2016 Bistro Award Winner Aaron Morishita, will present a special performance of his acclaimed show More — The Songs of Stephen Sondheim, which was the basis his 2016 Bistro Award-winning CD Singing Sondheim: Songs by Stephen Sondheim, at Metropolitan Room on Friday, November 4th at 9:30pm. With Arranger & Musical Director Jon Delfin at the piano, Jack Bashkow on reeds & David Dunnaway on bass, Aaron is thrilled to revisit the show which Back Stage called “a performance of real artistry by a singer who has become one of cabaret’s most exciting male performers.”
Aaron Morishita has performed at clubs, cabarets & other music venues throughout New York City over the past three decades, including the legendary Cornelia Street Cafe & Iridium Jazz Club in Times Square. In addition, he has appeared in a variety of special events coast-to-coast, from the Mabel Mercer Cabaret Convention in NYC to the annual J-Town Revue in San Francisco. Performing his acclaimed music shows, including Aaron Morishita Sings A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night, Morishita Sings Nilsson, The Best Is Yet to Come–the lyrics of Carolyn Leigh & Tora! Tora! Kick Step (Aaron’s biographical reflection of his life in the musical theatre), Back Stage has called him “a standard against which other vocalists must measure themselves.” In addition, Aaron’s alter-ego, “Hot Rod,” performs with cabaret stalwart Ricky Ritzel as the retro lounge act, The Lounge-O-Leers, in venues varying from New York City’s Irving Plaza to the Encounter Bar at the Los Angeles airport. The Lounge-O-Leers can be heard on their series of eight CDs released on the Emenar label, covering everything from sixties lounge favorites to current Top 40 hits. Aaron is a winner of multiple Bistro Awards & Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs, MAC Awards. As an actor, singer & dancer, Aaron made his professional debut as the crown prince to John Cullum’s King in The King & I, appeared in the 1984 Off-Broadway revival of Pacific Overtures & has played a variety of roles in stock & regional theatre, from Thurio in the Guare- MacDermont musical version of Two Gentlemen of Verona to Mr. DePinna in You Can’t Take It With You.
Singing Sondheim, on the Emenar Records label, is the full recording of Aaron Morishita’s acclaimed, Back Stage Bistro Award-winning evening of songs by Stephen Sondheim. Featuring musical director Jon Delfin at the piano, the CD includes tracks from the original recording sessions in the 1990’s, plus a brand new recording of “I Never Do Anything Twice.” Named Talkin’ Broadway’s “One of the Top Ten Vocal Albums of 2015,” The CD is available for purchase or download at CD Baby (https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/aaronmorishita)
What the critics have said about Aaron Morishita…
“In MORE–The Songs of Stephen Sondheim, Morishita created 60 minutes of atmospheric performance marked by subtly dark bittersweet flavor. Morishita’s voice is flexible & rich, capable of capturing the myriad human emotions found in Sondheim’s sometimes deceptively simple lyrics. This was a performance of real artistry by a singer who has become one of cabaret’s most exciting male performers. Morishita’s Sondheim may become a standard against which other vocalists must measure themselves.” – Back Stage
“About the recording, Singing Sondheim: Attend the tale of Stephen Sondheim: Most of his theatre songs are built in such jewel-like & complex ways, with every “hair” in place, that to tinker can be tantamount to tragedy. Many singers tend to perform them as written, finding little room, need, or inspiration for variation or shifts in tone or emphasis. Enter Aaron Morishita. When he sings Songs by Sondheim, he amazes me with the refreshing shifts in emphasis & musical stresses he finds. This New York City song man & actor knows the power of a tiny pause, a sigh, an implied shrug, the echo of a chuckle, the differently shaded word with a brightening or darkening emotion. This is the album’s first release, though it was actually recorded 15 years ago & foolishly shelved. He’s not necessarily the character from the show, but his own cast of characters. He makes them work & makes them interesting. The appealing Morishita voice can sound youthfully naïve or world-weary or like a man conflicted. John Delfin’s piano accompaniment is his ally & fellow intrepid investigator of new vistas & variations.” –Rob Lester, Talkin’ Broadway
Leave a Reply