By Marilyn Lester***How long does it take for something to become “an institution” beyond being a tradition?” If 14 years suffices, then A Swinging Birdland Christmas at Birdland is most certainly an established Holiday institution, over five days and sold out for each one. The well-oiled machine that is Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch pack in humor, a touch of solemnity (“Silent Night/A Child Is Born”) and plenty of cheer into holiday songs and banter.
In a show polished to a high sheen, there’s a lot to refer to in repertoire amassed in 14 years, plus new items to add to the seasonal list. With drummer extraordinaire Daniel Glass opening with a drum feature to rival Gene Krupa’s on “Sing, Sing, Sing” (Louis Prima) for Benny Goodman, the trio swung hard into a Christmas Medley of “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, You Meet The Nicest People, We Need A Little Christmas” (Pola and Wyle, Bowers and Scott, Herman). And herein was planted a little game—how many times would the melody of “Jingle Bells” (James Pierpont) appear in numbers as the show moved along? Later on, an audience member counted 22—well, maybe yes, maybe no—but the total was high (and some of those riffs were pretty subtle).
A fast-paced presentation delivered Christmas bounty in song, in trios, duets and solos. One of the sweetest solos was bassist Steve Doyle taking center stage with his “axe” to sing a delightful “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas”
(Johnny Marks). Burl Ives introduced the tune in 1951 and it still ranks high on the Billboard end-of-year rankings. Doyle’s interpretation created a wondrous mood of childhood joy and contentment. Mysteriously, as Doyle sang the last notes of the song, Glass stepped out from behind his kit, drumsticks clacking. Astoundingly, he proceeded to play “Little Drummer Boy” (Katherine K. Davis) on the bass strings, with some help from Doyle’s fingering on the instrument’s neck.
Humor abounded in Cy Coleman’s “He’s Stuck in the Chimney Again,” to a calypso beat and Blackhurst on hand bells. In an ode to shopping malls, Caruso and Blackhurst made the most of lyrics devised by Stritch, Sharon Montgomery and Sally Mayes, set to Barry Manilow’s “Bandstand Boogie.” And if Blackhurst isn’t talented enough, she blew a mean bunch of bars on a cheerful “Sunny Side of the Street” (Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields) on her piccolo trumpet (it’s no
t a toy, kids—it is legit, the smallest of the trumpet family). How about a ukulele? Blackhurst plays that too, and along with Caruso, reached into Santa’s sack for them while singing “Mele Kalikimaka” (R. Alex Anderson), Hawaiian for “Merry Christmas.” But why was drummer Glass smiling? He’s from Honolulu.
A solo feature for Stritch was the ballad, “Manhattan in December” by pal Ann Hampton Callaway, given the jazzy treatment and a scat section from the singer-pianist. In a duet with Caruso, the two offered “The Christmas Blues” (Sammy Cahn, David Holt) in a sympathetic arrangement that acknowledged the genre of sad Christmas songs—not everyone gets happy at holiday time. With a lot more featured in a show based on television fare back in the day—variety shows with a profound dedication to the celebration of the season—it came time for the wrap up, and of course that meant “Jingle Bells!” All hands dug in on the swinging version arranged by polymath, Kay Thompson, followed by a “Jingle Bells Medley” of the tune delivered in different arrangements and genres.
A Swinging Birdland Christmas was just the ticket for laughing all the way and making spirits bright.
