November 2020 Newsletter
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VOLUME 42, NUMBER 2 Formerly New York Sheet Music Society www.APSSinc.org NOVEMBER 2020 musicals of the ‘50s about New York What’s a Party Without Arthur? City. The Music of Arthur Siegel Only days before the opening of By Jerry Osterberg Lovely Me, another musical, If the Shoe On the evening of Arthur Siegel’s Lavine’s sheet music. Besides being a Fits, opened and closed within two birth, New Year’s Eve 1923, Eddie musical director and vocal coach, Lavine weeks. The music was by David Raksin, Cantor was enjoying the latest in a string is a prolific sheet music archivist. Having then enjoying acclaim for his score of the of hits: “No, No, Nora.” Growing up in seen Siegel’s own music files many film noir Laura. The lyrics were by June Asbury Park, New Jersey, a long times, he offered to purchase the entire Carroll, who was the sister of producer established and highly successful collection from the estate, which he did Leonard Sillman. The fortuitous pairing Summer community, it’s entirely likely with the assistance of Brian Gari, a of Siegel and Carroll was instrumental in that Siegel’s performing and songwriting grandson of Eddie Cantor, after speaking the next stage of Siegel’s career. Sillman during his high school years were with the composer’s brother Eddie. had produced a radio program a decade inspired by the exciting environment and After providing interesting earlier called New Faces, and now a cosmic connection to Cantor. background about Siegel’s career, Lavine decided to resurrect the concept. He hired The admittedly stage-struck the team to create what became New Siegel attended the American Faces of 1952. It opened on May 16 Academy of Dramatic Arts and and ran for 365 performances. The Julliard. An Academy classmate was successful production not only Marilyn Cantor, one of Eddie increased the visibility of Siegel and Cantor’s five daughters. Following an Carroll, who wrote 8 of the revue’s 20 introduction to her father, Siegel songs, it launched the careers of Paul became his accompanist, assuming a Lynde, Alice Ghostley, Eartha Kitt, role once filled by Jimmy Durante. He Robert Clary, Carol Lawrence, Ronny toured with Cantor for several years Graham, Mel Brooks and a 28-year- in the 1940’s before mounting his first old Sheldon Harnick. Broadway production in 1946. The Jon Peterson, a Drama Desk play, Lovely Me, in which he also Award nominee, contributed one of appeared, was written by Jacqueline the show’s songs: “Penny Candy,” and Susann. Siegel contributed two songs, Tonya Pinkins, whose many accolades both lyrics by Jeff Bailey. Alas, his include a Tony and two Tony Broadway debut ran for just 37 performed the first song of the afternoon. nominations, sang what became a performances. Although the word “vocalist” does not signature song for Eartha Kitt: APSS Board member Michael appear on his resume, Lavine gave a “Monotonous.” Ms. Kitt came to the Lavine, a longtime friend of the late more than credible performance of “I production with a unique resume which Arthur Siegel, opened the new season Want You to Be the First One to Know,” included starring as Helen of Troy in with his usual flair. While not all the making for a perfect segue to the Orson Welles’ Doctor Faustus. Pinkins, brilliant composer’s songs are well- program. who had once performed “Monotonous” known, many of them are memorable, T. Oliver Reid, among the brightest with Kitt at Carnegie Hall, now and helped launch the careers of many stars of cabaret, sang the title song of performed it from Seoul, Korea. aspiring stars in the world of Siegel’s first show “Lovely Me.” KT Four years after the first production, entertainment. Lavine got to know Sullivan sang “Lampoon for Louie” from Sillman was back with a new Siegel, when the cabaret performer Steve Siegel’s penultimate production The Last presentation: New Faces of 1956, again Ross brought Siegel to check out Musical Comedy, a spoof of Broadway Continued on page 3 PAGE 2 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY NOVEMBER, 2020 American President’s Message... Popular Song Linda Amiel Burns, President Society President: Warm Greetings to all of our members, friends, and guests: Linda Amiel Burns (212) 315-3500 I cannot thank our Board Member, Michael Lavine, enough for last month’s brilliant Program on the late songwriter/pianist/entertainer, Arthur Vice Presidents: Joan Adams Siegel. It was a great launch for our 2020-2021 season. You can read all about it Sandi Durell in this issue of our APSS Newsletter. Additionally, if you were unable to attend via Zoom, Michael has made a corrected version that you can watch either on Treasurer & Membership: Youtube or on our website. Glen Charlow Secretary: Since October was the first virtual Zoom meeting of the season, some Marilyn Lester technical difficulties were experienced. We are all learning this new technology, and to ensure that similar problems would not happen again, Sandi Board Of Directors: Durell, Michael Lavine, Jerry Osterberg, Tom Toce, and I had a meeting with an Elliott Ames expert in the field, Jamie Maletz. When we produce and direct acts at clubs, Danny Bacher Bill Boggs there is always a Technical Director on lights and sound, and there is no reason Will Friedwald that our monthly events should not have someone handling this complex position Michael Lavine for us. We are happy to announce that we have hired Jamie Maletz as Sandy Marrone our new”Technical Director/Zoom Expert/Trouble Shooter,” to handle the Jerry Osterberg Andrew Poretz rehearsals and the show each month. We are also hoping that she will be able to Judy Stewart answer any questions we may have, and perhaps hold a Zoom seminar for Tom Toce APSS. Jamie is also a fine songwriter and you can read her extensive bio in this Mark William issue. We are thrilled to welcome Jamie to the team! N E W S L E T T E R There are always challenges and last minute changes to our schedule, and I Editor/Publisher: Jerry Osterberg want to thank those dedicated members who are producing and hosting our [email protected] Contributing Editor: Marilyn Lester Programs. Be sure to check out the monthly line-up in the Newsletter and on our [email protected] website. Coming up on Saturday, November 14th from 12-2, Michael Lavine and Associate Editor: Joan Adams Tom Toce are co-producing a “Tribute to Composer Lew Spence” on his [email protected] centennial. In 2004, Lew came to NY from California and was our in-person Graphic Designer: Glen Charlow guest, talking about his life in music. You can read about this great past event in [email protected] the Archives. Photographer: Rose Billings [email protected] I hope you Linda with her father Membership Mailing Address: Jack Amiel and are all staying American Popular Song Society safe during this famed composer Irving Caesar (Tea P.O. Box 5856 difficult time. Pikesville, MD 21282 Sending you my For Two) celebrating his July 4th at The Why is that the mailing address? best wishes for Singing Experience Because the treasurer lives good health, as we all sang his in Baltimore, Maryland. happy times, and songs to him. [email protected] lots of music in This email address goes to Glen Charlow your life! Memberships can be paid with: Linda MEETING LOCATION: Our programs during the inside the via Paypal 2020 pandemic are being (570 10th Ave. 4th fl) at www.APSSinc.org brought to you by... 11:00am - 2:00pm Come early to look thruwww.zoom.us Sheet Music & CD’s & stuff, all FREE. NOVEMBER, 2020 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY PAGE 3 with Siegel’s participation. Many of the composers. She went on to say that “… Kent, who first started working on show’s performers would likewise go on he knew every song, every verse…” For Broadway in the 1920s. Presumably, the to stardom: Jane Connell, Billie Hayes, several years, Stewart and Siegel song is one of his earliest. T. Oliver Reid Tiger Haynes, Virginia Martin, Inga performed together at Michael’s Pub and returned to perform “America is a Swenson and Maggie Smith. Beautiful Word.” Another song from Jay Aubrey Jones performed “Tell 1962, the lyrics are by the poet Ada Her” and singer/songwriter/recording Greenfield Morley. Lavine commented artist Sara Zahn, accompanied by “I think that Arthur would be moved at composer/arranger Allan Kashkin, how prescient the song is.” sang “Don’t Wait,” both songs from Amanda Gari the daughter of Janet New Faces of 1956. More than twenty Gari, and Eddie Cantor’s years after the second production, granddaughter, contributed a Siegel collaborated with deliciously funny: “A Peppermint Kiss lyricist/librettist Tony Lang and From a Navy Blue Bear,” which she director Miriam Fond in a play called wrote with Siegel. The song has special Corkscrews, which featured “Psychotic significance for her: “He accompanied Overtures,” a send-up of the film me on my very first cabaret, and I still Psycho. Presented in the manner of treasure his scribbled lead sheets!” One Sweeney Todd, it incorporated parodies of several songs written by Janet Gari of songs from Company and Follies. Wolf Trap. Like most of the shows he did with Siegel is “It’s Great to Have From this came a relatively tame “Make solo during his later years, their sets were Mellowed at Last” here performed by it Another,” delightfully rendered by always focused on a specific composer Steve Ross. Her son Brian, who was very Steve Ross.