VOLUME 42, NUMBER 5 Formerly New York Sheet Music Society www.APSSinc.org FEBRUARY 2021 jumpstart the show. Martinez, who Jaime deRoy and Friends: starred as Emilio Estefan in a semi- Just Another Beautiful Day in NYC autobiographical treatment of the life of Gloria and Emilio Estefan, for a year on By Jerry Osterberg the road following his Broadway debut, Several years ago, this writer was Club, a small group which included Liza also performed “The Other Other privileged to review an edition of Jaime Minelli, Joan Rivers, and Brooke Woman,” written for Songs from an deRoy & Friends for Cabaret Scenes Shields. Unmade Bed, a revue of songs each Magazine. The delightful series had just On a bright and sunny, chilly Winter written by a different composer and celebrated its 20th Anniversary, although Saturday morning, January 9 to be lyricist. it was my first experience. Subsequently, precise, Jaime deRoy, thanks to the Paula Dione Ingram, her resume I learned that the evening’s show was magic of Zoom, arrived with a troupe of containing classical training, opened with typical of the format: a big, bold production music and comedy. number of “Some of While the comedy was These Days,” side-splitting, a bonus accompanied by the for me was to witness a well-regarded musical performance of the old director Don Rebic for a standard “Out of knockout performance Nowhere” by Sean at the Columbia Club in Harkness. Since then, Indianapolis, Indiana. I’ve attended many Ingram followed with a performances in which Charles Busch Karen Mason David Buskin dramatic “Believe in Harkness supported a Yourself,” a much- singer with guitar. recorded song from The Unaware of the fact at Wiz, again supported by the time, his Rebic. The singer had performance would made her stage debut in have registered as hard Carmen Jones, having to beat. been cast in the lead Over the last after auditioning for a decade, I’ve been lesser role. The fortunate to attend production ran at many renderings of Paula Dione Ingram Mauricio Martinez Christina Bianco London’s West End and deRoy’s exceptional presentations, and I six performers and longtime Director throughout Europe. There’s clearly a lot have always come away completely Barry Kleinbort, and settled into APSS of confidence in her repertoire, especially impressed by their quality. Should she members’ living rooms, dens, kitchens, considering that Ingram dropped out of ever decide to retire, it would be quite a and dining rooms, for a close to two hour the music business for several years to challenge to fill her shoes. Where does program of music and conversation. raiseMia Bermanfive children. one begin? Jaime deRoy is an actress, After a brief welcome and introduction Two-time Drama Desk winner and comedienne, cabaret performer, by President Linda Amiel Burns, deRoy highly praised veteran of Forbidden songwriter, and theater producer, with jumped right in with a recorded Broadway, Christina Bianco, started her seven Tony Awards to her credit, not to performance of Mauricio Martinez, set with “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” a mention awards from Drama Desk, whose high energy offering of “Quizas, beloved anthem from Funny Girl. Drama League, Broadway World, and Quizas, Quizas” (“Perhaps, Perhaps, Literally, without missing a beat, Bianco MAC. She was among the first women to Perhaps”), filmed at the now closed segued neatly from the voice and persona be admitted as members of the Friars Metropolitan Room, was a perfect way to Continued on page 3 PAGE 2 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY FEBRUARY, 2021 American President’s Message... Popular Song Linda Amiel Burns, President Society Hi to our APSS members, friends, family and fans, President: Linda Amiel Burns I am sitting here writing this message while watching a major (212) 315-3500 snowstorm raging outside my window and covering most of the Vice Presidents: Northeast. What a way to welcome in the month of February! Most of us who Joan Adams have not been able to run away to warmer climes cannot wait for this winter Sandi Durell and the stress of the pandemic to be over. Song titles float across my mind Treasurer & Membership: like "Winter Wonderland," "Let It Snow" and "We've Got Our Songs (Love) Glen Charlow to Keep Us Warm." Secretary: Marilyn Lester I want to thank the incomparable Jamie DeRoy and Director Barry Kleinbort for the "Jamie DeRoy & Friends" Program last month that featured Board Of Directors: a sensational cast of performers. It is the lead story in this issue, and you Elliott Ames can read all about it. If you missed being there on Zoom on 1/9/21, you can Danny Bacher Bill Boggs visit our website and click on the link to watch it. Will Friedwald Michael Lavine I am excited about our Sandy Marrone Jerry Osterberg next Program on Saturday, Andrew Poretz February 13th from 12-2 Judy Stewart hosted by the incredible Will Tom Toce Friedwald who will tell you Mark William about his new book, N E W S L E T T E R "Straighten Up and Fly Right: Editor/Publisher: Jerry Osterberg The Life and Music of Nat [email protected] King Cole" and where to Contributing Editor: Marilyn Lester purchase it. I once saw a [email protected] Associate Editor: Joan Adams documentary on Mr.Cole in [email protected] which he recalled that he met Graphic Designer: Glen Charlow his wife Maria at the Cafe [email protected] Zanzibar, located in the Brill Photographer: Rose Billings Zanzibar (1944-1949) - 1619 Broadway (The Brill Building) at the [email protected] Northwest corner of 49th Street. Building, above my Dad's famed Restaurant, The Turf. Membership Mailing Address: American Popular Song Society We are fortunate to have Will as a Board Member and are thankful that P.O. Box 5856 he was able to jump in when our February Program presenter cancelled. He Pikesville, MD 21282 will also be co-hosting the closing program with Bill Boggs in June which will Why is that the mailing address? celebrate the birthday of the fabulous Dean Martin. Because the treasurer lives in Baltimore, Maryland. Looking forward to seeing you on the day before Valentine's Day, [email protected] This email address goes to Glen Charlow 2/13/21. The Zoom link is in this mailing and we will celebrate by listening to the many love songs of Nat King Cole! Memberships can be paid with: Best wishes, stay warm and stay safe. ❤ 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. FEBRUARY, 2021 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY PAGE 3 of Barbra Streisand, Bernadette Peters, late musical director, Brian Lasser. It’s a she appeared for either Glenn Close or Patti LuPone, Liza Minelli, Julie lovely song filled with loss but hope as Betty Buckley a total of 150 times. Andrews, Kristin Chenoweth, Alice well. There’s a gentleness and longing in Mason also performed “Hey There Good Ripley, Judy Garland, and Bette Midler, Times,” which eased into “Happy Days before easing into her own voice, which Are Here Again.” is well within the respectability range of The final performer of the afternoon her virtual colleagues. A career highlight was the singer-songwriter David Buskin, for Bianco is that she starred in a West whose hilarious “Jews Don’t Camp,” End production of Funny Girl, followed written with Robin Batteau, was by a wildly popular production is Paris, performed by de Roy and Buskin live, in English with French subtitles. just as it was at the show I attended so With a long list of accolades and many years ago. Finally, the program awards behind him, Charles Busch, included a recorded duet by Buskin and appeared at Lincoln Center in a touching his daughter Sophie at the Friars Club. performance of “Bill,” one of the iconic Buskin, who has worked often with Judy numbers from Showboat. While Busch Collins, accompanied his daughter and was dressed in his characteristic drag harmonized for the country genre song.: costume, there was nothing camp about “We Got Nothing to Answer For.” Ms. his presentation. With lyrics designed to Buskin has a powerful voice which was tug at the heart strings, his incredible perfectly suited to underscoring the tag: emotional delivery was nothing less than “Love don’t answer to no one!” a tour de force. The second number by The well-paced program sparkled! In Busch, “Whistling Away the Dark,” had spite-of the fact that all but one of the equal poignancy, especially imbued with performances were recorded, deRoy’s its association with Julie Andrews, who engaging spontaneity brought more than performed it in the film Darling Lily. Jamie deRoy enough kinetic energy to connect the Similarly, Busch was more than equal to both the words and music, beautifully performers, all of whom were live and the Mancini & Mercer Oscar nominated underscored by Sean Harkness on guitar. visible on-screen for the interviews, song. Originally known for funny satires Having worked with Lasser for sixteen scattered throughout. I find myself such as Vampire Lesbians of Sodom and years, Mason is faithful to his music and circling back to my original assessment The Allergist’s Wife, Busch is just as memory, creating a cabaret act of his of Jaime deRoy and Friends in likely to perform out of drag than in songs and a well-regarded album, Better characterizing this latest show: “…deRoy nowadays.