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Big Band Retrospective at The Allen Room
ByThe show focused on little known ironies and ersatz histories of the era's notable songs. Feinstein traced the lyric evolution of a 1942 offering from Benny Goodman and Peggy Lee, "Why Don't You Do Right ,Baby?," from its origin as a 1936 nefarious blues satire by Kansas Joe McCoy to mainstream hit. His account of the development of the 1942 Harry James creation, "Blues and Cantabile," contained key informative commentary. Johnny Green's "Body and Soul," recorded in 1930 by Louis Armstrong, was cleverly reconstructed, with Marsalis capturing some of Satchmo's pioneering intervallic leaps. The story of how Bobby Troup snatched a bit of esoterica and turned it into the hit "Girl Talk," for his wife Julie London, was revealing. Vasandani's performance here was a highlight of the show. Reviews of the evolution of Tommy Dorsey megahit "Marie," with its vocalizing from band members, and Jimmy Dorsey 's "Green Eyes," rescued from earlier ignominy by Helen O'Connell, were equally enlightening.
Revisionist exploration of jazz history has been one of the primary missions of Jazz at Lincoln Center during its first 25 years. Michael Feinstein's role as director of the Jazz & Popular Song series has been a particularly successful component of this mission and its continuance is vital.
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New York Beat
Nick Catalano
United States
New York
New York City
Michael Feinstein
Vince Giordano
Nellie McKay
Connie Evingson
Sachal Vasandani
wynton marsalis
Benny Goodman
Peggy Lee
Harry James
Louis Armstrong
Bobby Troup
Julie London
Tommy Dorsey
Jimmy Dorsey