Peter Anderson, Will Anderson, Molly Ryan

Songbook Summit: The Anderson’s Play Irving Berlin

Symphony Space, NYC, August 9, 2018

Reviewed by Ron Forman for Cabaret Scenes

The first of the four-part Songbook Summit series created by the saxophone and clarinet virtuosos the Anderson Twins, Peter and Will, was dedicated to the songs of Irving Berlin. Molly Ryan’s jazzy vocals meshed wonderfully with the work of the Andersons on clarinet, saxophone and flute. Interesting, informative, and amusing biographical commentary was interspersed between numbers. As each was performed, the on-stage screen displayed photos of Berlin and of the singers who had performed his songs. Entertaining videos of movies, television performances, and even commercials using Berlin songs were interspersed throughout. Especially appealing was a mélange of clips from Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies. All of the above combined to produce a fast-paced, vastly entertaining 90-minute show.

The show opened with the band playing the 1911 song that made Berlin an international phenomenon, “Alexander’s Ragtime Band.” Ryan followed by sprightly performing four of Berlin’s best songs, beginning with an up-tempo “Always” and ending with “Isn’t This a Lovely Day.” Peter Anderson performed a melancholy “What’ll I Do” accompanied only by pianist Tardo Hammer. Hammer would also take solo turns with ”Let’s Face the Music and Dance” and  “How Deep Is the Ocean (How High Is the Sky).” The Andersons performed “Putting on the Ritz” following a video of the song as performed in the film Young Frankenstein. Although Berlin’s biggest hit, “White Christmas,” was not performed, there was a photo displayed of Berlin presenting the Oscar to himself for writing the song for the film Holiday Inn. Ryan energetically performed “There’s No Business Like Show Business” as if she really believed every word. The show closed with the duet that Berlin wrote for Annie Get Your Gun, “Anything You Can Do,” with Ryan’s vocal accompanied by the Andersons’ instrumentals.