By Marilyn Lester***Imagine being a critic during the Renaissance, tasked with reviewing the work of Leonardo da Vinci, say. What do you write about the Mona Lisa: great, Leo! Or the Last Supper: great, Leo! Or Salvator Mundi: great, Leo! In a very good way, this critic feels the same about singer-pianist-entertainer Michael Feinstein: his latest Standard Time program in Zankel Hall— On the Town—has earned yet another, great, Michael! This edition, which celebrated the golden age of New York’s nightlife, nightclubs and singers, was not only thrilling, but deeply stirring for audience members who remember those good old days, when New York was truly “The City That Never Sleeps.”
A big band number opened the show: Steve Allen’s rousing 1956 swinger, “This Could Be the Start of Something Big,” jazzified to perfection. This trad jazz outfit, The Carnegie Hall Big Band, led by the multi-talented pianist-arranger-music director, Tedd Firth (who also created most of the richly-textured arrangements for On the Town), played totally and satisfyingly in the pocket. Enter Feinstein and it was more big band swing all the way with “Some Enchanted Evening” (Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II), moving into “From This Moment On” (Cole Porter), with a brilliant trumpet solo by Alphonso Horne, and drummer Mark McLean’s booming Buddy Rich meets Louis Bellson drum feature.
A tribute to Fred Astaire and Irving Berlin included “Steppin’ Out with My Baby,” Cheek to Cheek” and “Top Hat, White Tie and Tails.” Later on in the program, Feinstein presented Berlin’s “Puttin’ On the Ritz,” with a notable decision of omission on his part; Feinstein is a historian and unimpeachable authority of the American Songbook. He sang the second version of the tune, notably attached to Fred Astaire and the ritzy crowd of Park Avenue. But the original 1927 version, not mentioned by him, focused on fashionably dressed 
Black residents of Harlem strolling on Lenox Avenue; Berlin changed the lyric several years later, becoming more sensitive to stereotypical portrayals of minorities. But Berlin still had his way with cheeky social commentary, with Feinstein also performing “Slumming on Park Avenue.” Any Michael Feinstein show is not only full of amazing historical facts and back stories, delivered with charm, and wit, but also comedic turns. Berlin’s “Puttin’ On the Ritz” was hilariously sung by the hulking Frankenstein monster (played by Peter Boyle) in the 1974 Mel Brooks-directed comedy-horror film, Young Frankenstein. Feinstein, ever versatile, added a comical quote à la the monster into his rendition.
From way back in the day, there was a hat tip to Ruth Etting, a popular singer and actress of the 1920s and 1930s, known as “America’s sweetheart of song.” Etting had a prolific recording career, which included over 60 hit songs, among them, “Exactly Like You (Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields). Ray Noble, an English composer, arranger and bandleader first gained fame in his native country and then again when he emigrated to the US in 1934. With a vocal intro accompanied by Matt Munisteri’s soulful guitar, the full band soon joined in on Noble’s romantic ballad, “The Very Thought of You.”
In the context of his 1986 NYC debut in the Hotel Algonquin’s now defunct Oak Room, Feinstein discoursed on the very many cabaret and hotel rooms, piano bars, jazz clubs and nightlife hot spots that have disappeared since then. It was a time, he said, when folks would go to the theater, have dinner and then catch a midnight cabaret show. Another signif
icant debut was recounted: Nat King Cole’s in 1941 at Kelly’s Stable, a jazz club on 52nd Street. The Cole segment also paid homage to Cole’s arranger, Billy May. Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett were fêted, as was Peggy Lee, who Feinstein noted often “jigged” her song arrangements. To illustrate, he sang a Latinized Lee version of “You’ve Gotta Have Heart” (Richard Adler, Jerry Ross) from Damn Yankees.
There was also a surprise entry by the late 1960s quintet, The Spiral Starecase, of their hit single “More Today Than Yesterday,” which translated well from its soft-rock roots to Feinstein’s balladic treatment. The piano man himself, Billy Joel, was honored with “New York State of Mind.” For the much-loved Bobby Short (big audience reaction), Feinstein at the piano offered a swingin’ “Just One of Those Things” by Short favorite, Cole Porter. And in 1963, we were reminded, John Kander and Fred Ebb wrote a stand-alone hit tune for Kaye Ballard: “Maybe This Time.” The song found its way into the 1972 film adaptation of Cabaret, sung by the Sally Bowles character—thus becoming a signature song for one of Feinstein’s best pals, Liza Minnelli. At the close of an exhilarating evening, it was a good bet that most patrons of the show headed home to their warm beds, but it was still wonderful to remember a time when the next stop might be supper at The Embers with a side of Marian McPartland or George Shearing at the piano.
Photos by Andrew Poretz
