Sue Matsuki
Pangea, NYC, September 12, 2021
Reviewed by Bart Greenberg
One Sunday a month, hostess with the mostest Sue Matsuki takes over the front of the Pangea Restaurant for a mix of open mic, previews of shows due in the cabaret room, a variety show, and her own solos. With the lovely room, good food, and incredibly accommodating waitstaff, it all makes for a lovely afternoon, and Matsuki’s own enthusiastic and encompassing cheer adds the extra gloss that such a long program can use.
The first act is an open mic with a random group of singers who Matsuki literally picks from a hat, some of them very well known in cabaret rooms and some developing their talents (one performer admitted he was “new in town”). Our hostess also acted as a den mother, encouraging the participants to promote upcoming appearances and gently coaching, offering suggestions on how to communicate with the musicians along with other details that matter so much. She intentionally keeps the segment casual, as though this were her living room and friends were just wandering up to the piano to share a tune. She also keeps it safe, which is why there are no reviews of these performances here, though a list of participants can be found at the end of this review. However, praise must go to Gregory Toroian, music director, and Skip Ward on bass, who easily adjusted to the many styles and tempos requested by the parade of soloists.
The second act was mostly a showcase for Matsuki and Toroian. both together (a bouncy duet of “This Could Be the Start of Something Big”) and solos (a delightful obscure song “You Smell So Good” handled with wit by her), and Billy Joel’s “Rosalinda’s Eyes” which was a perfect fit for Toroian’s voice. The hostess also offered up a delightful “The Ballad of Swingin’ Todd” with great humor and ideal enunciation. Time was also made for three artists with upcoming shows at this location, all connected via directors and music directors. These included Kati Neiheisel who offered “You” from Karen Carpenter’s Kind of Hush album; Dorian Woodruff who told a hysterical story about his connection to Barry Manilow’s music and performed Manilow’s early hit “Lay Me Down”; and Maria Corsaro who provided a very jazzy “Walkin’ Shoes” by Gerry Mulligan and Bobby Troup.
The third act highlighted three diverse performers, each of whom brought a different spark to the afternoon. Frank Aiese offered up easy swing with a fine voice while kicking off his three-song set with “Slow Boat to China,” followed by “The Meaning of the Blues” (one of several Bobby Troup songs of the afternoon). He also provided one of those delightful cabaret moments of taking a song from a different genre and transposing it into a new setting with Stevie Wonder’s “Knocks Me Off My Feet.” Next up was soprano Sarah Rice, who still possesses a pure voice and a great talent for simplicity. She provided two folk songs—“Come by the Hills” and “The Sleep Song”—and then became far more dramatic in Irving Berlin’s “Supper Time.” Finally, the power force that is Lina Koutrakis gifted the audience with three numbers full of pow—“(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66,” “Here’s That Rainy Day,” and “I Thought About You.”
All of this made for a very large package of entertainment with a gracious hostess and even better, no cover charge (though donations were gratefully accepted). Those who took part in the open mic were Pamela Schlesinger, Julio Botero, Paul Fabre, David Milberg, Gerrilyn Sohn, Eva Steinberg, Matthew Stewart, Jacqueline Draper, Pam Antrobus, Carol Sue Gershman, and Debbie Raymar.
