(left to right:) Robert Kimball, Abby Kimball, Linda Amiel Burns

Robert Kimball

Editor of The Complete Lyrics of Frank Loesser

Honoring Frank Loesser in the January Program are:  Gary Stevens, Amber Edwards, Laurence Rosania, Daryl Sherman, Max Morath, Peter Mintun, Kathleen Landis, Paulette Attie, Peter Johl

 Frank Loesser would indeed have been a most happy fella to hear the wonderful tribute that Robert Kimball arranged to humor him.

Robert Kimball performed a marvelous balancing act, juggling just the right amount of facts from his new book, and selecting just the right songs and performers to present them.  (Get the book for the fascinating facts, but here's what you missed if you weren't at the January meeting:)

Amber Edwards and Laurence Rosania opened the afternoon with three classic Loesser songs: "Two Sleepy People," "My Heart is So Full of You," and "Rumble, Rumble, Rumble."

Gary Stevens talked briefly about Loesser and their days in the Brill Building, as well as such other fascinating paces as Paris...where he had lunch with Deanna Durbin.  She told him (with tears in her eyes) that one of her happiest memories of Hollywood was working with Loesser, and singing "Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year."  The wonderful thing about hearing Gary's reflections is he has such a graphic way of describing them that you feel that you are there.

Daryl Sherman mentioned how generous Frank Loesser had been in helping others and in giving them credit for their work.  Daryl unconsciously proved herself his equal, by giving credit to Mary Martin and Connee Boswell as being the performers who introduced the two Loesser songs that Daryl sang:  "Let's Get Lost,"  and "Sand in My Shoes."

Peter Johl did his usual fine dramatic performance of setting up his material, and then singing the "Mama, Mama" number from Most Happy Fella.  The beauty of his set-up is that anyone there who had not seen the show knew what the song was all about.

Paulette Attie had been the unfortunate understudy who never got the call in Guys and Dolls.  She finally got to perform one of Sarah's songs last Saturday: "If I Were a Bell."  She proved that she would have been a great Sarah.  And if someone is ready for another revival, so is Paulette.

Max Morath has been one of my favorites from the first time I heard him perform his shows on the history of Ragtime and other earlier eras.  He gave his usual fine interpretation to that evergreen favorite "Small Fry."

Kathleen Landis left her perch at the Pierre's piano long enough to add one more star to Kimball's list of brilliant performers.  She chose two of the beautiful ballads from Guys and Dolls: "A Woman in Love," and "I've Never Been in Love Before."

Peter Mintun did what no one else did: he found two gems that very few (if anyone) in the audience knew - "The Traffic Was Terrific," and "I Wish I Were Twins."  Peter is one of those undiscovered gems in that too few know how terrific he is.  I've heard him being interviewed by Terry Gross and Leonard Lopate on local public service stations, and have learned a lot every time he spoke.