Gerry Geddes

Gerry Geddes, critic for BistroAwards.com, is an award-winning director, writer, teacher, performer, lyricist, and a contributor to the podcast Troubadours and Raconteurs. He conceived and directed the acclaimed musical revues Monday in the Dark with George (Bistro and MAC Award winner), Put on Your Saturday Suit—Words & Music by Jimmy Webb, and Gerry Geddes & Company (in its five-year residency at Pangea). He has directed singers André De Shields, Darius de Haas, Helen Baldassare, and Lisa Viggiano. He has been active in the cabaret world for over five decades and has produced numerous CDs; his lyrics have been performed and recorded here and in Europe. Gerry’s workshop, The Art of Vocal Performance, is regularly offered to singers of all levels. His memoir of life in NYC, Didn’t I Ever Tell You This?, was recently published and is available at barnesandnoble.com. He is currently at work on his first novel.

Jason Danieley’s “Without a Song”

Gerry Geddes
In 1972, director Bernardo Bertolucci released his controversial erotic drama, Last Tango in Paris which received an X rating for its explicit sex scenes between Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider. Rumors ran rampant that the sex scenes, although not pornographic, were ultra-realistic because the two stars were actually engaged in intercourse during the filming. It...

Meg Flather’s “Hammerstein & Sondheim— Carefully Taught”

Gerry Geddes
It seems that since the passing of iconic Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim, not a week has gone by without some new revue, or tribute, or memorial in his honor.  Of course, he is deserving of as much praise as the world can manage to heap upon him, but even the heartiest of fans might be...

Maud Hixson’s “Permanent Moonlight—Songs of Sir Richard Rodney Bennett”

Gerry Geddes
Sir Richard Rodney Bennett was a man of many sides—a renowned composer of opera, film scores, jazz and pop, a lyricist of wit and depth, a cook, a mean scrabble master, a poker player, a superb pianist and interpreter of the Great American Songbook, a perfect accompanist and arranger, a dream audience, and a caustic...

Chloé Jean’s “Fairy Tale Fail”

Gerry Geddes
Sometimes when you listen to a new recording, in the first seconds you are captivated by a fresh sound, personal delivery, perfect instrumentation and immaculate production; you just sit back, smile, and enjoy an exciting and refreshing new voice on the scene. Such was my response to Fairy Tale Fail, the new album by Chloé...

Wilma Baan’s “Look at Me Now!”

Gerry Geddes
A few years ago, when the world in general and the cabaret world in particular were ravaged by quarantines and lockdowns, BistroAwards.com began to review related CDs and recordings (and the occasional virtual event).  One of the earliest reviews I wrote in those pandemic days was for the terrific debut album of singer Wilma Baan,...

Emilie-Claire Barlow

Gerry Geddes
It is hard to believe that it took Canadian jazz singer, Emilie-Claire Barlow until 2023 to make her debut in NYC.  She has long been recognized as one of her home country’s most gifted musical minds and has been an award-winning vocalist for over 25 years. Through her marvelous recordings over that time, I became...

Daniel Reichard’s “It’s You I Like”

Gerry Geddes
First, a confession.  Mr. Rogers, the famed creator and host of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, was “after my time,” so I have little frame of reference when it comes to his legendary television show. I also pre-date Romper Room.  My TV show, once we could afford to have a television—ours had a screen the size of a...

Salty Brine’s “He’s So Unusual”

Gerry Geddes
It is always a cause for celebration when Bistro Award-winning performer Salty Brine releases a new chapter in his ongoing series, The Living Record Collection.  The concept for the series is to present an album in its entirety, with the songs in order, while interweaving a literary work along with related personal stories and reminiscences. ...

Album Review: Ben Cassara’s “What a Way to Go!”

Gerry Geddes
As we come to the end of the hottest month in the history of recorded temperatures (aren’t we lucky that there is "no such thing" as climate change?), one sure fire antidote to the incessant heat is the cool sound of Ben Cassara’s latest CD release, What a Way to Go!, produced by the great...

Club Review: Songs from “Rhinegold”

Gerry Geddes
Back in the mid to late 20th century, theatre in New York (especially Off Broadway and Off Off Broadway) was quite a different animal Plays were not so much produced but burst forth from the creative energies of all involved. The writer(s), director, cast, and crew, often even the house staff, were invested in what...