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THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK MUSIC FOR ALL Michael Feinstein’s career path took Public will be able to view him from Ohio to California to an the Great American Songbook association with Ira Gershwin before archives, including first-edition he became caretaker of America’s sheet music, and listen to cherished songs of the 20th century vintage LPs at the Carmel center

By Jay Harvey By David Lindquist [email protected] [email protected] Theremay have been only one gig that Michael Fein- Doris Anne Sadler said there’sanelement of mystery stein snagged by default —and that was after he had to the Michael Feinstein Foundation for the Preservation become acelebrity magnet. of the Great American Songbook, which has anew home About three decades ago,the pianist-singer,now artistic on the top floor of the Palladium. director of the Center for the Performing Arts and anation- “I get afew phone calls: ‘Can Ibuy acopyofthat?’ ” ally known performer,was trying to makehis mark in Los Sadler said in reference to an inquiry to the Great Angeles,wherehehad movedfromOhio at the age of 20. American Songbook —which, by the way,isn’tasingle After ascrappystart at places with names likeMother’s, Among items donated to the Foundation for the volume of compositions or recordings. with nary amother among the customers,Feinstein began Preservation of the Great American Songbook is Feinstein, the center’s artistic director, defines the to get afoothold on the Tinseltown piano-bar scene. this vinyl acetate 78 rpm copy of “One Meatball,” Great American Songbook as acomposite of Broadway “I washired at aplace called 385 North,”hesaid, as recorded by the Andrews Sisters in 1945 and showtunes and Hollywood movie numbers that were “and Iwas therefor fivemonths when Igot an offer originally owned by New York City radio station the nation’smostpopular songs during the firsthalf of from the Mondrian Hotel, one of the new hotels in WHN. Robert Boyer, anoted fan of LaVerne, the 20th century. L.A.Itwas thereIstarted getting alot of attention.” Maxene and Patty Andrews, donated magazines, “This genreofmusic is culturally important,”said It waswell-connected attention, too,asonly Holly- movie posters and recordings related to the trio. Sadler,former Marion County Clerk and current exec- wood can provide.George Burns, Jean Sta- utivedirector of the Feinstein foundation. pleton and Elizabeth Taylor started to drop “This music got us through World WarI, by. got us through the Depression and got us Liza Minnelli and he became such good through World WarII. Much of the world — friends that she hosted abirthdaybash for especially Europe —knows America by him. “That wasthe watershed —when Liza these tunes.” threw that party for me,” he said. Feinstein’sroots as aGreat American Then Feinstein got an offer to do an act in Songbook historian trace to the 1970s,when aSan Francisco hotel that wanted to reopen he worked as an archivistfor famed lyricist an old nightclub room. “The owner’s aunt IraGershwin. The foundation’sexhibit had heardmeinL.A.and said Iwas not very space will include autographed first-edition good,”hesaid, “but they couldn’tget anyone sheet music of “Rhapsody in Blue,” the 1924 else,soIgot the job by default.”Beforelong, instrumental composed by Gershwin’s anewspaper columnistgavehim favorable brother,George. publicity and success followed. Cuff links owned by Frank Sinatrawill be An apprenticeship in his hometown of Co- on display. Sinatra’swidow, Barbara, gave lumbus,Ohio,had taught him howtosing and the cuff links to Feinstein, who recorded an playpiano at the same time. album titled “The SinatraProject”in2008. His repertoirewas set very Fornow,personal effects of celebrities early.Fromhis early teens, makeupasliver of the foundation’sar- Feinstein wasdrawn to the chives. bestofTin PanAlley and its The west side of the top floor at the Palla- branches into stage and screen. dium will house the foundation’soffices, He doesn’tbelieve the appeal collections of sheet music and recordings,a of the bestsongs of Gershwin, listening/performance room and amodest- Berlin, Porter,Kern and others sized exhibit space. MichaelFein- needs to rely on the nostalgia steinwillper- A3,500-square-foot Great American Song- of those whose pop-culture book museum is planned for the eastside of form as part memories precede rock ’n’ roll. of theSong- the top floor,but “that’s avery expensive “For me,it’sthe quality proposition” with no timeline for comple- book Series and uniqueness of the materi- on May11. tion, Sadler said. al. It’s still extraordinarily Meanwhile,visitors can learn about Sina- powerful. The craft, construc- FRANK ESPICH /The Star tra, Gershwin and Indiana natives Cole Por- tion and quality of those songs arethe defin- ter and Hoagy Carmichael on atouch-screen ing factors.” This custom- Feinstein founda- Feinstein’ssix-year association with Ira ized big-band tion archivist Lisa timeline developed in conjunction with the Gershwin, who wrote the lyrics to manyof arrangement Lobdell works in Indiana Historical Society. his brother George’smostmemorable songs, of Cole Porter’s astorage space Students and musicians areinvited to “gavemeagreater appreciation for the art of 1936 standard where the belong- hear vintage LPs, and evensing and play lyric writing.” The contexts and back stories “It’s De- ings of late com- from sheet music at akeyboardinthe foun- of classic songs that Gershwin shared with Lovely” was poser Hy Zaret are dation’slistening room. him increased his understanding and gave used by musi- stored. In the fore- “The music is meant to be heardand per- him material to pass on to audiences. cians on “The ground is Zaret’s formed,”Sadler said. “Wesingle-mindedly Feinstein, 54,brings that insider’s knowl- Phil Harris- American Society of want to makeitaccessible to people.” edge of howart is created —aswell as dec- Alice Faye Composers, Authors Beyond contributions from Feinstein’s ades of onstage performance —tohis job at Show.” The and Publishers personal collection, the archives have grown the performing-arts center. NBC Radio Net- award for “Un- thanks to donations by jazz critic Will Fried- MayorJim Brainardisimpressed by Fein- work broadcast chained Melody,” a wald, Andrews Sisters expert Robert Boyer, stein’sadvocacy of the Great American Song- the “Harris- 1955 composition sheet-music mavenBob Grimes and the es- book. Feinstein’scollection of Songbook arti- Faye” program recorded by more tate of composer Hy Zaret. facts also will be housed in the Palladium. from 1948 to than 500 artists, Feinstein, afive-time GrammyAward “He’sawonderful performer,” Brainard 1954. Porter, a the most definitive nominee,shared aglimpse of his offstage said, “but this is almosthis true love:music native of Peru, of which became a life as acollector in the 2010 PBS mini- scholarship and archival. BeforeCNN came Ind., wrote mu- Top Five hit by the series “Michael Feinstein’sAmerican Song- along,these songs arewhat the world knew sic and lyrics Righteous Brothers book.”Hehas rescued items discarded by America by.” for Broadway in 1965. The foun- publishers and movie studios,and he fre- Now the world maybegin to knowofCar- productions dation’s collection quents flea markets in search of melodic mel as amajor repository for those songs — from “Kiss Me, includes Zaret’s gems. and aplace wherethe performing arts will Kate” to “Any- typewritten lyric “He’scrazy about it,”Sadler said, “in a shine for decades to come. thing Goes.” sheet for the song. good way.” ✭ Call Star reporter Jay Harvey at (317)444-6402. ✭ Call Star reporter David Lindquist at (317)444-6404. Mazda Sign and Drive

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