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Michael Winther and Dan Tepfer

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The Metropolitan Room  -  January 4, 11, 17 18 Usually a pianist playing behind or alongside a featured singer is considered an accompanist. But not always. When Kenny Werner plays for Betty Buckley, what occurs is a collaboration between equal partners. This is often the case as well with Rick Jensen and whomever he's partnering....

Leslie Uggams

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"Uptown, Downtown"  Café Carlyle  -  March 30 – April 17  Lone Scherfig's Oscar-nominated 2009 flick, An Education, has plenty to tell us about where we really acquire our significant learning. Leslie Uggams knows all about it. In her first Manhattan cabaret stint (at the Café Carlyle), the now-sexagenarian singer does a fine job of letting...

Martha Plimpton

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"Martha Plimpton Sings?" Allen Room  -  January 16 Shortly after Martha Plimpton took the Allen Room stage in a trench coat, eventually shed to reveal a form-fitting red dress cut up to here, she said, "I'm not known, you know, as a songbird." No, she isn't exactly known as a songbird, but she is known—at...

Sandy Stewart and Bill Charlap

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"Somebody Loves Me"  Oak Room at the Algonquin  -  January 5 - 16  For some time, Sandy Stewart and Bill Charlap have opened early in the year at the Algonquin's Oak Room and have thereby set the musicianship bar high for everyone coming after them here—or anywhere else. This January is no different. As 2010...

Fascinating Aida

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Fascinating Aida 59E59 Theaters  -  December 16 – January 3 If memory serves—mine usually does a reliable-enough job—the Fascinating Aida trio was consistently funny on its several previous stateside visits from Great Britain. Now, however, it's this reviewer's sad duty to report that the former felicitous time has passed. Dillie Keane, Adèle Anderson and Liza...

Simon Green

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"Traveling Light" 59E59 Theaters  -  December 15 - January 3 There's a theory I've come up with about Simon Green that isn't really borne out by the facts included in the program notes for his "Traveling Light," at 59E59 Theaters for the holiday season. This theory's concocted from the mention of his having sung the...

Marquee Five

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"We Can Make It: The Songs of Kander and Ebb" The Metropolitan Room  -  December 7, 9, 12, 14 When I heard Marquee Five had been formed and was about to appear at the Metropolitan Room, I got all warm and toasty at the prospect of a five-part harmony infusion. It's not something you get...

Baby Jane Dexter

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"All About Love" Metropolitan Room  -  November 20-21, 27-28, December 4-5, 11-12, 18-19 For some time now, Baby Jane Dexter has made the Michael Stipe-Peter Buck-Bill Berry-Mike Mills anthem "Everybody Hurts" her signature song. Not only did she include it as the beg-off number when I saw her in the second week of a five-week...

Andrea Marcovicci

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"Skylark: Marcovicci Sings Mercer" Oak Room at the Algonquin  -  November 17 - December 26 As we go into the last weeks of Johnny Mercer's centennial year, here comes The Oak Room at the Algonquin's own Andrea Marcovicci with "Skylark: Marcovicci Sings Mercer" to toast the songwriting-and-several-other-things icon. For anyone drawing a deep breath and...

Steve Tyrell

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Steve Tyrell Café Carlyle  -  November 10 – December 30 Although he says he takes no requests, Steve Tyrell gives the audience what it wants. And sometimes he even takes requests—or makes it look as if he does. At the Saturday night late set I attended at the Café Carlyle, he obliged a vocal ringsider...