Barbara Brussell: The Piano Bench of My Mind (Songs I’ve Been Sitting on For Far Too Long)

Post author:Betsyann Faiella
Post published: October 20, 2026
Reading time:3 mins read

Barbara Brussell

The Piano Bench of My Mind
(Songs I’ve Been Sitting on For Far Too Long)

Don’t Tell Mama, October 16, 2026

Reviewed by BetsyAnn Faiella

A breath of Northern California sunshine blew into NYC last week when Barbara Brussell made an appearance at the 37th Annual Mabel Mercer Cabaret Convention (divine!). She took the opportunity to perform a full-length show at Don’t Tell Mama with music director and accompanist Mark Nadler (also divine). The show was titled The Piano Bench of My Mind (Songs I’ve Been Sitting on For Far Too Long). It was eclectic, and honestly, the woman never picks a bad song!

Brussell exhibited the same joie de vivre, spontaneity, and taste in music that she has always had. Her opening medley was a call to action: “Sands of Time” (Robert Wright/George Forrest from Kismet, written and adapted from the orchestral work In the Steppes of Central Asia by Russian composer Alexander Borodin) flowed into “Let’s Love!” (Charles Aznavour/Alan Brandt) and “Taking a Chance on Love” (Vernon Duke/ John Latouche/Ted Fetter). “Let’s Love” was typically playful Brussell. Delicious. Her version of “I Don’t Know Where I Stand” (Joni Mitchell) was heartbreaking. Brussell can conjure heartbreak with the best of them.

In between her songs she spoke extemporaneously (it seemed), and she was hilarious. Her emotions are easily accessible to her; she doesn’t have to dig or fake or struggle. It’s as though they are just under the surface of whatever she does.

“The Heel” is one of my favorite songs of Léo Ferré, and Brussell sang the English version of this (just short of) murder ballad by Willard Robison and Albert A. Beach with relish. Following this, she sang Craig Carnelia’s “I Met a Man Today.” First of all, I don’t think we hear NEARLY enough Craig Carnelia. Secondly: Wow, it was so plaintive—the sadness of missing the lover and the sadness of the confession. It was perfect for Barbara Brussell who can sing with a tear in her eye.

Her husband was a military man (at a point in his life), and she brought a lot of laughs when she described him as a trained assassin. Somehow that led into “Hard Lovin’ Loser” (Richard Farina). Her set ended with the beautiful “This Moment” by John Wallowitch.

I almost forgot Mark Nadler was accompanying Brussell because he was so restrained!
He was sublime.

Barbara Brussell harkens back, in my opinion, to a time when cabaret was really exciting and respected by the general theater and nightclub-going New York public. Don’t Tell Mama was mobbed, and in the audience were James Gavin, KT Sullivan, Elizabeth Sullivan, David Kenny, and Christine Pedi, among others who love the genre. It was great to see this artist at work again!

Tags: John Latouche, Taking a Chance on Love, Richard Farina, Willard Robison, Kismet, Christine Pedi, Betsyann Faiella, Alexander Borodin, Robert Wright, George Forrest, Ted Fetter, Albert A. Beach, This Moment, composer, American Songbook Association, ASA, David Kenny, Don’t Tell Mama, I Met a Man Today, The Piano Bench of My Mind, Songs I’ve Been Sitting on For Far Too Long, Sands of Time, In the Steppes of Central Asia, Let’s Love!, I Don’t Know Where I Stand, The Heel, Hard Lovin’ Loser, Leo Ferre, Cabaret Scenes, barbara brussell, KT Sullivan, Joni Mitchell, Broadway, Cabaret, Broadway Musicals, Mark Nadler, Elizabeth Sullivan, Charles Aznavour, American Songbook, Lyricist, Vernon Duke, John Wallowitch, James Gavin, CD, Reviews, Cabaret Reviews, Alan Brandt, Cabaret Convention, Craig Carnelia, Clubs

Betsyann Faiella

Betsyann Faiella is a creative spirit with right and left brain functionality. She is a writer and publicist, and founded SavoyPR in 2008. Her clients have been featured in major news outlets including NPR, The Today Show, Page Six, Architectural Digest, and many other major news and entertainment platforms. Her own writing has been featured in the New York Times Diner’s Journal, and her bios for creative people are all over the web. Before founding SavoyPR, she was a busy media producer working with commercial directors, leading international teams, and excelled in both the New York and Los Angeles markets with major brands including Mercedes, Exxon, Bayer, Johnson and Johnson, Old Navy. Betsyann was previously a professional singer, and made her public singing debut at famed NYC cabaret, Reno Sweeney. After touring in shows from Canada to Las Vegas and beyond, she released an album in 2001 titled Can I Be Frank?, a dedication to the artistry of Frank Sinatra. She has performed at the Blue Note, Birdland, Ronnie Scott’s, and more, and Performing Arts Centers all over the U.S. with jazz greats including the late Hank Jones, Paul Smith, and Tedd Firth.