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Cabaret Convention Celebrates Frank Loesser – Second Night

By Myra Chanin – Originally published at https://www.theaterpizzazz.com/cabaret-convention-celebrates-frank-loesser-second-night/

Frank Loesser is considered one of the most versatile of all Broadway composers. He started out writing lyrics for Hollywood movies and ended up writing complete scores for Tony winning musicals. He was born in the summer of 1929 when men were lighting cigars with $10 bills and before he was six months old, the same guys were paupers, flinging themselves out of windows.

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Danny Bacher With Special Guests Marilyn Maye & Harry Allen And Pat Longo’s Hollywood East Coast Big Band

Thursday, November 14 at 7:30 PM

College of Saint Elizabeth’s Annunciation Center – Morristown

Singer, saxophonist, and entertainer Danny Bacher will be joined by the iconic Marilyn Maye and popular saxophonist Harry Allen with the swinging Pat Longo’s Hollywood East Coast Big Band at the Annunciation Center’s Dolan Hall on the campus of the College of Saint Elizabeth. New signage will make it easy to find this comfortable, accessible concert hall.

NJJS Members will enjoy a special low advanced sale ticket price of only $20.00 with the discount code: NJJSDANNY.

Go to www.LKSarts.org for more information and tickets or call the box office at 800-838-3006, Ext. 1.

2019 ASA Margaret Whiting Award

June 25, 2019
The Laurie Beechman Theatre, NYC

The Laurie Beechman Theatre was the site of the first annual ASA (American Songbook Association) Margaret Whiting Award. Sponsored by the ASA and underwritten by Debbi Bush Whiting and My Ideal Music, the 2019 award was presented to singer-tenor saxophonist-songwriter Danny Bacher. The evening featured performances by past winners of the Award (when it was sponsored by the Mabel Mercer Foundation) Celia Berk, Natalie Douglas, Eric Yves Garcia, and Josephine Sanges. Tex Arnold, who was Margaret’s music director, was the MD for the night, and Saadi Zain was on bass. As the audience arrived, they were treated to the vocals of Margaret Whiting over the sound system. As the musicians took the stage, Marilyn Lester, Executive Director of the ASA, greeted the crowd and introduced the first performer. The performers told a brief story about Margaret between their two songs. Frank Dain, treasurer of the ASA and editor of Cabaret Scenes magazine, invited Danny to the stage and read a letter from Todd Murray, another previous winner who could not be there. Frank introduced Debbi who presented the award to Danny. After his very funny thank yous, including a site gag that loses its impact in words, he performed two songs. He was then joined by Celia, Debbi, Natalie, and Josephine for a lovely version of “Time After Time.” Before they sang, Debbi explained that Margaret was thrilled to learn that her version of the song was used in the film Julie & Julia.

See the full article and more images at http://cabaretscenes.org/2019/06/27/2019-asa-margaret-whiting-award/

Danny Bacher – Serious Fun

by Marilyn Lester

Last autumn, jazz singer and soprano sax player Danny Bacher released his second CD, Still Happy. That he is. Bacher is a purveyor of happiness, born under a lucky star. He’s a Renaissance man, a polymath of talent––a saxophonist, vocalist, composer, educator, actor, writer/playwright, and comedian––who’s a master of all trades and on a mission to spread joy. Now at that mid-life point where the road behind and the road ahead are more or less equal, he’s got a solid perspective of the elements of his life that have informed his “now” and the direction he’d like to travel in.

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All the Things You Are –– The Music of Jerome Kern

By Marilyn Lester

Each May the Mabel Mercer Foundation (MMF) salutes the work of a great American songbook composer at a fête in NYC’s Weill Recital Hall. It’s always a happy, festive affair, as a bevy of cabaret artists take the stage to interpret the work of the honoree. This year’s tribute to Jerome Kern was no less a celebratory success. An excellent cast highlighted the work of the man most noted for the classic musical, Showboat, but who also wrote many of the great standards we know and prize. As always, MMF Artistic Director and cabaret doyenne, KT Sullivan, hosted with gracious aplomb, herself offering the comically infused “Just Let Me Look at You” and “Bungalow in Quogue” as well as a heartfelt “The Last Time I Saw Paris.”

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All the Things You Are -The Music of Jerome Kern

Just let me look at you/Don’t talk, don’t break the spell… teases Mabel Mercer Foundation’s Artistic Director/vocalist KT Sullivan, settling her gaze on familiar audience faces. Tonight’s honoree is one of her favorite composers. When not introducing or performing, Sullivan sits on the sidelines beaming like a mother hen. This beautifully produced salute features a variety of veteran and freshly honed talent, beloved and lesser known material. An unqualified hit.

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Straighten Up and Fly Right: Danny Bacher and Nat King Cole – An Inspired Meeting

How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Listen to your grandparent’s Big Band and Swing recordings and WNEW’s Make Believe Ballroom, learn how to play a musical instrument, and start singing, preferably not later than the freshman year of high school. Thank goodness our grandparents kept the old records and tapes, bless their hearts. They clearly had an uncanny instinct that their vinyl treasures would live again one day. And, who among us doesn’t want to assume the role of a jocular disc jockey for a precocious grandchild?

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Danny Bacher Brings Louis To Cafe Centro

It was a happy time at Cafe Centro last night. Danny Bacher brought his Jazz, Vocals, and Comedy to the Cabaret and joined forces with the Michael Masci trio. Danny has all the talents to perfectly pay homage to the three musician entertainers he celebrated in his show….Louis Armstrong, Louis Prima, and Louis Jordan. Danny plays “happy music” and his enthusiasm and joy transferred to the Cafe Centro audience. As they say, “the joint was jumpin”, with Michael on piano, Paul Shewchuck on bass, and Cielo Blue, drums.

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Danny Bacher: Still Happy – Review of saxophonist/vocalist’s upbeat second album as a leader

The song titles alone on soprano saxophonist and vocalist Danny Bacher’s sophomore release provide a pre-listening hint of what to expect: They contain words like joy, fun, lucky, hooray, laughing, and—three separate times—happy.

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Danny Bacher Swings “Still Happy” at Feinstein’s/54 Below

Article By Dan Kassell

Whaling City Sound picked singer-soprano sax player-composer, Danny Bacher to record, and Danny picked Allen Farnham (piano), Dean Johnson (bass), Samuel Martinelli (drums), Harry Allen (tenor sax) and Charles Caranicas (trumpet), for Feinstein’s/54Below as a pre-Christmas evening for NYC. As our government shut down, the evening’s theme, and title of Bacher’s new CD release, Still Happy, was a pleasant momentary diversion.(Bacher’s previous 2016 CD Swing That Music (Whaling City Sound) borrowed Louis Armstrong’s tune for it’s title; it was a tribute to a youth of listening to the origins of jazz with his brother, Josh, in Wayne, New Jersey, and playing tenor sax with recordings “to get a really good tone.”)

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Marilyn Lester’s Review of Still Happy

If the DNA of Sidney Bechet and Louis Prima could be combined, the result would be Danny Bacher. He considers himself an entertainer in the old school mode of Prima, but with a very modern sensibility. He’s been an actor, writer and comedian but, as Still Happy attests, is mainly an accomplished soprano saxophonist and jazz singer. Bacher has an upbeat personality and pours his optimism into a thematic dozen tracks that add up to life is good despite hard knocks. This philosophy is contained in his own blues-tinged composition “In Spite of This I’m Still Happy”.

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A Neon Jazz Interview with Jazz Singer, Saxophonist & Performer Danny Bacher

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Singer. Saxophonist. Consummate performer.Danny Bacher .. He spoke with us about his latest 2018 CD Still Happy .. He’s a fresh new face on the jazz landscape with a clean, crisp delivery is reminiscent of the true greats in entertainment. His multi-faceted approach includes work as an actor, writer and comedian (he is a proud member of the New York Friars Club). He has been a fixture on the New York stage and has toured internationally with his original works.

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TAKE TWO AND CALL ME IN THE MORNING…Danny Bacher: Still Happy

Feeling down in the dumps? A bit on the blue side? Feel like life’s not working out? “Why are you downcast, oh, my soul?” writes King David in a moment of gloom. We all go through it.

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Singer-Saxophonist Danny Bacher’s New Album ‘Still Happy’

Originally posted at https://skopemag.com/2018/09/26/singer-saxophonist-danny-bachers-new-album-still-happy on September 26, 2018

Wild, unpredictable, Danny Bacher’s “Still Happy” represents the very best intersection of jazz, pop, delivered with the utmost of joy. Positively bursting at the seams, everything about the album passes by in a glorious blur of color. A kaleidoscopic range touches upon every aspect of the album, from the intense saxophone work to Danny Bacher’s incredibly playful, nimble lyricism. Songs have a concept, punchy attitude to them while they nicely build off each other. The whole of the album serves as a vast tapestry of sound, ensuring that nothing is held back in the best way possible.

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DANNY BACHER, Still Happy

September 25, 2018 | by: Jonathan Widran at https://www.jwvibe.com/single-post/2018/09/25/DANNY-BACHER-Still-Happy

With apologies to – and more than a few playful winks at – Beethoven, multi-talented songwriter, soprano saxman, singer, swinger and scatter extraordinaire is cornering the market on odes to joy these days with his latest album Still Happy.

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Danny Bacher is Back!

STILL HAPPY / BURKE-LESLIE: Getting Some Fun out of Life. BRIAND-SABAN: Laughing at Life. BACHER: In Spite of This, I’m Still Happy. Joie de Vivre. BERLIN: Shakin’ the Blues Away. WHITING-MERCER: Hooray for Hollywood. BERNSTEIN-COMDEN-GREEN: Lucky to Be Me. JOBIM-DeMORAES: This Happy Madness. BROWN-HENDRICKS: Joy Spring. MOROSS/LaTOUCHE: Lazy Afternoon. ARLEN-KOEHLER: Get Happy. Medley; BEIDERBECKE: Cloudy/REINHARDT: Nuages / Danny Bacher, sop-sax/voc; Charles Carnicas, tpt/Fl-hn; Harry Allen, t-sax; Allen Farnham, pno; Dean Johnson, bs; Alvester Garnett, dm; Rolando Morales-Matos, perc / Whaling City Sound WCS110

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Backstage at American Songbook Association’s THE JOINT IS JUMPIN’!

The American Songbook Association just presented its first Annual Gala, The Joint Is Jumpin’!, a joyous celebration of contributions to the American Songbook by Black songwriters and notable singers. The ASA also presented its first annual Lifetime Achievement Award to singer Marilyn Maye, presented by her longtime friend, fashion designer, Bob Mackie.

Starring in The Joint Is Jumpin’! – Celebrating America’s Black Songwriters and Singers are a host of Broadway and Cabaret stars, including Danny Bacher, Aaron Lee Battle, Natalie Douglas, Cady Huffman, N’Kenge, Nicolas King, Joel A. Martin, Ken Page, Vivian Reed, Kissy Simmons, Stacy Sullivan and Jon Weber. * ASA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Marilyn Maye, will also perform a special tribute, with her Music Director Tedd Firth at the piano. Additionally, a Gala reception will be held after the concert in the sumptuous lobby of The Pershing Square Signature Center. Patrons can indulge in dessert fare with beverages from the cash bar.

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Danny Bacher: Still Happy

Danny Bacher received rave reviews for his 2016 debut album, Swing That Music, on which he covered a variety of tracks by the three Louis’- Louis Armstrong, Louis Prima, and Louis Jordan. He has already established himself in the New York entertainment scene circling Broadway cabarets and is a proud member of The Friar’s Club. Bacher is a clean-cut personality who aims to please.

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Danny Bacher – An Early Mother’s Day Present at the Beach Cafe

Danny Bacher had an early musical Mother’s Day present for the ladies (including his own) in New York’s coziest Cabaret last night. Beach Cafe proprietor Dave Goodside in his introduction of Danny correctly pointed out that performers in his intimate venue are singing, not to some distant back wall, but are communicating directly to you.

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Music to warm the heart at Centenary Stage’s January Thaw Music Festival

Originally posted on nj.com 1/10/2018

Singer Freda Payne remembers the day in June 1996 that legendary jazz artist Ella Fitzgerald died.

“I was heartsick,” Payne said in an interview with NJ Advance Media. “And I said, ‘You know what? I want to play Ella on stage.'”

A few years later, the “Band of Gold” singer did just that. The Fitzgerald tribute has been part of Payne’s performance repertoire ever since. She’ll channel the First Lady of Jazz again Jan. 14, the first of the three shows that make up Centenary State Company’s January Thaw Music Festival at Lackland Performing Arts Center.

“I pay homage while still being Freda,” said Payne, who grew up listening to Fitzgerald songs like “A Tisket, A Tasket” and “Mr. Paganini.” “Ella showed me how to articulate your lyrics and how to use your voice to project for a pure, quality sound. … She was just enchanting. So beautiful.”

The Festival is an annual event that features three performances on three different weekends. Jazz saxophonist Danny Bacher brings his show “Swing that Music! A Jazz Tribute to the Three Louis … Armstrong, Prima and Jordan” to the stage Jan. 21. The final show, by Brazilian bluegrass group Matuto, is on Jan. 27. In Brazil, the word “matuto” is a slang term meaning “country boy.”

Bacher described “Swing That Music! A Jazz Tribute to the Three Louis” as “a little bit of history and a lot of entertainment.” (The name in the title is pronounced “Louies.”)

“All three of these guys were really fun, funny and great entertainers. they were in their hey day when jazz was the most popular music in the country,” he said.  “Their jazz was entertaining and fun and they had great connections to the audiences. People drove from all other to see their antics and hear their individual styles.”

One of the biggest challenges for Bacher was winnowing down each performers’ catalogue for a 12-song performance. His choices include each man’s hits – including “I Wanna Be Like You,” “If It’s Love You Want,” and “Kiss to Build a Dream On.”

“I wanted to take a look at their careers and do some tunes everybody would know, but with a contemporary twist. Not modern in the sense of modern jazz, but in the sense of new, fresh takes and arrangements,” Bacher said.

Wrapping up Thaw Festival is Matuto, a band that mixes multiple musical styles, including the explosive beat and complex rhythms of traditional Brazilian music, blues, bluegrass, jazz and songs from the American South. The songs are in Portuguese and English.

Rob Curto, one of the band’s founders and its accordion player, said the combination makes for a “high energy show that’s a lot of fun.” The band has toured the world as part of a U.S. State Department program that brings American musicians overseas.

“Showcasing a group of American artists who are showing the respectful interest in other cultures and collaborations obviously helps them to do their work,” Curto said. “It shows we’re a multicultural society.”

After finding success and accepteance in Thailand and the Far East, Azerbajian and former Soviet republics, and Middle Eastern countries like Kuwait and Oman, Curto is confident the band will win over New Jersey listeners.

“Our music appeals to everyone,” he said. “It has a great way of connecting people.”

JANUARY THAW MUSIC FESTIVAL

Featuring Freda Payne, Danny Bacher and Matuto

Jan. 14-27

Sitnik Theatre at the Lackland Performing Arts Center

715 Grand Ave., Hackettstown

Tickets: $17.50-30 with multiple show packages on offer, available online at centenarystageco.org

That’s Entertainment: Dietz & Schwartz and Friends

The Mabel Mercer Foundation’s annual summer concert celebrated composer Howard Dietz (1896-1983) and lyricist Arthur Schwartz (1900-1984), while including an unrelated roster of other writers. Relative newcomers and established artists presented jazz, cabaret, and musical theater interpretations out of what we call The American Songbook, which, despite suggestions to the contrary, continues to endure and evolve.

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VARIETY SHOW TRADITION HONORED AT FRIARS CLUB

The long tradition of variety shows was affectionately recalled in a program of entertainment at the Friars Club last night (May 17, 3017). Produced by Robin Lane, the show presented in the Milton Berle Room at the club featured comedy, song, music and even a magician, the sort of bill that once typified vaudeville.

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