Clint Holmes and Billy Stritch
Straighten Up and Fly Right––100 years of Nat “King” Cole
Birdland Theater, NYC, May 8, 2019
Reviewed by Marilyn Lester for Cabaret Scenes
Photo: Stephen Sorokoff
Get two old friends who happen to be ace performers together for an evening of song, and it’s a good bet that Grade A entertainment will ensue. The team of Clint Holmes and Billy Stritch didn’t disappoint. Their centenary tribute, Straighten Up and Fly Right, a celebration of Nat “King” Cole, was filled with plenty of razzle-dazzle, style, and rousing moments. In duets and solos, the pair delivered the goods on Cole’s big hits ––“Orange Colored Sky” (Milton DeLugg/Willie Stein), “Sweet Lorraine” (Cliff Burwell/Mitchell Parrish), and “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” (Bobby Troup), and more. There were lesser-known numbers, such as the novelty song, “Save the Bones for Henry Jones (’Cause Henry Don’t Eat No Meat)” (Danny Barker/Vernon Lee). More fun came with another novelty song, “Meet Me at No Special Place (and I’ll Be There at No Particular Time)” (J. Russel Robinson/Harry Pyle/Arthur Terker), with Stritch at the piano, delivered with unruffled polish.
Holmes, primarily a jazz singer, possesses an uncanny mastery of phrasing, reminiscent of bebop riffs and licks. He powered through thusly on his solo of “It’s All Right with Me” (Cole Porter), performed at speed with stunning precision. Reversing gears, he offered an evocative “Mona Lisa” (Ray Evans/Jay Livingston), sung at a very slow tempo with equal virtuosity. Another quiet moment was offered in a touching encore that featured just Stritch (at the piano) and Holmes, alone on stage, with a heartfelt “Smile” (Charlie Chaplin/John Turner/Geoffrey Parsons).
Backing the duo were a trio of top-notch musicians who could easily hold a room in their own right. Christian Tamburr performed with equivalent ease and skill on piano and vibraphone. His vibe solo during “L-O-V-E” (Bert Kaempfert/Milt Gabler) was breathtaking. Bassist Felix Moseholm and drummer John Davis, superb throughout, shone with Tamburr and the two singers on a spectacular arrangement of “Nature Boy” (Eden Ahbez).
