Swinging and suave, "This Is the Life," by Strouse and Adams (Golden Boy), set the mood for Eric Comstock's autumn show at the Metropolitan Room. With Comstock on piano, life does not get much better. He is beyond compare with good taste in music and an encyclopedic repertoire. The well-structured show, without title and without obvious theme, was an evening of bonhomie and songs of varying rhythms and moods.

Comstock's lyrics spicily added his own updated nonchalant wit to "Let's Do It." Deep in the heart of desolation were classic Sinatra wrist-slashers by Jule Styne, "I Fall in Love Too Easily" (with Sammy Cahn), and "Who Are You Now?" (with Bob Merrill), darkened further by Comstock's vocal nuances and Sean Smith's evocative bass. "There's No You" (Hopper/Adair), showed melodic poignancy also underscored by Smith's bass. Guitarist Randy Napoleon joined the show for the second night.

Comstock presented less familiar tunes along with favorites, including his wistful rendition of "Tonight" (Bernstein and Sondheim) and Randy Newman's very politically incorrect, very wry, "Political Science," punctuated by Michael Barbieri's lighting "big ones". Comstock selected Susanna McCorkle's translation of Jobim's "Vivo Sonhando" called, "Living on Dreams," and also the Charles Trenet favorite, "Vous Qui Passez Sans Me Voir?" with Noel Coward's translation, "Why Do You Pass Me By?" "The Best Man" (Roy Alfred) was a sly offering from the Nat King Cole songbook and Comstock included "The Great City" by Curtis Lewis, a fifties' feel of beards and blues, with Sean Smith's beatnik bass flair.

Eric Comstock saluted two cherished pianist/songwriters who died this year, Murray Grand ("Everything You Want"), and John Wallowitch ("This Moment").

“It takes a life to realize what life is all about
And life is all about . . . this moment.”

Eric Comstock's show was about this moment and enjoying it with good music and sophisticated anecdotes. Most cabaret shows include a listing of tunes you like and some that fall short. Eric Comstock, who shows such respect and understanding for songs and their writers, offered a list of high quality songs, with eloquent patter to weave a mood. When he ended the evening with a lilting "Pennies From Heaven," he did not ask the audience to sing along, they just did. That's what this moment was all about.

Elizabeth Ahlfors

Elizabeth Ahlfors
Cabaret Scenes
September 28, 2007
www.cabaretscenes.org