With The Sinatra Holiday Project, Michael Feinstein reprised his successful season opener at Feinstein’s at Loews Regency. He added a couple of Christmas songs connected with Frank Sinatra, and with his dynamic band of 17 with John Oddo on piano, he’s blazing a path to the holidays. Not the usual Feinstein Holiday Hour.

Michael Feinstein is an expansive, congenial host, connecting with his audience, energetic, and obviously dedicated to saluting Sinatra, not imitating him. He mentioned that as an early pianist/singer in Los Angeles, he first met Ol' Blue Eyes when “Big Nancy” (wife #1), asked him to perform at her Christmas party.

The Christmas offerings were few but included Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas,” admittedly not connected with Sinatra but with Bing Crosby. Feinstein often sings the winsome “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” but this time with a difference. Songwriter Hugh Martin told him that when the song was written for Judy Garland in Meet Me in St. Louis, she complained that the lyrics were too dark. When Sinatra wanted to record it, he still felt it was too dark. The lyrics therefore were written twice. When Feinstein sings it in this show, he includes both the Judy and Frank versions. Both still grab the heart strings.

He ripped through the rhythmic pieces, the pairing of Loesser’s “Luck Be a Lady” and “All I Need is the Girl” (Styne/Sondheim). He included some “what if” versions of songs Sinatra recorded, presenting them as if arranged in another style and era. “Exactly Like You” (McHugh/Fields), recorded in 1944, exploded with the ‘50s sound of “Billy May’s slurping saxes.” Similarly, Cole Porter’s “Begin the Beguine” was delivered with the famous vamps of Nelson Riddle’s style. Not to be ignored are Feinstein’s ballads, like his ardent “All My Tomorrows” wrapped around “All the Way.” Scheduled guest Antonia Bennett did not appear on this evening.

Just announced was the nomination of Michael Feinstein’s new CD, The Sinatra Project, for a Grammy Award.

The Sinatra Holiday Project runs from December 2 – 30.

Elizabeth Ahlfors
Cabaret Scenes
December 4, 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org