate) with “All of You” (Silk Stockings), haunting to the point of possession. The number billowed like overlapping layers of chiffon appearing to hide something dark.

KT Sullivan’s “Tale of the Oyster” (Fifty Million Frenchmen) “done like it was in 1929” with silent film facial expressions of each of the oyster’s feelings, actually made us sympathetic to the innocent mollusk, a Porter trick skillfully enacted. Sullivan was both arch and sweet, no easy task. (Weber)

NaTasha Yvette Williams

“Blow, Gabriel, Blow” (Anything Goes) became gospel exuberance in the hands of NaTasha Yvette Williams. The vocalist began slow and compelling as if preaching, gradually opening her throat and arms until, accompanied by an audience clapping time, with KT Sullivan, Amra-Faye Wright and Tammy McCann on back-up vocals, she exerted her magnetism singing and dancing up a joyful storm. (Weber; Zain; Silliman)

Josephine Sanges

Josephine Sanges lent her luminous voice to “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To” (Something to Shout About, film score), replete with swaying, honeyed scat. It was sheer flirt. (John Cook: piano; Zain; Silliman)

Steve Ross

Steve Ross, one of our best purveyors of anything Porter, inimitably started with something eclectic—“The Great Indoors” (The New Yorkers)—which was tart and playful. It was his instrumental interpretation of “Begin the Beguine” (Jubilee), however, that stilled the room like nothing else tonight. The height of voluptuous romance down to its pauses, Porter’s tune emerged timeless, gorgeous.

Sullivan then joined Ross for a graceful and engaging “Just One of Those Things” (intended for The New Yorkers, used in Jubilee, featured in the films Lullaby of Broadway, Young at Heart and Can-Can). The audience, given lyrics in the programs, was then encouraged to join in as the show’s cast assembled on stage.

Cole-Porter-Cast-Cabaret-Scenes-Magazine Mr. Porter could not have been less than delighted with the affection and regard in which we still hold him and the variety of interpretations represented. Candles out for another year, we move on with a few discoveries and many fine memories. Musical direction was provided by Jon Weber.

The smooth-running, jam-packed show ran long.

Dawn Derow & Marcus Goldhaber;
Martha Lorin with Jon Weber (piano) & Saadi Zain (bass)

Also Featuring: Dawn Derow and Marcus Goldhaber in a blithe duet, “Let’s Do It (Let’s Fall in Love,”) replete with cute footwork; Martha Lorin with short-phrased jazz (“Get Out of Town”); Kristoffer Lowe’s “medlette”—two dreamy songs—”Night and Day” and “Dream Dancing,” sung as if classical;

Kristoffer Lowe; Amra-Faye Wright; Annie Hughes

Amra-Faye Wright’s near burlesque turn (“My Heart Belongs to Daddy”); Annie Hughes’ extremely broad comedy (“The Laziest Gal in Town”; Daryl Kojak: piano); Matt Baker, more emphatic pianist than singer (“Do I Love You?” and “It’s All Right with Me”); Lindsey Holloway’s earnest monotone (“I

Matt Baker; Lindsey Holloway; Jacob Storms

Am in Love”); Jacob Storms’ somewhat strident odes to Manhattan (“I Happen to Like New York”/”Take Me Back to Manhattan”); Kim Grogg’s brassy, music hall number (“Come to the Supermarket in Old Peking”); and Carolyn Montgomery-Forant, who almost ruined a pretty vocal rumba with unaccountable mugging (“I Get a Kick Out of You”).