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“Shoo Fly Pie.” Jeff has beenaccumulating Dinah Shorememorabilia ever since whoknows when, and thanks toE-Bay has amassed a largecollection of artifacts, such asposters, a coloring book, anda Dinah Shore action figure.Kimberly Hawkey sang“Lavender Blue,” “Buttonsand Bows,” and “TheGypsy,” the most successfulof Dinah’s 1946 hits. LianneMarie Dobbs presented“Tess’s Torch Song,” heard inthe film Up In Arms, sungwith hilarity by Dinah andDanny Kaye in his filmdebut. Paul Greenwoodpaired with Lynn for amedley which included“Friends,” “How AboutYou?” and “Teamwork.” Forthe grand finale, the audienceheld forth with a Dinah Sing-A-Long. Will Friedwaldbrought along clips fromrestored color episodes ofDinah’s television series.Among them were sceneswith Benny Goodman andNat King Cole.
Following collegegraduation, Dinah Shore hadbeen encouraged by an oldersister to go to New York Cityto launch a career in music.As did her mother, whoaspired to be an opera singer,Dinah had a fiercedetermination to succeed.She auditioned for MakeBelieve Ballroom WNEWdisc jockey Martin Block,performing her own radiotheme song “Dinah!”
APRIL 2016www.AmericanPopularSongSociety.orgVOLUME 37, NUMBER 7Formerly New York Sheet Music Society
By Jerry Osterberg
Continued on page 3
Some of us areyoung enough to recallwatching the Dinah ShoreChevy Show which ended adecade long run in 1961.They may also know thatDinah was amongtelevision’s pioneers, sincethere wasn’t much to watchin 1951. Bob Banner, theproducer, asked his eight-year old son if he knew whothe singer was, to which theboy responded: “That’sDinah Shore. I know hervoice because it’s warm inthe middle and soft aroundthe edges.”
Will Friedwaldwrote: “…she lasted at thetop for so many decadesprimarily because she wasselling personality first andmusic second. The importantthing with her was that youliked her; more thananything, she was a warmand friendly person whosecompany you wanted to bein.”
On March 12, theeagerly anticipated tribute,marking Dinah’s centennial,
finally happened. APSSmembers gathered up theircollective memories, and fortwo hours, it was as if theywere seated in a cozy livingroom with a lovely personwith whom all feltcomfortable. Hosts LynnDiMenna and Will Friedwaldwere accompanied by atroupe of talented singerswhich included MeredithDiMenna, Lianne MarieDobbs, Margi Gianquinto,Kimberly Hawkey, and JeffMacauley, who’s beenperforming his own, awardwinning program devoted toDinah Shore since 1997. Theband included MusicalDirector Paul Greenwood,Eric Halvorson on drums,and Tom Hubbard on bass.
Lynn has been aloyal follower of the starsince time immemorial, andhappily performing Dinah’ssongs for years. Of Dinah,Lynn offered: “She had itall…talent, beauty, brains,and a disarming combinationof authority and humility. Asa kid, I wanted to be just like
her!”She opened with
“What a Night This is Goingto Be,” “It’s Delovely,” “Funand Fancy Free” from the1947 Walt Disney film, and(“I Love You) forSentimental Reasons.”Lynn’s daughter Meredithjoined her for a duet in “Yes,My Darling Daughter,”adapted from an oldUkrainian folk song andDinah’s first real hit.Meredith also soloed in“Blues in the Night.” MargiGianquinto performed “I’ll
Walk Alone” (1944), “I Don’tWant to Walk Without You”(1942), and “It All Dependson You.”
Jeff Macauleycontributed “Personality” and
Photo by Rose Billings
Photo by Rose Billings
Jeff Macauley, Margi Gianquinto, Will Friedwald, Lynn DiMenna
Meredith DiMenna
PAGE 2 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY APRIL, 2016
Could our Programs be any better? Many thanks to Lynn DiMennaand Will Friedwald for their terrific Centennial Tribute to DinahShore, and for putting together an incredible cast of singers alongwith a band of great musicians. Also, we are grateful to cast
member Jeff Macauley for bringing some of his extraordinary Dinah memorabiliacollection to share with us. You can read all about the wonderful event in thisissue’s lead story, written by our Editor-in-Chief, Jerry Osterberg.
We have had a remarkable season so far, and our last three presentations willalso be filled with show stoppers. No wonder that we are known as the “BestBargain in Town!” Where else can you see superb shows, get free sheet musicand an amazing Newsletter - all for only $50 per year? Don’t miss our last threemeetings: The one and only LaTanya Hall’s Sarah Vaughn Show on April 9th, TomToce’s Songwriter Showcase on May 14th and Aaron Weinstein’s Show on June11th will be closing out the year in style.
I have been involved with this organization for a long time, first as Vice Presidentof The NY Sheet Music Society and then as President for nearly 20 years. I haveseen so many changes, including recently getting a new name that so clearlyreflects who we are: American Popular Song Society. I am glad that we were ableto keep it all going, because there were times that I didn’t know if we were goingto survive. It is exciting to realize that we are only getting better and better! Iam thrilled that we have such a wonderful Board of Directors. Some have beenwith us for a while, and we now welcome several new and prestigious additions.Here is our current Board, with whom I am so glad to serve: Joan Adams, ElliottAmes, Bill Boggs, Glen Charlow, Will Friedwald, Lynn DiMenna, Sandi Durell,Michael, Lavine, Marilyn Lester, Jerry Osterberg, Richard Skipper, Tom Toce.Their names are always on the Masthead of the Newsletter.
Remember that if you come to our meetings early, you can pick up sheet musicand CD treasures at no cost. People donate their collections to us, and it is ourpleasure to share them with you as a gift from APSS. Each month from 12:30until the meeting begins,we have a table in theback where you can takewhatever you want. Ofcourse, if you wish todrop a donation in thenearby bowl, we will bedelighted to receive it!
I want to wish you all aHappy Spring and amlooking forward to seeingyou on April 9th!
President’s Message...Linda Amiel Burns, President
Linda Linda Amiel Burns, Lynn DiMenna & Sandi Durell
Photo by Rose Billings
Board Of Directors:Linda Amiel Burns
President
Lynn DiMennaSandi Durell
1st Vice Presidents
Joan AdamsSandy Marrone
2nd Vice Presidents
Glen CharlowTreasurer & Membership
Marilyn LesterCorresponding Secretary
Debbi Bush WhitingMichael Lavine
-------------------------------------Publicist
Richard Skipper [email protected]
Programs & Special EventsElliott AmesSandi DurellTom Toce
APSS Official Photographer:Rose Billings
Graphic Designer, Web GuyGlen Charlow
N E W S L E T T E REditor/Publisher: Jerry Osterberg
[email protected] Editor: Marilyn Lester
[email protected] Editor: Joan [email protected]
Graphic Designer: Glen [email protected]
Membership Mailing Address:American Popular Song Society
P.O. Box 5856Pikesville, MD 21282
[email protected](212) 315-3500 (Linda A. Burns)
American PopularSong Society
MEETING LOCATION: Local 802 – Musicians’ Hall322 West 48th Street. Program: 1:45 – 3:30PM.Come early to look thru Sheet Music & CD’s & stuff, mostly FREE.
Afterwards, Block told hissecretary to “Bring back thatDinah girl” and hired her.From that day on, FrancesRose Shore was called DinahShore.
From 1940 to 1953,she had 84 Top 20 hits inBillboard, of which nine weregold. It was reported that ather peak, Dinah’s recordswere selling at the rate of twomillion a year. She scored her
first big hit with “Yes, MyDarling Daughter,” followedby another 32 which placedamong the Top 10. Four ofthese reached number 1: “I’llWalk Alone,” “The Gypsy,”“Anniversary Song,” and“Buttons and Bows,” ablockbuster which remained atthe top for ten weeks! Themost fertile period for Dinahoccurred during World War II,including an astounding 12tunes among the Top 25 in1942. Dinah was the firstwoman to perform for the
G.I’s on the front lines. Again,Will Friedwald: “…whatreally cemented her stardomwas WWII. After Crosby andSinatra, Shore was easily themost popular singer withservice audiences…Onesoldier described her as having‘the kind of voice you’d like totake home to Mother.’”
Dinah Shore wasonce asked how she wouldlike to be remembered. Herresponse: “I’d like people toremember that I really triedeverything within my range of
reality, and that whatever I did,I did with all my heart.”Without a doubt, the operativeword was “heart.” Her fansbelieved it and so did Dinah. Itshone through an entirelifetime of appearances. Theperson we listened to on theradio, and watched ontelevision and an occasionalmovie, seemed to beunaffected by her celebrity. Toquote Will Friedwald oncemore: “…when Dinah Shoredied in 1994, it was as if we’dall lost part of our family.”
APRIL, 2016 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY PAGE 3
Dinah Shore...Continued from page 1
There is a unanimous consensusamong critics and lovers of music and songthat Sarah Vaughan possessed one of the mostglorious vocal instruments of her generation.Despite a lifetime of chemical abuse, heryouthful voice maintained its quality, purityand strength right up till the end. The voicethat critic Scott Yanow described as “one ofthe most wondrous of the 20th Century” wasstilled all too soon in 1990.
Sarah Vaughan’s parents, Ada andAsbury “Jake,” were part of the GreatMigration. During World War 1 they traveledfrom Virginia to Newark, New Jersey,purchasing a house in Brunswick Street. OnMarch 27, 1924, their only child, Sarah Lois,was born. Both Vaughans were amateurmusicians and deeply religious – their sociallife centered-around the Mount Zion BaptistChurch where Sarah, who began taking pianolessons in 1931, sang and played piano andorgan. But young Sarah also had an eye andear for popular music very early on in life, aswell as a propensity to have a good time. Shewas never a scholar; by her mid-teens she’dalready been sneaking away to hear localmusic played in the clubs and various venuesaround her home town. Eventually she beganperforming as a teenage pianist andoccasional singer at Newark clubs such as thePiccadilly Club and the Newark Airport
USO. In her junior year she quit high schooland began crossing the Hudson River withher friends to hear the bands that played theApollo Theater in Harlem.
The Apollo proved to be anEldorado for Sarah. In the fall of 1942, shepersuaded her friend Doris Robinson to enterthe amateur night talent contest. Vaughanplayed piano accompaniment for Robinson,who won second prize. A short time later,Sarah, just 18 years old, entered the contestherself and won with her rendition of “Bodyand Soul.” The prize, was $10 and thepromise of a week’s engagement at theApollo, which was made good in the springof 1943, and Vaughan became the openingact for Ella Fitzgerald. (Later, Fitzgeraldwould call her “the world’s greatest singingtalent” and would find herself sharing manyfuture stages with Vaughan.)
There are several versions of whathappened next after that Apollo victory, withboth Earl “Fatha” Hines and Billy Eckstinebeing credited with discovering Vaughan.The fact is fact, however, on April 4, 1943Sarah officially replaced the current malesinger in Hines’ band, second to Eckstine,Hines’ baritone headliner. Vaughan andEckstine started a life-long friendship, andwhen Eckstine left Hines to form his ownband in 1944, Sarah went with him. Soonafter though, Sarah decided to strike out on asolo career (which Eckstine supported). Herexperience with the Hines and Eckstine bandshad a big influence on Vaughan; she wasexposed to the bebop movement and some ofthe greatest jazz innovators of the day, suchas trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie and MilesDavis, drummer Art Blakey and saxophonistCharlie Parker, who greatly influenced her
style. Critic Leonard Feather wrote: “SarahVaughan’s voice was exceptional from thebeginning, but in the early years nobodycould have predicted the evolution that wouldcome.”
The 1940 years proved busy, withVaughn performing and recording regularly.In 1946 she married (the first of threehusbands) trumpeter George Treadwell, whobecame her manager and turned her from askinny, awkward gap-toothed girl into asophisticate. In the 1940s Sarah also acquiredthe nicknames “Sassy” and “Sailor” becauseshe could smoke drink and swear with thebest of them; she was, among the musiciansshe hung with, one of the boys. She began alife of good-time partying and hard-living,picking up a liking for cocaine that never lefther (that her voice never suffered was amiracle remarked on by those who knew herand those who followed her career).
Vaughan’s trajectory into stardomwas steady and swift, accompanied by muchcritical and popular, acclaim. She recordedfor Columbia, Mercury and RouletteRecords, toured, played A-list clubs, workedwith just about every luminary of the day,won numerous awards and accolades,including Grammys, and performed at theWhite House multiple times. In 1985 Sarahreceived a star on the Hollywood Walk ofFame. She was inducted into the AmericanJazz Hall of Fame in 1988 and in 1989became an NEA Jazz Master. She alsobecame known as “The Divine One” the titleof a 1961 studio album.
Vaughan never took a singinglesson. She was entirely self-taught and shesang every style of music written. She mayhave been disinterested in school learning,
Sarah Vaughan: SheWas Sassy and Divine
A tale of an amazing voiceand how it got that way
by Marilyn Lester
PAGE 4 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY APRIL, 2016
but when it came to music she was an avidstudent. Sarah listened to Bob Howard on theradio every day in the mid-late 1930s,copying his chords. She also keenly listenedto Ella Fitzgerald, saxophone pioneerColeman Hawkins, the swing jazz ensembleSavoy Sultans (whose singer was EvelynWhite), and trumpeter Erskine Hawkins. As aresult, she added to her innate musicalabilities, absorbing it all and developing anastute mastery over pitch, harmony, keychanges, nuance, intonation andimprovisation. Amazingly, she almost neverpracticed or rehearsed; her gifts came easilyand naturally.
Descriptions of her voice are manyand glowing. She was greatly admired andpraised by Mel Torme, whom she influenced,and Frank Sinatra, a musical genius whorecognized the same in her. Sarah had a threeto four-octave range. She could sing from afemale baritone to coloratura soprano, andshe had the ability to “fray” or “bend” notesat the extremities of her vocal range. BobJames, her music director in the 1960sthought (as did others) that Sarah could havemade a remarkable opera singer with theproper training. James noted that theinstrument was there, but “the knowledge, thelegitimacy of that whole world were not forher.”
Sarah’s voice deepened with age,but never diminished. In her later years hervoice was described as a “burnishedcontralto” with a lower register described bycritic Stephen Holden as having “shades froma gruff baritone into a rich, juicy contralto.”Her voice had, according to writer MartinWilliams, exceptional body, volume, avariety of vocal textures, and superb andhighly personal vocal control. Williams alsowrote “Her ear and sense of pitch were justabout perfect.”
Music critic Gary Giddins declaredthat Sarah was the “ageless voice of modernjazz – of giddy postwar virtuosity, biting witand fearless caprice. Her voice had wings:luscious and tensile, disciplined and nuanced,it was as thick as cognac, yet soared off thebeaten path like an instrumental solo.” CriticNat Hentoff admired her “resonant and rich”sound, and “striking sense of design” inwhich the basic framework of a song iscarefully structured and personalized withstriking improvisations. She possessed avibrato that was described by Stephen Holdenas “voluptuous and heavy,” and by MartinWilliams as “an ornament of uniquelyflexible size, shape and duration.”
Vaughan would augment her naturalvocal abilities with calculated “theatrics.”She used a handheld microphone as part ofher performance, placing it to complementher volume and vocal texture. She often heldthe mic at arms-length and frequently chosecertain songs to demonstrate her vocal skills.
She became closely associated with “Send inthe Clowns,” which she delivered, accordingto Stephen Holden, as a “three-octave tour deforce of semi-improvisational pyrotechnics inwhich the jazz, pop and operatic sides of hermusical personality came together and foundcomplete expression.”
She could be very defensive aboutbeing a jazz singer, though. In the early 1980sshe told a reporter from Downbeatmagazine:“I don’t know why people call me a jazzsinger, though I guess people associate mewith jazz because I was raised in it, from wayback. I’m not putting jazz down, but I’m nota jazz singer... I like all kinds of music.”
Yet, critic Stanley Dance, abiographer of Duke Ellington, considered herversion of Ellington’s “Perdido” definitive.Critic and writer Marc Myers declared herversion of the jazz standard “Cherokee” (“amusical drag strip of sorts for jazz artistseager to show off their chops at breakneckspeeds”) definitive. And the New York Timescritic John S. Wilson said in 1957 thatVaughan possessed “what may well be thefinest voice ever applied to jazz.” Perhapssuch mastery can be explained by aphenomenon of acuity and intenseperception. Dizzy Gillespie once remarkedthat Vaughan could sing notes other peoplecan’t even hear. Sarah herself said, “There arenotes between notes, you know.”
At the root of her abilities was thefact that Sarah paid attention to the jazzmusicians of her youth, and listened to whatthese innovators were doing with their
instruments. She is quoted as saying “Ialways wanted to imitate the horns,” and“horns always influenced me more thanvoices.” There’s no doubt that Billy Eckstineinfluenced her phrasing and dramatic style.Sarah admired opera star and soprano,Leontyne Price as well as Doris Day. Shemore than once cited Judy Garland as aninfluence. “Judy Garland was the singer Imost wanted to sound like then, not to copy,but to get some of her soul and purity.” shesaid.
Whatever influences Sarahabsorbed she integrated into her own strongpersonality and made her own. Her effect onaudiences was powerful. Leonard Featherwriting about the fullness and beauty of hertone quality, also noted “She could hold acrowd of 18,000 at the Hollywood Bowlspellbound with a version of ‘Send in theClowns’ that invalidated every otherrendition.” Jazz critic and writer StanleyCrouch wrote in Jazz Times that Vaughnpossessed the gift “for blowing up the heartof an audience as if it is a balloon slowlyfilling with a golden mist of aesthetichelium.”
In 1989, Sarah’s health began todecline, although her performances and hervoice remained strong. Her private life wasfinally catching up with her. Her penchant forcarousing, with the quantities of cigarettes,alcohol, marijuana and cocaine taking theirtoll. During a residency at the Blue Note inNew York 1n 1989 she received a diagnosisof lung cancer, and was too ill to finish thefinal day of her run. She spent her last days inher California home, passing on April 3,1990, a week after her 66th birthday. Her bodywas flown home to Newark, and her funeralheld at the Mount Zion Baptist Church, in thesame congregation she grew up in. She wastaken to her final resting place, GlendaleCemetery in Bloomfield, New Jersey, byhorse-drawn carriage.
That magnificent voice might havebeen stilled, but Sarah Vaughan’s legacy liveson in her many recordings and throughtributes recorded to her after her death byCarmen McRae, Dianne Reeves and others.Vaughan’s influence on a younger generationof singers, notably Anita Baker, Sade, RickieLee Jones and Phoebe Snow also carry herlegacy forward. And as one generation ofartists stands on the shoulders of thosewho’ve gone before, Sarah Vaughan’samazing gifts, powerful talent and importantlegacy will continue to have consequencethrough the decades to come.
Linda Amiel Burns, NYSMS President, is celebrating the 39th year of The SingingExperience. A number of APSS members have taken this workshop, some more thanonce. For those of us who have, we can assure you that you’ll feel like a pro by the nightof the performance. Although many students have never sung in public before, thesupportive environment has prepared them well for their debut. Call Linda at 212-315-3500 to sign up. The Singing Experience Cable TV show continues on MNN TimeWarner: Channel 56 or RCN: Channel 111. The program broadcasts are every Sundayat 5:00 PM. You can also see your fellow NYSMS members on YouTube at any time.
Singing Experience graduates will be performing Spring Fling! at The Triad on April 13@ 7:30 PM, 158 West 72nd Street. There’s a $15 music charge and a two drinkminimum (cash only). For reservations: Call Linda @ 212-315-3500 or [email protected].
Midday Jazz Midtown continues on Wednesdays (1:00 PM to 2:00 PM) at Saint Peter’sChurch (East 54Street (entrance) @ Lexington Ave), NYC, Hosted by Ronny Whyte.Programs: April 6, Lou Caputo’s Not-So-Big-Band; April 13, Junior Mance – piano,Hide Tanaka – bass, Michi Fuji – violin; April 20, Stan Rubin’s Tigertown Five, featuringBarry Bryson – trumpet; April 27, Barry Harris – piano/vocals, Murray Wall – bass,Yaya Abdul – drums. Suggested donation: $10. Parking: Icon Parking, East 51 St,between Third and Lexington Ave. $15 including tax for five hours with validation @Saint Peter’s reception desk. www.ronnywhyte.com/www.saintpeters.org/jazz/midtownjazz.htm.
Carol Shedlin will be back with her newest show Romance in the Dark, on Thursday,April 7, Tuesday, April 12, Monday, April 18, and Thursday, April 21. All shows are@ 7:00 PM at Don’t Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street. $12 cover charge ($10 for MAC,SE, APSS members), 2 drink minimum (cash only). Jon Delfin (musical director), BootsMaleson (bass), Aaron Morishita (director). For reservations, call 212-757-0788. Carolhas been performing in cabaret since 1988, having presented 18 different programs.Someone clearly told our long-time APSS member to sing only good songs. Taking theadvice to heart, her latest performance will include songs by George & Ira Gershwin,Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, MooseCharlop, Irving Berlin, Ralph Rainger, Cole Porter, Lorenz Hart, Jerome Kern, andmore. How could you ask for anything more?
Songwriter and APSS Board Member Tom Toce will present his annual Singer &Songwriter Showcase on May 14 @ 1:45 PM. After the success of The Harvard-YaleCantata last fall, he’s been asked by Studio 54 to produce a second edition this year.Tom will be providing APSS members with a taste of what it’s all about with EmergingSongwriters from Yale at the May meeting. Yale’s illustrious alumni include Porter,Rome, Leigh, Maltby & Shire, Yeston, and Guettel. The Yale tradition lives on amongthe younger unheralded songwriters, one of whom is Tom Toce. The performers willalso be Yale graduates, except for singer/songwriter Jennie Litt who attended Harvard,and her collaborator David Alpher.
Ronny Whyte has a new CD: Nevertheless, the Kalmar & Ruby Songbook, featuringWarren Vache, Lou Caputo, Ben Sher, Boots Maleson & David Silliman. The brilliant
album includes: “Nevertheless,” “Give Me the Simple Life,” “Who’s Sorry Now,” “ThreeLittle Words,” “A Kiss to Build a Dream On,” and “I Wanna Be Loved By You.”www.ronnywhyte.com?
Hilary Kole will be introducing her newest CD: The Judy Garland Project (MirandaMusic) at a Release Celebration on Tuesday, April 26 @ 8:30 PM at the Iridium, 1650Broadway @ West 51st St. Tickets are $25. Call 212-582-2121. The remarkableperformer conjures the spirit and beauty of Judy Garland in stunning arrangements ofsongs made famous by the legendary singer, including “The Trolley Song,” “The BoyNext Door,” “A Cottage for Sale,” “The Man That Got Away,” and “Over the Rainbow.”
MEMBERS: SELL YOUR CDS AT MEETINGS! You’ve seen Kitty Skrobela at a tablefull of CDS against the wall. Those represent the recordings of members of theNYSMS. Bring two of yours to any meeting and receive $15 for each one sold. Youcan leave one with Kitty for the next time or bring more if both are sold. People checkevery month to see what’s new. Don’t lose out! Don’t be shy! Bring in those CDS ofyours and walk out with hard money!
Do you seek an elusive song? If you do, write NYSMS Board member Sandy Marrone@ [email protected] or call 856-829-6104. You can also visit Sandy in New Jerseyto see thousands and thousands of sheets of music, most of which can be yours veryreasonably. She is a marvelous resource and a super-great lady!
Sandi Durell is Publisher-Editor of TheaterPizzazz.com, a vital website that presentsup to date theater reviews, news, interviews and previews, along with cabaret reviewsand videos. There is a large contributing group of writers who offer discerning andprofessional reviews and information. Sandi is a Drama Desk and Outer Critics CircleAwards Voter, member of the American Theatre Critics Association, League ofProfessional Theatre Women, The Lambs, and The Dutch Treat Club. Visit:www.theaterpizzazz.com.
Dennis Livingston’s debut CD The Stories in My Mind: The Songs of Dennis Livingston,is the subject of a one-hour interview hosted by Jim Farley at the Musical/WorldPodcast website. The program includes a conversation about the songs and his lifeas a cabaret/jazz songwriter, along with anecdotes about his songwriting father JerryLivingston. The podcast can be heard at www.musicalworld.us or the iTunes Store(write musicalworld in the search window). CD can be purchased from CD Baby:http://cdbaby.com/cd/dennislivingston.
Bob Levy is out with a brand new CD – Connections, with lyrics by Bob and musicprovided by Harriet Goldberg, Alex Rybeck, Ronny Whyte, Dennis Livingston, Jon Burr,Krisanthi Pappas, and the man himself Bob Levy. The vocalists are Pappas, DaneVannatter, Barbara Porteous, Ronny Whyte, Judi Figel, Joyce Breach, Matt Ray, JinnySagorin, and Jamey Whiting. The album features top musicians which include the BillyNovick Trio & Quartet. www.silkrivermusic.com, www.cdbaby.com.
Surprise! Author David Hajdu makes his songwriter debut with Waiting for the Angel,culminating a five year collaboration with esteemed multi-genre composers Jill Sobule,Fred Hersch, Renee Rosnes, and Mickey Leonard. Featured vocalists are Jo Lawry,Michael Winther, and Karen Oberlin, with musicians Steve Wilson, Steven Bernstein,Charles Pillow, Peter Bernstein, Dave Eggar, Sean Smith, Carl Allen.www.mirandamusic.com, www.cdbaby.com.
Karen Oberlin & Sean Harkness have just released a new CD A Wish on MirandaMusic. If you never had the opportunity to see their fantastic show, here’s a chance tohear what you missed. The album incorporates a mix of standards, as well as somelesser known tunes, but those with staying power: “More Than You Know,” “A Wish,”“Train in the Distance,” “Remind Me.”
The APSS newsletter is in need of members who have an interesting story to tell aboutanything relating to American popular music. If it’s something you’d enjoy doing, butyou’re uncertain about whether or not it would be of interest to our fellow readers,please contact the Editor, Jerry Osterberg @ [email protected] or 516-248-7549.
Member News...
Send Member News to [email protected] no later than the 15th of each month for the next issue.
If you have any member news, or other items you would like to haveconsidered for this newsletter, please send it by e-mail to the co-editor, Jerry Osterbergg: [email protected]. It will be subject toediting, depending on size and content, and please remember thatwe try to go to press two weeks before each monthly meeting. Weoften get very good items that get to us after the newsletter has beenprinted and mailed.
APRIL, 2016 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY PAGE 5
P.O. Box 5856PIKESVILLE, MD 21282
Did you know every issue of this newsletteris in COLOR online at www.NYSMS.org
American PopularSong Society
Our 2015-16 Season
May 14, 2016: Songwriter and APSS Board Member Tom Tocewill present his annual Singer & Songwriter Showcase. After thesuccess of The Harvard-Yale Cantata last fall, he’s been asked byStudio 54 to produce a second edition. Tom will provide members with
a taste of what’s to come with Emerging Songwriters from Yale, whose illustriousalumni include Porter, Rome, Leigh, Maltby, Shire, Yeston, and Guettel. The Yaletradition lives on among the younger unheralded songwriters. The performers willalso be Yale graduates, except for singer/songwriter Jennie Litt who attendedHarvard, and collaborator David Alpher.
October 10, 2015: Lush popular ballads, swing, latin beat, allwith lyricists such as Berlin, Porter, Lerner/Lowe, Hal David, LeonardCohen and even Todd Murray himself. With the support of piano,bass, jazz guitar, drums, and back-up vocals, CROON is not merely
a concert, it’s an experience. Todd connects with conversational lyrics set to heartfelttunes, and even though it is a public setting, he sings to you, and only you.
November 14, 2015: Will Friedwald A program ofsongwriters performing their own works, from the twenties to thesixties (maybe something more contemporary as well) RichardRodgers, Harold Arlen, Sammy Fain, Harry Warren, Cy Coleman,
Johnny Mercer (lots of Mercer), Hoagy Carmichael (lots of Hoagy).
December 12, 2015: Focus is on the 1947-'55 period in popmusic, post-Great American Songbook, pre-Rock and Roll. Presentationrevolves around Mitch Miller as the personification of the era. BenYagoda will illuminate this transitional period between the Great
American Songbook days that preceded it and the rock ‘n roll era that followed, with itssuperb American writers such as Carole King, Willie Nelson, Burt Bacharach...etc.
January 9, 2016: Julie Budd is considered to be one of themost exciting singers today. Winner of "The Broadway World Award"for Best Show "They Wrote The Songs", she has enjoyed a multi-faceted career that ranges from television to film, along with the NY
stage & symphonies all over the country. "The NY Times" raved in a glowingretrospect of Julie's career, declaring Ms. Budd "The Consummate Performer"
February 13, 2016: Peter Filicia in Conversation with RichardSkipper celebrating Peter's "The Great Parade: Broadway'sAstonishing Never-to-be-Forgotten 1962-1964 Season". Thisafternoon we will celebrate Peter's book with performances of the
songs that came from Broadway that season. Books will be for sale afterpresentation.
March 12, 2016: Join "Dinahphiles" Lynn DiMenna, MeredithDiMenna, Jeff MacAuley, Kimberly Hawkey, Margi Gianquinto and co-producer, Will Friedwald for a Dinah Shore Centennial Celebration ofthe life and music of "one of the best female pop singers of all time!"
Stories, hit songs and video clips will all be part of this timely and entertainingafternoon.
April 9, 2016: Sarah Vaughan was one of the greatest artistsever known in music. Respected by musicians across the globe, shewas known as the “opera star of the jazz world.” Join La Tanya Hallas she celebrates the life of this legitimate diva. From her earliest hits
to some of her more adventurous musical forays, Ms. Hall plumbs the depths ofSarah Vaughan’s musical legacy in this thrilling exploration of the Divine One.
June 11, 2016: Called “the Groucho of the violin” by TonyBennett and “a perfect musician” by jazz guitar legend, BuckyPizzarelli, Aaron Weinstein “is rapidly establishing himself as one ofhis instrument’s rare jazz masters.” Aaron is the recipient of a New
York City Nightlife Award and New York City Bistro Award. He is a graduate of theBerklee College of Music where he was awarded a full four-year talent-basedscholarship.
Dinah Shore
