Lyrics & Lyricists at the 92nd Street Y is celebrating its 40th Anniversary Season. This remarkable series was launched in 1970 by Maurice Levine. I am here to report that it is alive, well and thriving under Artistic Director, Deborah Grace Winer’s guidance.
Daryl Sherman put the Johnny Burke Tribute together serving as artistic director, host, musical director and vocalist. Entitled “Misty: Johnny Burke After Hours,” she assembled a stellar cast of singers to perform the songs of this prolific lyricist, including Eric Comstock, Barbara Fasano, Jeff Harnar, Terri White and Burke’s second wife, Mary Burke. The musicians were top-notch including Warren Vache on trumpet, Gene Bertoncini on guitar and Jay Leonhart on bass. Daryl was a charming host and you could feel her excitement and enthusiasm for man whom Bing Crosby said was “one of the best things that ever happened to me was a 145-pound leprechaun named Johnny Burke!” Burke was born on October 3, 1908 and by age 31 he was already considered a superstar. He earned five Academy Award nominations, won for “Swinging On a Star” (1941), wrote over 550 songs for some 50 films including 25 films for Crosby, 3 Broadway shows and was the only songwriter to have had five out of the Top Ten songs on the “Hit Parade” at the same time. Considering that he died in 1964 at age 55 – his output was amazing.
The show opened with Daryl at the piano singing the standard “Pennies From Heaven” (music by Arthur Johnston) and then into “Aren’t You Glad You’re You” from The Bells of St. Mary (1945) written with one of his most frequent collaborators, a man who changed his name from Chester Babcock to Jimmy Van Heusen so that his disapproving dad wouldn’t know he was in showbiz.
We were treated to a sampling of the big hits along with some songs not as well known. In the first act, Barbara scored with a slow “Oh, You Crazy Moon” and Jeff Harnar sang a beautiful rendition of “What’s New?” (Music Bob Haggart). Terri’s “Here’s That Rainy Day” brought down the house and the cast closed with a medley of songs from the “Road” films with Jay Leonhart doing vocals on the amusing, “Pakistan” (1954).
Daryl opened Act II with two hits with music by Jimmy Van Heusen, “Sunday, Monday, or Always” and “Polka Dots and Moonbeams.” Mary Burke was introduced and told the story of her meeting and marrying Johnny Burke when she was a dancer in Donnybrook! in 1961 she was in her 20’s and he was in his 50’s. She sang a song from that show that explained how she felt with her husband, “He Makes Me Feel I’m Lovely.” Warren Vache surprised us singing by “Skeleton In The Closet” along with a fabulous trumpet solo and then sang a duet with bassist Jay Leonhart of “Life Is So Peculiar.” The talented Eric Comstock performed “Humpty Dumpty Heart” from Playmates (1941) and then sang a lively duet with Jeff on “Swinging On A Star.”
To end the show, the entire cast gathered on stage to sing “Pennies From Heaven” and had the audience sing-a-long to this great standard. It is written that “Burke was a sublime craftsman and his lyrics tended to be optimistic, romantic and had wit and whimsy, but they could also break your heart.” This concert demonstrated the enormous range of this versatile and legendary composer. Kudos to Daryl Sherman and the fine team that put this concert together to pay tribute to the great Johnny Burke.
92 Y LYRICS & LYRICISTS
February 20-22, 2010
Next concert: Fred & Ginger in So Many Words: The Astaire-Rogers Songbook
March 20 - March 22. For tickets: www.92Y.org/Lyrics or phone: 212 415-5500