Ray Jessel is a national treasure so it's no wonder that a large portion of San Francisco's cabaret stars attended his rare performance at the Octavia Lounge. The journeyman composer/lyricist has crammed a lot of credits into his first 70 years; writing for television shows like Head of the Class, The Carol Burnett Show, The Dean Martin Show, and The Love Boat. His songs have been recorded by the likes of: Louis Armstrong, Jimmy Durante, Peggy Lee, Sammy Davis Jr., and our own Wesla Whitfield.

Jessel writes deliciously hilarious ditties often referred to as "novelty" songs (I remember singing Alan Sherman's "Hello Mudda" way back in summer camp). He also writes beautiful ballads along with his current life partner Cynthia Thompson. Starting to perform in cabaret at age 72, Jessel has won a Backstage Bistro Award for 2004, and has three Mac Awards. Not bad at all.

Jessel opened the show with the "Short Term Memory Loss Blues" in which he forgets lyrics in the title sequentially. Following this was the bawdy "Naught or Nice." The beautiful ballad "I'm All Right Now," recorded by John Pizzarelli, displayed his serious side and elevates Jessel/Thompson into the elite of current composers. Jessel loves the absurd, and his "I'm a Genius," imagines Albert Einstein crowing about his pre-eminent intellectual skills. Then comes "I Think About Sex" and well, the title pretty much sums it all up. His Shirley Temple-like song "Life Sucks, Then You Die" had the audience howling and singing along.

Michael Feinstein has recorded two of Jessel's songs, the lovely ballad "What Ever Happened to Melody" and "Wanna Sing a Showtune" from Loveboat, the Musical. His homage to Noel Coward, "Don't Ever Try To Cross An Englishman" shows just how close Jessel's material continues in the strong tradition of witty,literate comic music. Jessel closed the show with three perfect examples of his style: "The Things You Do" (recorded by Wesla Whitfield), "The Shakespeaean Tragedy Rag" with its rapid fire plot synopsis of the Bards works, and closing the show with his ridiculous tribute to Oxnard simply titled "Oxnard" (hey, every city deserves a tribute right?).

It was a treat indeed to see Ray Jessel sing his material. Here’s to another 70 years!

Steve Murray
Cabaret Scenes
August 11, 2007
www.cabaretscenes.org