Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Michael Feinstein triumphantly returns to his namesake club with a beautifully balanced act showcasing the Great American Songbook

• By drediman
• August 28, 2021
• No Comments

Like Dolly Levi descending the steps of the Harmonia Gardens, Michael Feinstein has triumphantly returned to his indispensable namesake supper club. Like many performers over the course of the last few months, this relatively lengthy late summer residency at Feinstein’s/54 Below marks Mr. Feinstein’s return to in-person performance in New York since Covid-19 completely halted all of the performing arts last March (in fact, he hasn’t performed at Feinstein’s/54 Below since 2019!). For his homecoming, the cabaret icon has concocted a beautifully balanced evening of songs entitled Summertime Swing!, which embraces both post-lockdown wistfulness and reflection, as well as an upbeat hopefulness for what’s to come.

The breezily entertaining show – which features Mr. Feinstein’s trademark polish and deep respect for the Great American Songbook – is a classy affair as befits the well-appointed cabaret room that bears his name. First off, Mr. Feinstein continues to defy time, looking and sounding as youthful as I remember. In fact, I don’t think he’s ever sounded better, crooning with a suave confidence, as well as a clear and moving sense of purpose. Indeed, his song interpretations consistently rise to the varying demands of the evening’s well-curated musical journey, which includes both crowd-pleasing standards (“They Trolley Song”, “Is You Is, Or Is You Ain’t My Baby”, the show-concluding Sinatra Medley) and newly polished gems (“It’s a Most Unusual Day”, “You and Me Against the World”). A particularly poignant moment is his rendition of Marshall Barer’s “The Time Has Come”, which has been powerfully repurposed to address the racial reckonings of the past year.

You know you’re in good hands at a Michael Feinstein show, and Summertime Swing! – which is scheduled to run at Feinstein’s/54 Below through September 6 – is no exception. His banter, although unassuming upon first encounter, smoothly showcases his unofficial status as the cabaret world’s undisputed torchbearer of the Great American Songbook. Mr. Feinstein remains a quintessential cabaret performer in the traditional sense, and his performance style decidedly harkens back to an “old” New York that’s fast dissipating into the land of lore. Fabulously accompanying Mr. Feinstein is an accomplished and talented trio of musicians, as very capably led on piano by in-demand music director Tedd Firth.

RECOMMENDED

MICHAEL FEINSTEIN: SUMMERTIME SWING!
Cabaret / In-person
Feinstein’s/54 Below
Approximately 1 hour (without an intermission)
Through September 6