Daryl Sherman
It’s All in the Game
Don’t Tell Mama, NYC, January 23, 2017
Reviewed by Ron Forman for Cabaret Scenes
Photo: Eric Stephen Jacobs
Daryl Sherman is the epitome of a pure jazz singer. She brings her unique interpretation to every number. At times, she speeds up slow songs,or slows down up-tempo numbers, but invariably the effect is very positive. It’s All in the Game is a tribute to lyricist (and sometime composer) Carl Sigman. You may not know his name, but, as with many of the songwriters of the Great American Songbook, you know the hits that he wrote. His catalogue is extensive and varied and Sherman covered many of his best-known works. In addition to her vocals, Sherman is a fine jazz pianist and accompanied herself on all but one of her numbers. Her introductory biographical patter about Sigman was filled with humor. Her vocals and work on piano blended smoothly with guitarist James Chirillo.
Sherman opened with an up-tempo version of Perry Como’s television theme song “Dream Along with Me,” the only piece in the set for which Sigman wrote both words and music. Pianist and guitarist then combined for an instrumental version of “Shangri-La.” A very interesting story about how Sigman joined with a former Vice President of the United States, Charles Dawes, to write “It’s All in the Game” led into her performance of it. After telling how Sigman got the idea for the words of “Ebb Tide” (music: Robert Maxwell) from the beach scene in From Here to Eternity, Sherman’s vocal was marvelous. The crowd joined in, singing “Pennsylvania 6-5000” (music: Jerry Gray) whenever the lyric called for the phone number. Guest vocalist Joyce Breach performed a particularly poignant “Crazy He Calls Me” (music: Sigman; lyrics: Bob Russell).
Sherman stood center stage, accompanied by Chirillo, to perform a beautifully moving “A Day in the Life of a Fool” (music: Luiz Bonfá). Her closing number was a lilting “Dance Ballerina Dance” (music: Bob Russell). The encore: a fun-filled sing-along of the Guy Lombardo hit “Enjoy Yourself (It’s Later Than You Think)” (music: Sigman; lyrics: Herb Magidson).
