A GOYISHE CHRISTMAS TO YOU!

Thomas West, Lauren Worsham, Amanda Lynn Bottoms, Joshua Jeremiah, Alex Mansoori, Mikaela Bennett, Donna Breitzer, Joshua Breitzer

Every year we initiate the holiday season with a trip uptown to Henry's Restaurant for NYFOS After Hours in a very special evening of "Yuletide Songs by Jewish Composers". The eponymous Henry has a warm welcome for the mostly Upper West Side audience who gather for some yuletide bonhomie. He spoke of inclusivity in this cross-cultural celebration of Christmas from the Jewish point of view.

The song that most exemplifies this aspect is "Candle in My Window" by Levitsky/Miller, hilariously performed by Joshua Jeremiah. Like most of the songs, it is tuneful and has highly clever lyrics that keep the audience in stitches with self-recognition.

Another very funny song was "My Simple Christmas Wish" by David Friedman, broadly performed by Alex Mansoori. "Don't Let Gramma Cook Christmas Dinner" by Roy Zimmerman was given an adorable performance by Joshua Breitzer and Lauren Worsham.

"Winter Wonderland" by Felix Bernard/Richard B. Smith is not inherently funny, but when sung by two male lovebirds (Mr. Mansoori and Mr. Jeremiah, accompanied by clarinetist Alan Kay, it became campy and funny. (In ten years, it probably won't be funny as audiences get more accustomed to homosexual marriage.)

A lot of the humor was Yiddish and we got the drift, even if we didn't understand the words. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" never struck us as hilarious but there is something about the language that made us laugh, especially as sung by Mr. Breitzer, accompanied by Mr. Kay on the clarinet--the minor key Klezmer style riffs counterposed against the funny tale made it even funnier.

"Baby It's Cold Outside" by Frank Loesser was translated into fractured Yiddish by one Binyumen Schachter and performed by Donna and Joshua Breitzer and we really wanted to understand how he was trying to get her to stay and what kind of excuses she was making. Those who understood the lyrics had a distinct advantage, but just looking at the facial expressions and body language was funny. Steven Blier at the piano filled us in on some very funny details about the composer and his wife whom he called "the evil of two Loessers". We do so enjoy a good pun!

Not all the songs were funny. We enjoyed a very special moment when Mikaela Bennett sang "O Holy Night" by Adolphe Adam--in English and in French. It is not a song that generally brings tears to our eyes but there was something about the timbre of her voice and the phrasing that affected us deeply.

This versatile artist can do a fine torch song, as evidenced by her delivery of Frank Loesser's "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve".

Amanda Lynn Bottoms was superb in "The Christmas Song" by Mel Tormé--also known as "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" and we also enjoyed her fine delivery of "Let it Snow" by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn.

Thomas West excelled in "Silver Bells" from Jay Livingston/Ray Evans' The Lemon Drop Kid. Mr. Blier related that it is the song of an outsider, perhaps a Jew hearing the Salvation Army bells and thinking about all the poor people who couldn't afford to celebrate Christmas.

Composer Andrew Lippa, a neighbor of Mr. Blier's took the stage to sing his own composition "A Little Love" from You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.

Finally, three cheers for Lauren Worsham's reincarnation of Eartha Kitt singing the delightful "Santa Baby" with the men popping up from behind the low wall at the bar to provide a back-up quartet. We wondered whose idea that was. It was memorable! 

 

The entire cast joined forces for Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" with a lovely humming chorus--and an encore of Johnny Marks' "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree".

We walked out into the chilly midnight air feeling warmed by the fellowship and the splendid entertainment. We will have to wait another year to hear these songs again but we won't have to wait more than a month for more NYFOS. There will be two concerts in January to warm our heart.

(c) meche kroop

A GOYISHE CHIRSTMAS TO YOU

Joshua Breitzer, Donna Breitzer, Alex Mansoori, Miles Mykkanen, Lauren Worsham, and Theo Hoffman

By now we know what to expect from a NYFOS cabaret at Henry's Restaurant--a warm welcome from host Henry, lively patter from Steven Blier, cleverly curated songs, and delicious performances from talented young singers. An extra measure of joy can be had when we bring a newbie or two just to share their delight in experiencing the event for the first time.

The annual Xmas cabaret--"A Goyishe Christmas to You!"--comprises yuletide music by Jewish composers. We loved it last year and we loved it even more this year. Lucky are those who discovered it five years ago!

The eponymous Henry introduced the evening with a few words about ecumenism. The Upper West Side includes people of every persuasion. This event brings the community together in celebration of the holiday season and spices it all up with a sense of humor.

Steven Blier curates and arranges the songs and shares fascinating tidbits about the composers. The singers, who rightfully adore this icon of the musical world, put heart and soul and a little extra into making the evening a rousing success. The stresses of the world outside dissolve in a puddle of good will. Everyone leaves grinning.

The Rodgers and Hart song "Sing for Your Supper" from the 1938 hit The Boys from Syracuse opens every NYFOS After Hours show at Henry's.  This time it was sung by Thomas West.

We heard songs serious and songs silly, each one delivered with passion and panache. On the serious side, Felix Mendelssohn's music for a cantata provided for the harmonious quartet of "Hark the Herald Angels Sing". 

Baritone Theo Hoffman invested each verse of Tormé's "The Christmas Song" (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire--THAT Xmas song) with vibrant color while Mr. Blier's piano dazzled us.  Cabaret star Lauren Worsham led the company in a beautiful arrangement of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas".

But it was the silly songs that stole the show.  Our favorite was "Candle in My Window"by Howard Levitsky and Marc Miller (who were in the audience), hilariously performed by Alex Mansoori. This song spoofs Jewish people who celebrate Xmas and the justifications they come up with.  The best line is "Bless the Christian and the Jew, bless the other guys too, and God Bless the Christmas Jew". Knowing laughter rippled through the audience.

Mr. Mansoori was equally funny in David Friedman's "My Simple Christmas Wish" when he sang about wanting to be rich, famous, and powerful--without making any efforts. We might add that Mr. Mansoori was equally effective in Livingston and Evans' "Silver Bells". Maestro Blier let us in on the fact that Jay Livingston was born Jacob Levinson and the song refers to the Salvation Army bells and references the fact that Jews are known for their charity towards the poor. He also made sure we heard the bells in the piano.

Husband /wife team Cantor Joshua and Donna Breitzer sang a funny version of Frank Loesser's "Baby, It's Cold Outside"--in Yiddish! This miracle of translation was accomplished by one Binyumen Schaechter and Mr. Blier made sure there was a funny spin put on it. Mr. Breitzer also sang "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" in Yiddish, cracking up the audience. This Johnny Marks song was arranged by Kugelplex and Breitzer himself and was accompanied by Alan Kay playing a very Klezmer inflected clarinet.

Speaking of funny spins, it would not be a Steven Blier event without a gay tweak to the program. In this case it was the pairing of tenor Miles Mykkanen and baritone Theo Hoffman singing a very gay version of Bernard and Smith's "Winter Wonderland". It was clever.  It was romantic.  We loved it. They made a swell and harmonious couple, LOL.

Mr. Mykkanen has an outsize personality and a unique timbre to his voice that made his rendition of Loesser's "Let it Snow" quite an event.  Mr. Kay accompanied on the clarinet.

Every recital should have a Tom Lehrer song and this one did--"Hanukkah in Santa Monica" with Breitzer and Kay taking the lead and the company contributing funny lines we wish we could remember.

Breitzer and Worsham did a funny duet that was new to us--Roy Zimmerman's "Don't Let Gramma Cook Christmas Dinner". The multi-talented Breitzer accompanied on the guitar. It reminded us of relatives who try very very hard but are just lousy cooks. The song employed hyperbole to great effect.

We don't want to forget Ms. Worsham's plaintive delivery of Loesser's 1947 hit "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" in which she bent the notes to fine emotional effect. Mr. Kay made fine contributions on his clarinet and Blier shared a very personal and touching reminiscence of a highly special New Year's Eve in his life--a warm and fuzzy story. 

Perhaps next Xmas you will attend and hear this story. We are keeping it close to our heart!

(c) meche kroop

NYFOS AT HOME AT HENRY'S

Steven Blier, Amanda Bottoms, Theo Hoffman, Tiffany Townsende, James Edgar Knight, Alex McKissick, Aaron Mor and Hannah McDermott at Henry's

We love NYFOS in the Winter; We love NYFOS in the Fall; We love NYFOS in the Springtime when it drizzles; but there is no NYFOS in the Summer when it sizzles, at least not here in NYC. So last night's cabaret at Henry's was a bittersweet moment since all the singers we love from Juilliard are going their separate ways.

NYFOS at the Kaufman Center is a somewhat serious affair with opportunities for learning, although there is plenty of fun to be had.  NYFOS at Henry's Restaurant on the Upper West Side is strictly fun. Gifted young artists perform songs you already know and love--WITHOUT AMPLIFICATION!!! Mr. Blier has coached and brought these young artists to pitch perfect performance. Tonight's theme (there is always a theme) was "Great American Songwriting Teams".

Speaking of fun, Aaron Mor's delivery of "The Sheik of Avenue B" complete with Yiddish accent, was priceless. This Kalmar & Ruby song sends up the Sheik of Araby from silent film days.  Think Fanny Brice and Yiddish theater!

On a more serious note, Amanda Bottoms performed the Rodgers & Hart paean to urban loneliness--"It Never Entered My Mind". It's a soulful song and Ms. Bottoms invested it with a great deal of soul.

A late song by The Brother Gershwin "I Was Doing All Right" was sung much better than "all right" by Hannah McDermott in jazzy style.

The romantic "You and the Night and the Music" by Dietz & Schwartz was beautifully sung by Alex McKissick in both English and (surprise) Spanish!  This was new to us and we loved it.  Spanish is just so much more romantic than English!

Tiffany Townsend sang "Blue Grass", also by Dietz & Schwartz, from Inside USA, a song associated with Pearl Bailey. It had a nice bluesy feel to it.

From Sid Caesar's Little Me, James Edgar Knight performed "Real Live Girl" by Coleman & Leigh. This gave him ample opportunity to display his prodigious comic chops.

Given more serious material, Theo Hoffman sang "Blue", William Bolcom's setting of some intense text by Arnold Weinstein, dealing with the positive impact on the latter's life by his practice of meditation with a well known guru. Autobiographical material is difficult but Mr. Hoffman rose to the challenge and succeeded.  This was no less that we would expect from this gifted baritone.

Maltby & Shire's "I Want it All" from Baby is a jazzy number sung by three women in an obstetrician's office. The performance was somewhat hampered by poor diction and only the words of the "hook" were comprehensible. We thought it might be because of our seating way off on the side but we'd had no problem understanding the male performers.

We particularly enjoyed the ensemble numbers.  The opener was the upbeat "Lucky Day" by DeSylva, Brown & Henderson.  Although it dates from the Roaring Twenties there is nothing dated about the sentiment.

For "Wrong Note Rag" from Comden & Green's My Sister Eileen, the company enjoyed four-handed piano with Leann Osterkamp joining Steven Blier.

Similarly for "Ascot Gavotte" from Lerner & Loewe's My Fair Lady, one of our very favorite Broadway numbers. The song pokes fun at the British aristocracy and is delicious in its wit.

The evening ended with Leiber & Stoller's "Love Potion #9" but there was more to come with an encore by Comden, Green & Bernstein--"Some Other Time" from On the Town. 

Mary Birnbaum directed the show and Adam Cates choreographed. It wa a fine and fitting ending for NYFOS' fifth season at Henry's. We are already looking forward to next year.

(c) meche kroop