SANDY STEWART & BILL CHARLAP RETURN TO THE OAK ROOM NOVEMBER 1-12 IN A LIMITED TWO-WEEK ENGAGEMENT. Not To Be Missed!

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Nov 062011

Sandy Stewart, celebrated for her sensual voice and impeccable phrasing, and acclaimed jazz pianist Bill Charlap, join forces at he Oak Room for two weeks only in a new show, “The Best Thing for You.”

The pair—who happen also to be mother and son— provide seasoned New Yorkers, as well as savvy out-of-town guests, with the definitive cabaret experience. While nothing old fashioned need apply, here is one of the few chances to enjoy the golden age of cabaret with two world class performers. Stewart is poised and elegant in stunning black, embellished with a single piece of jewelry. Opening with an immaculately phrased version of Rodgers and Hart’s “Where or When,” the audience is under her magnetic spell from that moment on. No need for patter, histrionics and (thankfully) lessons in history. Her mellow voice travels the road from sultry throatiness to muted chest and gentle head tones with an admirable ease .

Charlap is better than ever, a bit more subtle than usual, and takes command of the room in his expected solo stint, which on our visit included an outstanding rendition of Cole Porter’s “Easy To Love.”

Other Stewart standouts offered a haunting “I Don’t Stand A Ghost of a Chance,” a heart-wrenching rendition of Duke Ellington’s “Solitude” and the unlikely choice of closing with “When You Wish Upon a Star”, so exquisitely performed that a standing ovation would not have been out of order.” (Bill Charlap’s piano interludes feature different songs each show. )

For those who crave the real thing and will settle for nothing less that a sophisticated evening of “classic cab”, shows are Tuesday through Thursday at 8:30 and Friday and Saturday at 8:30 and 11:00. There is a $60 cover charge per person plus either a $30 minimum or $60 prix fixe dinner. Make Reservations ASAP: 212 419 9331 or bmcgurn@algonquinhotel.com.

Disclosure

Sandy Stewart is best known for the Grammy-nominated song, ”My Coloring Book” (losing to Ella Fitzgerald’s “Mack the Knife”). She began performing at 15 in her native Philadelphia and soon moved to New York for TV gigs with Dick Van Dyke and Merv Griffin, and as a regular on the Perry Como show while also touring with Benny Goodman. She resumed her career after the loss of her husband, Broadway composer Moose Charlap (Peter Pan, Whoop-Up, Kelly, etc.). Sandy’s most recent CD

with Bill is “Love Is Here To Stay” for Blue Note.

Bill Charlap began playing piano at three, displayed an early interest in jazz and later worked with Gerry Mulligan, Benny Carter and Tony Bennett, among others.
With Peter Washington (bass) and Kenny Washington (drums), he has recorded six albums as a leader for Blue Note, including two Grammy-nominated CDs: “Somewhere,” featuring the music of Leonard Bernstein, and “The Bill Charlap Trio: Live at the Village Vanguard.” He is Artistic Director of New York’s 92nd Street Y’s “Jazz in July” series, and recently toured worldwide on behalf of Blue Note’s 70th anniversary.

________________________________________________________________

OAK ROOM SUPPER CLUB

ALGONQUIN HOTEL

SANDY STEWART & BILL CHARLAP

January 5-16, 2010

SONGLIST (Subject To Change)

“SOMEBODY LOVES ME”

Lyics: B. G. DeSylva & Ballard Macdonald

Music: George Gershwin

“I’M OLD FASHIONED”

Lyrics: Johnny Mercer – Music: Jerome Kern

“AUTUMN IN NEW YORK”

Lyrics/Music: Vernon Duke

“HOW ABOUT YOU”

“Lyrics: Ralph Freed – Music: Burton Lane

“ISN’T IT A PITY”

Lyrics: Ira Gershwin – Music: George Gershwin

“’S WONDERFUL”

Lyrics: Ira Gershwin – Music: George Gershwin

“SAY IT ISN’T SO”

Lyrics/Music: Irving Berlin

BILL CHARLAP SOLOS

“IN LOVE IN VAIN”

Lyrics: Leo Robin – Music: Jerome Kern

“THAT OLD FEELING”

Lyrics: Lew Brown – Music: Sammy Fain

“ALL IN FUN”

Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II – Music: Jerome Kern

“THE MORE I SEE YOU”
Lyrics: Mack Gordon – Music: Harry Warren

“WHO CARES”

Lyrics: Ira Gershwin – Music: George Gershwin

“TWO FOR THE ROAD”

Lyrics: Leslie Bricusse – Music: Henry Mancini

…

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ANDREA MARCOVICCI CELEBRATES HER 25THANNIVERSARY

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Oct 042011

OAK ROOM SEASON NOVEMBER 15-DECEMBER 30

The Queen of Cabaret holds the record for the longest continuous run at the famed Algonquin Oak Room. Our most sophisticated performer is the only female entertainer ever to reach such a milestone in the history of cabaret. The New York Times dubbed her “the high priestess of the American Songbook,” falling “under her spell,” while the Wall Street Journal called an evening with Andrea “the most immersive experience you will ever have.”

Everyone looks forward to getting away from it all. To celebrate Andrea’s unprecedented achievement, her latest show, “No Strings,” does just that! Andrea takes the audience on a wonderful trip around the world. It’s a journey about life on the road—a warm, funny, heartfelt and candid tale of Andrea’s travels from city to city and what that bittersweet journey has meant for her as a singer, an actress, a wife and mother.

Marcovicci looks especially dazzling and her voice is more in control than usual. The big this, as always is her sensational acting ability and impeccable timing. Highlights include “Sunday in New York,” “Two For the Road,” “How Are Things in Glocca Morra?,” “Under Paris Skies” and “A Foggy Day.” In addition, Andrea recreates her celebrated rendition of “These Foolish Things.” It’s an odyssey that flows from the romance of Andrea’s favorite places to unexpected bumps in the road producing some pretty wacky and wonderful stories…a fun, sweet and romantic saga as only Andrea can tell it! A nostalgic look at a quarter century of a singer’s life. Andrea is skillfully accompanied on piano by Shelly Markham with Jered Egan on bass.

“No Strings” will run November 15through December 30, with shows Tuesday through Thursday at 8:30 and Friday and Saturday at 8:30 and 11:00. Holiday shows are Thanksgiving at 7:30, Christmas Eve at 7:30 and Monday December 26 (Boxing Day) at 7:30. There is a $60 cover charge per person Tuesday-Thursday and late Friday-Saturday, and $65 for the 8:30 shows Friday and Saturday, plus either a $30 food and beverage minimum or a $60 prix fixe dinner.

Note: The Algonquin will close Jan. 1 for a four-month, $15 million renovation.

Let us hope the The Oak Room will remain virtually unscathed and that the powers that be will have come to their senses and allowed the fabled hotel to re-install the latest feline (Matilda lll), in a beloved chain of ten mascots, dating back to 1933. New York has survived street fairs, bicycles monopolizing our sidewalks and a demoralized Times Square. Let the pussy cats work in peace.

Andrea Marcovicci has created more than thirty nightclub acts, has sold out Carnegie Hall, Town Hall, Lincoln Center, and appeared in concert with numerous orchestras and at the

White House. She has acted in film, television and theatre, on Broadway and regionally. Co-stars include Danny DeVito, Woody Allen, Sir Michael Caine, Sir John Gielgud and Sam Waterston, among others. Most recently she starred in the off-Broadway revival of “Coco” and on TV in “General Hospital.”

Personal PR: Miller Wright 212 977 7800

Nov. 15 – Dec. 30
Musical Director: Shelly Markham
Bass: Jered Egan
Regular Schedule:
Tues. – Sat. at 8:30 PM, plus late shows Fri. & Sat. at 11:00 PM
Holiday schedule:
Thanksgiving, Nov. 24; Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, and Monday, Dec. 26 at 7:30 PM

The Oak Room of the Algonquin Hotel
59 West 44th St.
New York, NY 10036
Reservations: (212) 419-9331 or (212) 840-6800 and ask for Oak Room Reservations
Click here for Oak Room Website

Song List

Miller Wright & Associates, Inc.

Media Relations

Music Director / Piano – Shelly Markham

Bass – Jered Egan

1) Sail Away;

Let’s Get Away From It All

Noel Coward

Tom Adair; Matt Dennis

2) Back at the Algonquin

Enid Futterman; Michael Cohen

3) Sunday In New York

Portia Nelson

4) Two For The Road

Leslie Bricusse ; Henry Mancini

5) How are Things in Glocca Morra? ;
It Never Was You;

My Love Is A Wanderer

Burton Lane / Yip Harburg
Kurt Weill; Maxwell Anderson
Bart Howard

6) As Time Goes By /

When Yuba Plays the Rhumba on the Tuba

Herman Hupfeld
Herman Hupfeld

7) Rainy Night In Rio

Leo Robin

Under Paris Skies

Kim Gannon / Jean Drejac

9) The Night I Fell in Love With Paris

Tom Toce

10) No Strings;
By Myself;
A Foggy Day

Irving Berlin

Arthur Schwartz / Howard Dietz
George Gershwin; Ira Gershwin

11) I Don’t Know

Ronald Jeans / Philip Braham

12) These Foolish Things

Holt Marvell / Jack Strachey

13) You Belong To Me ;

The Sweetest of Nights and the Finest of Days

Chilton Price / Pee Wee King; Redd Stewart
Shelly Markham / Judith Viorst

14) Here’s To Us

Cy Coleman / Carolyn Leigh

1650 Broadway, Suite 1210 New York, NY 10019

Phone: (212) 977-7800 Fax: (212) 977-7963 www.millerwright.com

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KAREN AKERS EMBRACES “SONDHEIM” IN THE ALGONQUIN HOTEL’S OAK ROOM SEPTEMBER 27-OCTOBER 29

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Oct 032011

Having triumphed these past two years in her Oak Room celebrations of Cole Porter and Rodgers & Hart, beautiful and beguiling Karen Akers now sets her sights on the leading musical theater composer-lyricist of the last half century.

Among her selections from the Stephen Sondheim Songbook are some less familiar offerings such as “More” (Dick Tracy) with its multiplicity of George Gershwin references and “Live, Laugh, Love” (Follies). More to the point,“Send in the Clowns” (A Little Night Music), “Broadway Baby” (Follies), “You Could Drive a Person Crazy (Company), “The Story of Lucy & Jessie” (Follies) and “Moments in the Woods” (Into the Woods) are not just old friends, but warmly welcomed ones. . The show is subtly directed by Eric Michael Gillett with the admirable Don Rebic as Musical Director.

From September 27^th through October 29^th, “Live, Laugh, Love—Akers Sings Sondheim” plays Tuesdays through Thursdays at 8:30 and Fridays and Saturdays at 8:30 and 11 pm. There is a $60 cover charge for all shows except the dinner shows Friday and Saturday, when the cover is $65, plus either a $30 minimum or $60 prix fixe dinner.

Karen Akers, Stephen Sondheim, the incredible Don Rebic all embraced by the magical Oak Room at the world fabled Algonquin Hotel： Need we say more？（Other than to book now）.This is a hot ticket.

Reservations: 212-419-9331 or bmcgurn@algonquinhotel.com

Disclosure

“Karen Akers has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Café Carlyle, Rainbow & Stars, Hollywood Bowl, Wolf Trap and abroad in France, Russia, London and Barcelona. On Broadway she was one of the original stars of the Tony Award-winning musical, Grand Hotel, and made her Broadway debut in the original production of Nine for which she won a Theatre World Award and Tony nomination. Her current CD, “If We Only Have Love,” is a collection of theater songs. Other recordings include “Feels Like Home,” “Under Paris Skies” and “Simply Styne.” Her film roles include Mike Nichols’ Heartburn, Woody Allen’s The Purple Rose of Cairo and Vibes.

***

Stephen Sondheim first impressed Broadway audiences in 1957 as lyricist for West Side Story (music by Leonard Bernstein) and two years later for Gypsy (music by Jule Styne).. In 1962 he launched his 50-year career as the theater’s pre-eminent composer-lyricist with A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, for which he won the first of his eight Tony Awards. Other honors include six Olivier Awards, seven Drama Desk Awards, eight Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize for Sunday in the Park With George and an Oscar for Best Song (“Sooner or Later”) from Dick Tracy. He was a 1993 Kennedy Center Honors recipient.what is an expansion external drive

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HOWARD MC GILLIN MAKES OAK ROOM DEBUT IN “ISN’T IT ROMANTIC” WITH CHARM AND CONGENIALITY

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Sep 142011

Best known for his record-setting performances as the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, Howard McGillin has enjoyed a varied career on both Broadway and London stages. Mr. McGillin, has a winning way with his audience and a lovely and cultured tenor voice that has made him the quintessential leading man in theatre.

At his eagerly awaited Oak Room debut, (From September 13-24), McGillin presented an evening of love songs that aptly answered the question, “Isn’t It Romantic?” Howard offers a program, with appealing patter, that explores a variety of romantic experiences, highlighted by a rendition of “All The Things You Are,” (Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein II) that was simple and without embellishments, proving that a great song needs nothing more than to be sung with sensitivity to make its point.

A combined arrangement of “A Foggy Day IN LONDON TOWN” (George and Ira Gershwin) and the lovely “A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square” (Eric Maschwitz; Manning Sherwin; Jack Strachey) gives Howard the opportunity to fill us in on his adventures, when living in London, and a neat duo pairing, a rollicking “SHE LOVES ME” (Sheldon Harnick; Jerry Bock) with a subtle version of “Dear Friend” (Sheldon Harnick; Jerry Bock) from the same show, allows Mr. McGillin to demonstrate his dramatic range and vocal finesse.

The high point of the evening was a stunning rendering of “Putting It Together” (Stephen Sondheim) that was eclipsed by the beyond-beautiful “Good Thing Going” (Stephen Sondheim), demonstrating that some of the best theater songs come from shows that are less than memorable.

“Time” (Barry Kleinbort; Joseph Thalken), offered an appealing contemporary touch, while “Two For The Road” (Henry Mancini; Leslie Bricusse) was the perfect encore.

Beautifully accompanied by Joseph Thalken at the piano and Richard Sarpola on bass, Howard McGillin is easy to like, easy to listen to and brings a thoroughly pleasant evening of entertainment to the Algonquin’s legendary Oak Room.

Shows are Tuesday through Thursday at 8:30 pm and Friday and Saturday at 8:30 and 11 pm. There is a $50 cover charge plus either a $60 dinner at 7 or $30 food and beverage minimum. Reservations: 212 419 9331 or bmcgurn@algonquinhotel.com.

Disclosure

He appeared in Stephen Sondheim’s musical, Bounce, in its world premiere at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago and later in the Kennedy Center run in Washington, D. C. (Helen Hayes Award nomination.) Other leading roles on Broadway have included She Loves Me, The Kiss of the Spider Woman, Anything Goes (Tony and Drama Desk nominations), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Tony and Drama Desk nominations), Theatre World Award) and Sunday in the Park with George. On London’s West End, Howard starred in Mack and Mabel and Anything Goes.

He was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for his New York theatrical debut in the New York Shakespeare Festival’s production of LaBoheme. He has sung on concert stages around the world from Carnegie Hall to Kennedy Center to the Israel Philharmonic Hall in Tel Aviv. In addition to having recorded many books on tape and narrated numerous episodes of Nature for PBS, Howard has also provided voices for the animated feature films South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut and The Swan Princess. His solo CD, :”Howard McGillin: Where Time Stands Still,” is available online at www.cdbaby.com.

___________________________________________________________________

Howard McGillin

Oak Room Song List

September 13, 2011

I Love To Sing-A (Harold Arlen/ Yip Harburg)

All The Things You Are/ Isn’t It Romantic

Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein II * Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart)

The Big Time! (Jerry Herman)

The Not-So Big Time

Che gelida manina (Giacomo Puccini)

Putting It Together (Stephen Sondheim)

Good Thing Going (Stephen Sondheim)

A Foggy Day IN LONDON TOWN (George and Ira Gershwin)

A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square (Eric Maschwitz; Manning Sherwin; Jack Strachey)

Laura, Laura (Amanda Green;Tom Kitt)

ISN’T THIS A LOVELY DAY TO BE CAUGHT IN THE RAIN? (Irving Berlin)

Time (Barry Kleinbort; Joseph Thalken)

SHE LOVES ME (Sheldon Harnick; Jerry Bock)

Dear Friend (Sheldon Harnick; Jerry Bock)

HAVEN’T MET YOU YET

(Michael Bublé; Alan Chang; Amy Foster-Gillies)

How ‘Ya Gonna Keep ‘Em Down On The Farm?

(Walter Donaldson; Sam Lewis; Joe Young)

Two For The Road (Henry Mancini; Leslie Bricusse)

(Encore):

Secret O’ Life (James Taylor)

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EMILY BERGL OPENS OAK ROOM SEASON WITH A BANG IN “KIDDING ON THE SQUARE”

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Sep 042011

In her Oak Room debut August 30, brilliant young actress singer Emily Bergl, star of Broadway (Nora Ephron’s "Love, Loss and What I Wore,"), film (“The Rage: Carrie 2”) and TV’s Royal Pains and Desperate Housewives, roars into the Oak Room with more gusto than Hurricane Irene in the her exhilarating act: ”Kidding on the Square.”

A theatrical cabaret-act that transports the audience on a fast-paced ride through love, heartbreak and everything in between, ”Kidding on the Square” is told from the perspective of a modern girl and the eccentric characters she inhabits,

Something old (the Boswell Sisters “We Just Couldn’t Say Goodbye”; something new (Peter Brown & Robert Rans “Material Girl" by way of Madonna); something borrowed ( "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart" as an evolving Judy Garland); and something blue (as in Bergl’s deliciously compelling version of “Billy Barnes jazz classic Something Cool,”); the show features a rich array of songs that include Roy Orbison’s “Cryin’,” Fats Waller’s “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” a poignant characterization of Rodgers & Hart’s “Ten Cents a Dance as a down-and-out hostess,” Dietz & Schwartz’ Confession” and an unexpected opening number, interpreting Noel Coward’s “Mad About the Boy” with a serious bent: the lady gets truly angry.

In ”Kidding on the Square,” Bergl does what she does best, which in the case of this hour and fifteen minutes appears to be everything. It comes as no surprise that her acting, where, comedic, dramatic or character is a paragon of perfection, but she looks terrific is a slinky gray “pull apart” gown, that becomes a sexy dress and finally morphs into leotards and tights. Her movement is as controlled as possible in these small quarters. But the big kicker is the voice: A luscious lyric soprano that can go into a metallic chest, when the material demands, as in an hilarious rendition of the vintage Andrews Sisters“Bei Mir Bist Du Schön” that is worth the price of admission.

High points test Ms. Bergl’s. comedic, dramatic and vocal abilities, which she passes with grade “A” marks. Memorable Moments: Pink Martini’s song "Sympathique" from the 1997 album Sympathique, and you needn’t speak French to get the nuanced meaning.”

Kidding on the Square” is beautifully directed by Sarna Lapine with G. Scott Lacy as musical director and receives outstanding backup from pianist Jonathan Mastro (Musical director of the hit revival of "Our Town,)" with the talented Ritt Henn on bass and ukulele.

After a fun closing (“Dream a Little Dream of Me,”) Ms. Bergl encores with a heart-wrenching version of the Peggy Lee hit “Is That All There Is.“ And indeed, this is one of the few times in recent memory, we felt that way too about a cabaret act: Absolutely electrifying and not to be missed. Reserve now! The show will run through Saturday September 10th.

Shows are Tuesday through Thursday at 8:30 and Friday and Saturday at 8:30 and 11 pm. The cover charge is $50 per person plus either a $30 food and beverage minimum or a $60 prix fixe dinner. Reservations: 212 419 9331 or bmcgurn@algonquinhotel.com

Note: The new menu features an amazingly tender and moist Berkshire pork chop that is in step with making the Algonquin kitchen on a par with the atmosphere, entertainment and service one encounters in this truly great New York institution.

Click Here To Visit Emily Bergl’s Official Website

Click Here To Visit Website of Oak Room Supper Club

Disclosure

Emily Bergl, whose musical studies include classical and contemporary singing, piano and harp, is a rare breed of actress who is at home on the Broadway stage, Hollywood films and television. She was chosen from a nationwide casting call to play the lead in MGM’s The Rage: Carrie 2, and leads in such independent films as Fur, Chasing Sleep and Happy Campers. She has appeared on Broadway opposite Laurence Fishburne, Stockard Channing and Gabriel Byrne, and off-Broadway she originated roles in plays by Wendy Wasserstein, Steven Dietz and Christopher Shinn. On television, she has starred in Stephen Spielberg’s Taken, and has guest-starred on Grey’s Anatomy, The Good Wife, CSI:Miami, two seasons on The Gilmore Girls and as the eccentric Annie on the ABC comedy Men in Trees.

G. Scott Lacey is a highly sought after musical director, vocal coach and performer, having worked with countless Tony, Emmy, Grammy Award and Golden Globe winning companies and performers. He has recorded 11 albums, including the inspirational “A Quiet Place.”

Dark paneled walls, white tablecloths, and a gleaming piano let you know you’re in for a treat at Algonquin’s famous supper club. Come inside and slip back in time to a more glamorous era. Enjoy dinner, then a show. The Oak Room was a launching pad for Harry Connick Jr., Michael Feinstein, Andrea Marcovicci, Diana Krall, Jane Monheit, Peter Cincotti, and Jamie Cullum.

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The Jewel In The Crown: 2008 Alexander’s Crown Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon. California Royalty

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Aug 032011

The 2008 Alexander’s Crown Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon completes the Single Vineyard Cabernet Offering of Rodney Strong Vineyards. (Along with Rockaway and Brothers Ridge).

2008 Alexander's Crown Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon*

Established in 1971 and recognized as the first vineyard in Sonoma County to produce a single vineyard cabernet sauvignon, Alexander’s Crown is perched on a hill in the south-center of the Alexander Valley just west of Jimtown. It rises to about 350 feet at its peak with a soil composition of predominantly well drained gravelly loam derived from both river sediments and volcanic activity. The top of the hill, block 1, is red in color, and tends to produce the most intensely flavored wine. The first part of the valley to feel ocean air in the afternoon, the Crown expresses cabernet in an almost Bordeaux-like style, with ripe flavors centered on red fruit, soft tannins, and balanced acidity.

For the second year in a row, the 2008 vintage started off with a very dry spring, which typically produces smaller clusters, smaller berries and less canopy overall. Frost visited many vineyards over several nights in April, further reducing potential to yield. Then a hot spell engulfed the region in the middle of May, while grape clusters were flowering, again threatening to lower yields. The main growing season, however, was without incident, with warm to hot days and cool nights the rule. This Alexander’s Crown vineyard cabernet harvest commenced on October 17th, and concluded on October 21st.

The first part of the valley to feel ocean air in the afternoon, the Crown expresses cabernet in an almost Bordeaux-like style, with ripe flavors centered on red fruit, soft tannins, and balanced acidity. For the second year in a row, the 2008 vintage started off with a very dry spring, which typically produces smaller clusters, smaller berries, and less canopy overall. Frost visited many vineyards over several nights in April, further reducing potential yield. Then a hot spell engulfed the region in the middle of May, while grape clusters were flowering, again threatening to lower yields. The main growing season, however, was without incident, with warm to hot days and cool nights the rule. Our Alexander’s Crown vineyard cabernet harvest commenced on October 17th, and concluded on October 21st.

Some wine-writer friends recently brought several “Garage Wines” for us to taste with dinner. Not one of the reds (most costing more than double the price of this Alexander’s Crown) compared. So what’s in a name? A hell of a lot if that name happens to be Rodney Strong Vineyards, where the folks behind the product know what they are doing and quality is the name of the game!

At a Suggested Retail Price of $75, this wine is intense, full of tannins and a mouth-full of lush fruit with hints of berries, herbs and mint and sufficient acid for good aging potential. The structure is elegant, classic and royal. A few years of cellar aging be rewarded with a wine of greatness and superior quality. How great can a California be. Here lies the answer. A superb product, with a great future. Enjoy with roasts, game, fine cheeses or as an end of the meal reward.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon
27.1˚ Brix
22 months in 100% French oak barrels, 47% new
15.5%
.61 g/100mL
3.59
Winemakers: Rick Sayre, David Ramey (consultant), Tom Klein (vintner)
Wine Growers: Doug McIlroy, Bob Steinhauer (consultant)
Release Date: May, 2011
ALEXANDER’S CROWN ALEXANDER VALLEY
2 0 0 8
www.alexanderscrown.com
Alexander’s Crown

Buy The Wine

Alexander’s Crown Vineyard

Alexander Valley – 66 acres, established 1971

Rising a couple hundred feet above the Alexander Valley, "the Crown" is likely Sonoma County’s best-known cabernet vineyard and was one of California’s first vineyard- designated wines when it debuted following the 1974 harvest. About 66 acres are currently planted, mostly cabernet sauvignon, with three acres of merlot. The soils are predominantly well-drained gravelly loam derived from both river sediments and volcanic activity. With vineyard blocks sloping in every direction except due south, "the Crown" delivers complexity with amazing consistency from vintage to vintage.

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CLAIRE MARTIN & RICHARD RODNEY BENNETT CLOSE OAK ROOM’S SPRING SEASON MAY 31-JUNE 18 IN “A COUPLE OF SWELLS”

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May 162011

British musical stars Claire Martin and Richard Rodney Bennett love American music, and among their favorites are the songs of Irving Berlin, subject of Claire and Richard’s sparkling new salute, “A Couple of Swells,” from May 31^st through June 18^th, the final show of the Oak Room’s Spring season. Berlin gems with arrangements and accompaniment by Richard and vocals by Claire include Puttin’ on the Ritz, Change Partners, What’ll I Do?, Let’s Face the Music and Dance, Cheek to Cheek and How Deep is the Ocean.

Shows are Tuesday through Thursday at 8:30 and Friday and Saturday at 8:30 and 11, with a cover charge of $50 weeknights and late weekends, and $60 early weekend shows, plus either a $30 minimum or $60 prix fixe dinner, with dinner seating at 7. Reservations: 212 419 9331 or bmcgurn@algonquinhotel.com

Renowned for her unmistakably unique “cool, burnished tone” (NY Times) and the flawless technique of “England’s most impressive female jazz artist” (LA Times), Claire Martin has performed with such artists as James Brown, Curtis Stigers, Jamie Cullum and Tony Bennett, who lists her among his favorite singers. She made a smash debut at the Algonquin in 2007 and followed up with Richard Rodney Bannett in 2009 in an acclaimed show celebrating the music of Cy Coleman. She has released 12 recordings for Linn Records and has a jazz interview show on BBC 3.

Knighted in 1998 for his services to music, Sir Richard Rodney Bennett is one of the UK’s most renowned musical figures, having achieved phenomenal success across a wide range of genres. In 2006 he premiered “Reflections on a Scottish Folk Song” commissioned by HRH Prince Charles in memory of the Queen Mother. He is an Oscar-nominated film composer…for Four Weddings and a Funeral, Far From the Madding Crowd and Murder on the Orient Express.

He has enjoyed great success as a jazz pianist, arranger and vocalist, having appeared with Marion Montgomery, Dame Cleo Laine, Mary Cleere Haran and Annie Ross.

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WITH “RHYME, WOMEN & SONG” KT SULLIVAN SALUTES MUSIC-MAKING LADIES IN THE OAK ROOM MAY 3-28

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May 082011

Photo: Heather Sullivan

The Dean of Divas Raises The Bar at The Legendary Oak Room

Being the capital of cabaret, New York City has no shortage of world class cabaret performers. In a medium where the dolls outnumber the guys, KT SULLIVAN has established herself as the ultimate doll and dean of the divas of “The Great American Song Book.”

Her new act at the Oak Room proves to be her best ever. The material and carefully crafted patter flow in a stream on steroids from the lesser and (better known) songs of Kay Swift, including an especially poignant “Can’t We Be Friends,” through a rollicking version of Carolyn Leigh’s “The Best is Yet To Come, the ultimate camp rendition of” Mary Rodgers “The Boy From …,” and surprising interpretations of Edna Pinkard’s “Kitchen Man,” Peggy Lee’s “He’ll Make Me Believe He’s Mine,” Carole King’s “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” and Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You,”

It all began with her acclaimed salute to Dorothy Fields, who set the standard for female songwriters. In “Rhyme, Women & Song,” KT Sullivan expands her vision to display the work of Dorothy’s peers and heirs who have enriched the Great American Songbook. Sullivan contrasts the inimitable Dorothy’s “Sunny Side of the Street,”with an amazing take on “Good Morning Heartache,” that rivals the gold standard set by Billie Holiday, who introduced it in 1946.

An hilarious closing medley of 29 cleverly linked songs (“my age” Sullivan says as a throwaway), concludes with a subtle and sensitive rendition of Jerome Kern’s and Dorothy Fields eternally lovely “The Way You Look Tonight.”

Ms. Sullivan has never been in better voice and her dramatic range, comedic timing and versatility shine.

The amazing Jon Weber is musical arranger and accompanist., while John Webber(with an “h” and 2 “bs”) admirably assists on bass, giving Sullivan outstanding backup.

Not only is The Oak Room New York’s most consistent cabaret experience, it is also a genuine bargain. The show, including a three course dinner (food has improved markedly over the years) is about the price of a ticket to the anemic offerings on Broadway. And besides a venue steeped in history, you may be one of the fortunates who get a glimpse of Matilda, the latest in a chain of indomitable felines.

Shows are Tuesday through Thursday at 8:30 and Friday and Saturday at 8:30 and 11. There is a $50 cover charge for weeknight and late shows and $60 for early shows Friday and Saturday, plus either a $30 food and beverage minimum or $60 prix fixe dinner. Reservations: 212 419 9331 or bmcgurn@algonquinhotel.com.

Disclosure

KT SULLIVAN’s RHYME, WOMEN and SONG:

ALGONQUIN HOTEL OAK ROOM – MAY 3 – 28, 2011

TITLE:

AUTHORS:

[KAY SWIFT OVERTURE]:

A) CAN THIS BE LOVE?

(introduced by Alice Bouldon in the1930 Broadway musical: “Fine And Dandy”

Kay Swift (m) / Paul James (w)

B) CAN’T WE BE FRIENDS?

(introduced by Libby Holman in the 1929 Broadway musical: “The First Little Show”

Kay Swift (m) / Paul James (w)

C) FINE AND DANDY

(introduced by Alice Bouldon in the1930 Broadway musical: “Fine And Dandy”

Kay Swift (m) / Paul James (w)

[MEDLEY]: A) DON’T LET A GOOD THING GET AWAY (1983)

Michael Leonard (m) / Carolyn Leigh (w)

B) THE BEST IS YET TO COME (1959)

Cy Coleman (m) / Carolyn Leigh (w)

C) ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET (1930)

(introduced in the 1930 Broadway Musical: “Lew Leslie’s International Revue”)

Jimmy McHugh (m) / Dorothy Fields (w)

D) ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRACKS (1962)

(introduced by Virginia Martin in the 1962 Broadway Musical: “Little Me”)

Cy Coleman (m) / Carolyn Leigh (w)

SAGEBRUSH LULLABY

(introduced by Irene Dunne in the 1950 movie: “Never A Dull Moment”)

Kay Swift (m/w)

CAN’T WE BE FRIENDS?

(introduced by Libby Holman in the 1929 Broadway Musical: “The First Little Show”)

Kay Swift (m) / Paul James (w)

THE BOY FROM …..

(introduced by Linda Lavin in the 1966 off-Broadway Musical: “The Mad Show”)

Mary Rodgers (m) / Stephen Sondheim (w)

MY SORT OF EX-BOYFRIEND

(introduced by Becky Gelke in the 1985 Musical: “To Whom It May Concern”)

Carol Hall (m/w)

HOW AM I TO KNOW?

(introduced in the 1929 movie: “Dynamyte”)

Jack King (m) / Dorothy Parker (w)

I CAN COOK TOO

(introduced by Nancy Walker in the 1944 Broadway Musical: “On The Town”)

Leonard Bernstein (m)

Adolph Green & Betty Comden (w)

[MEDLEY]: A) GOOD MORNING HEARTACHE

(introduced in 1946 by Billie Holiday on DECCA)

Dan Fisher & Irene Higginbotham (m)

Ervin Drake (w)

B) WHERE DO YOU START? (1987)

Johnny Mandel (m)

Alan & Marilyn Bergman (w)

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES (1934)

(Cuando Vuelva A Tu Lado)

María Grever (m/Spanish words)

Stanley Adams (English words)

HE’LL MAKE ME BELIEVE THAT HE’S MINE

(introduced by Peggy Lee in the 1983 Broadway Musical: “Peg”)

Paul Horner (m) / Peggy Lee (w)

DREAMING

(introduced on the 1986 CD “Dreaming” )

Amanda McBroom (m/w)

WHEN THE CHILDREN ARE GONE

(introduced on the 2009 double-CD: “Life In The Years”)

Vivien Wolsk (m/w)

PLEASE DON’T SEND ME DOWN A BABY BROTHER

(introduced by Shirley Booth in the 1954 Broadway Musical: “By The Beautiful Sea”)

Arthur Schwartz (m) / Dorothy Fields (w)

IT AMAZES ME (1958)

(introduced by Mabel Mercer)

Cy Coleman (m) / Carolyn Leigh (w)

A CASE OF YOU

(introduced on the 1971 LP “Blue” )

Joni Mitchell (m/w)

KITCHEN MAN

(introduced in 1926 by Bessie Smith)

Edna B. Pinkard (m) / Andy Razaf (w)

CLOSING MEDLEY [separate sheet]

[ENCORE]: A) WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW?

(introduced in 1961 by “The Shirelles”)

Carole King (m) / Gerry Goffin (w)

B) THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT (1936)

(Academy Award winner – introduced in the 1936 film: “Swing Time”)

Jerome Kern (m) / Dorothy Fields (w)

JON WEBER: MUSICAL DIRECTOR / JOHN WEBBER: BASS

___________________________________________________________________

KT Sullivan’s Broadway shows include George Abbott’s Broadway, Threepenny Opera with Sting and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. She appeared in the national company of Annie Get Your Gun, in workshop of Easter Parade with Tommy Tune and received Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel Award nominations. She received a MAC Award for American Rhapsody: George Gershwin to the World and most recently the prestigious Mabel Mercer Award. Regionally, she has appeared at the Old Globe Theatre, the Hartford Stage Company, Municipal Opera in St. Louis and Goodspeed Opera House. Recent local appearances include Carnegie Hall with Michael Feinstein and Neue Gallerie in two bi-lingual shows, a salute to Greta Keller (who opened the Oak Room in 1939) and the tour de force “Vienna To Weimar.” Among her many CDs is “Swell Party…R.s.v.p. Cole Porter”

Filed under: Cabaret

Rodney Strong Alexander Valley Single Vineyard Cabernets Rule

Cabaret, california, Wine Comments Off

Feb 162011

2007 Rockaway Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley

The First in a trio of single vineyard wines, from Rodney Strong Alexander Valley Single Vineyards, the 2007 Rockaway Cabernet Sauvignon is priced at $75 and worth every cent. We found it equal to top growth Bordeaux and comparable to the best Cabernets that California produces. Give them a few more years in the bottle and lots of air after opening and you will be rewarded with a blissful wine experience

Established 1994, Rockaway is planted mostly to cabernet sauvignon and merlot, but includes all five of the classic Bordeaux varieties. Rising up to an elevation of 750 feet, the land generally slopes northeast and southwest, with soils comprised of gravelly clay subsoil over fractured sandstone. This well-drained, low pH earth tends to encourage the production of small-berried clusters, ideal for making a bold, concentrated cabernet sauvignon with juicy red and black fruit character, and an elegantly round and seductive mid-palate

2007 Brothers Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley is the second gem in this collection. A dash of Cabernet Franc (2%) enhances its complex balance and structure.

In the hills to the east of the small town of Cloverdale, Brother’s Ridge spans 141 acres, nearly all planted to cabernet sauvignon, with smaller amounts of merlot and cabernet franc. It’s on well-drained loam underlain by sandstone, shale, and ancient greenstone. Its elevations, approaching 1,000 feet, and its primarily western aspect perfectly situate the vines to capture the full warmth and light of the afternoon sun, ripening cabernet well into the chocolate and black fruit profile, with exceptional richness

And the third in this trio is coming soon. Look out world!

Disclosure

Filed under: Cabaret, california, Wine

ERIC COMSTOCK & BARBARA FASANO GREET NEW YEAR IN “HELLUVA TOWN:A NEW YORK SOUNDTRACK” JANUARY 4-15

Cabaret Comments Off

Jan 102011

Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano, the popular husband-and-wife team equally at home in the worlds of pop and jazz, will debut their new show,
”Helluva Town: A New York Soundtrack,” from January 4^th to 15^th during their annual sojourn in the legendary Algonquin Oak Room Supper Club. The duo will celebrate the love/hate affair most New Yorkers have with their city through the songs of Leonard Bernstein, Rodgers & Hart, Comden & Green, Strouse & Adams, Coleman & Leigh, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell and other explorers of the Big Apple in good times and bad. Among their selections are “Lullaby of Broadway,” “Comes Once in a Lifetime,” “My Time of Day,” “Lucky to be Me” and “How About You?”

If the mantra of real estate is location, location, location cabaret’s shadow image must be material, material, material. And that is why this duo has blossomed, since our last viewing, into a first rate act that deserves your patronage. Ms. Fasano’s voice has lost the edge it previously had and blends, rather than competes, with Mr. Comstock’s smooth, reedy baritone. His piano, always excellent, is enhanced by the terrific bassist, Sean Smith. Avoiding clichés and the too many obscure show tune trap. the team manages to tease (just offering hint of “LULLABY OF BROADWAY” in an arrangement with “TWO SLEEPY PEOPLE”), tempt, with a dynamite version of COME BACK TO ME” (Burton Lane, Alan Jay Lerner) by Fasano and tear one’s emotions, with a heart rendering interpretation of “MY TIME OF DAY” (Frank Loesser) by Comstock. “THE HAMPTONS” (Jim Lowe) will delight any professional New Yorker, with a desire to show off. But again, that’s material or should we say: material, material, material.

Shows are Tuesday through Thursday at 8:30 and Friday and Saturday at 8:30 and 11. There is a $50 cover charge plus either a $30 food and beverage minimum or a $60 prix fixe dinner. Reservations: bmcgurn@algonquinhotel.com or 212 419 9331.

Winners of the 2010 Nightlife Award as Outstanding Cabaret Duo, Eric and Barbara last appeared in the Oak Room in February with their highly praised show, “This Thing Called Love,” of which Rex Reed observed, “If love is a wave, they are riding the crest of it.” Though they’ve been compared to Nick and Nora, Fred and Ginger and Lunt and Fontanne, Comstock and Fasano’s unique blend of wit and sensuality is all their own. They’ve performed at Carnegie Hall, Feinstein’s, The Carlyle and Birdland, and have headlined at Caramoor, Cooperstown Music Festival, Guild Hall in East Hampton, St. Louis, Philadelphia and Palm Beach. Eric Comstock created and contributed his masterful piano and vocals to the hit revues “Singing Astaire,” “Made for the Movies” and “Our Sinatra” (which debuted in the Oak Room and played 1300 performances off-Broadway). His new CD, “bitter/sweet” debuts this month, joining previous releases “Young Man of Manhattan” and “All Hart.” A multi-award winner from Manhattan Association of Cabarets, Barbara Fasano has appeared in musical theatre productions of Wonderful Town, Grease and Side by Side by Sondheim. She won a Back Stage Bistro Award Record of the Year for “Written in the Stars,”a Harold Arlen songbook, and another for “The Girls of Summer,” featuring songs from Springsteen to Sondheim. She will release “Roundabout,” based on her one-woman show, later this year.