New York Sheet Music Society

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January 2005 meeting

The Jazz Singers stars: Jackie Cain, Elliott Ames, Steve Kaiser, NYSMS President Linda Amiel Burns, Ray Passman, Katherine Dupuis, Toni Reid, Marion Cowlings, and pianist/singer Sue Maskaleris.  (not in picture: Allen Farnham (pianist) and singer/pianist/composer Bob Dorough)

"The Jazz Singers"  Why I Love That Tune

The January Meeting - by Gregg Culling

January's New York Sheet Music Society's program, entitled "The Jazz Singers - Why I Love That Tune!" was co-produced by Elliott Ames and Ray Passman.  It was a success beyond words!  Serving as Musical Director for all but one of the singers was the very talented Sue Maskaleris, a wonderful jazz musician, composer/lyricist and piano player.  Leading off the vocals was Steve Kaiser who said jazz singing to him was like "walking a tight rope without a net."  He began his first number with a vocalese that led into "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To," followed by a nicely executed ballad, "Stairway to the Stars," with Sue climbing the stairs on the keyboard.

Up next was Katherine Dupuis singing "Can I Steal a Little Love?" which she said not many people know, but it had been recorded by Frank Sinatra in 1956 on Capitol.  Being an alumnus of Indiana University, she mentioned that she has sung a lot of Hoagy Carmichael, and gave us a few samples: the verse of "Star Dust" followed by "Skylark."  She's animated, sings on pitch, and has a good sense of rhythm.  The songs obviously mean a lot to her.

Elliott next introduced a singer that he said if you're planning to be a jazz singer you should hear: Marion Cowlings.  How true!  Marion began with Miles Davis/Jon Henderson's "Four" that I heard him perform at Jazz at St. Peter's last year. 

Toni Reid was a singer that was new to me.  Elliott said we may recognize her voice from commercials.  She offered Ellington's "Love You Madly," beginning softly and then gently swinging it.  She next chose another tune by The Duke: "Prelude to a Kiss."  In the first she sounded more "in the style of" Chris Connor/June Christie, and in the second like Sarah Vaughan. 

"I know how it feels to have sand in my shoes, To find an escape from all those civilized blues" sang Ray Passman, who wrote the lyrics and the music (with Herb Wasserman) for his wonderful romp "Down St. Thomas Way." It was a genuine treat to hear Ray sing!

Sue Maskaleris got her own spot and brought her own "heckler" Mr. Bob Dorough as "backup" on her instructive song "What a Woman in Jazz Should Be," dedicated to all female jazz performers and singers who "fight for that glorious glamorous $40 gig!"

Mr. Ames then introduced a singer he said he first heard at the Blue Note in Chicago, singing with the Charlie Ventura Orchestra: Ms Jackie Cain.  She followed in Ray Passman's footsteps by also singing a song about sand, this time the sand of Havana in "Sand in My Shoes," sung in her own elegant style with the pure tone and that incredible range.

The final guest was that great hipster himself, Bob Dorough.  Upon taking the mike he said he only came to chauffer Jackie.  He sat at the piano and said that the song of his that he was about to sing was one he had kept in a trunk for 25 years because he thought it was "too weird," and no one would ever sing it.  But the great singer Irene Kral kept pestering him for something new, so he finally gave it to her and she recorded it: "Love Came on Stealthy Fingers."  Bob then stole your heart away, just like the song says.  What a character!  He left us with his very upbeat "I Got Just About Everything I Need," and that about said it all.  What a guy!  What a show!!