Podcast appearances and mentions of Billy Stritch

What happens when you trust your talent before anyone else does? I had the pleasure of speaking with Spider Saloff, a jazz vocalist and performer whose journey shows what it means to truly create your own path. From secretly rehearsing as a teenager to performing for the Gershwin family and building a career in jazz and cabaret, Spider shares how taking risks, following curiosity, and trusting your instincts can open unexpected doors. We also explore her resilience through personal challenges, including overcoming an abusive relationship and rebuilding her life from nothing. You will hear how music, creativity, and lifelong learning became her anchors, and why choosing your own direction can lead to a life that is both meaningful and unstoppable. Highlights: 00:10 – Discover how a passion for music at a young age can shape an entire life path 02:04 – Learn how early opportunities and saying yes can open unexpected doors 10:00 – Understand why creating your own opportunities can redefine your career 16:20 – Hear how taking bold action led to a life-changing connection with the Gershwin family 30:00 – Discover how one decision can completely change where your life and career unfold 44:44 – Learn what it takes to break free from hardship and rebuild your life with resilience Bottom of Form About the Guest: What does it take to build a lasting career in music and performance? Spider Saloff has done exactly that, earning recognition as a multi-award-winning vocalist and entertainer known for her powerful voice, wide range, and captivating stage presence. Born in Philadelphia and raised in New Jersey, she began her journey in theater at a young age, studying acting at Rowan University and the University of London. Her early career in musical theater included more than 25 major roles, but everything shifted when she discovered her passion for jazz. That move led her to work with top musicians, gain critical acclaim, and begin touring both nationally and internationally. Over time, Spider became one of the most respected interpreters of the American Songbook, known for blending deep emotion with humor in her performances. Her connection with the Gershwin family helped launch signature shows like her tribute to George Gershwin, which has been performed around the world. She has also created tributes to icons like Cole Porter and Irving Berlin, performed at major venues and festivals globally, and hosted the syndicated radio series Words and Music. Beyond the stage, she is a teacher, writer, and creator who helps others find their unique voice, continuing to inspire audiences and students alike through a career built on passion, creativity, and authenticity. Ways to connect with Spider: Website: https://spidersaloff.com LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/spiderjazz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spidie.saloff Twitter (@spidersaloff): https://x.com/spidersaloff?s=21&t=XIFFgGFn7E5Hd_8J8Rexfg Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6gKiYyeoZyxZTAI2EpGWbU?si=WudPV-CUQPmMThTtV508Og YouTube (@TheMartinicat): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTLI-Gd51JdcMT0FVvvD9lA YouTube, “When You See Me”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTbO1FWrje4 Instagram (@spider.jazz): https://www.instagram.com/spider.jazz/ About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson  00:04 What if the biggest thing holding you back isn't what's in front of you, but rather what you believe Welcome to unstoppable mindset where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. I'm your host. Michael hingson, speaker, author and advocate for inclusion and possibilities. This podcast explores how the beliefs we carry shape the way we live, lead and connect with others. Each week, I talk with people who challenge assumptions, face adversity head on and show what's possible when we choose curiosity over fear, together, we focus on mindset resilience and the small shifts that lead to meaningful change. Let's get started. Hi everyone, and I want to welcome you to another episode of unstoppable mindset, and we have an unstoppable mindseted, oriented sort of person today. Spider Saloff. Spider is a vocalist. She's a comedian. She is in Chicago, as I recall, but she has been to a variety of places. She is a very highly acclaimed vocalist, a singer. She sings and deals with a lot of the songs that I like, like the Great American Songbook, Gershwin, Irving, Berlin and other things like that. And she has a lot of accolades that come from any number of famous people who you've probably heard of. And so in the course of the next hour or so, I'm sure we're going to hear about a bunch of that. But for now, spider, welcome to unstoppable mindset. We're really glad Spider Saloff  01:49 you're here. Well, I'm happy to be here. Thank you for inviting me. Michael Hingson  01:53 Well, you are, you are most welcome. So how did you get into doing, acting, singing and all the other things that you do. Spider Saloff  02:04 Well, it started when I was a kid. I always loved music, and you know, it was so in love with the arts. But when I was 14, I came home and told my parents that I could get them tickets to the high school variety show. And they said, What? And I told them, I'm in it. I'm going to be in it. And they said, well, doing what? And I said, singing. And they were they were shocked, and I didn't tell them. I used to rehearse at my girlfriend's home because her family was all over it. They thought I was wonderful, and I knew my family would tell me that I couldn't do it so because it's just too foreign and too scary to them. So I ended up performing at this variety show, and my my parents were absolutely shocked, and one thing led to another. And then I met a theater director who worked at my school, and he came, he was a professional guy from New York that they hired to come in to do a musical, and I was in it. And I ended up getting the opportunity to be in a summer stock company and my parents let me go, which was amazing. I think they were just relieved to get me out of the house for the summer, but whatever it takes, but I certainly learned a lot, and I was very young for that experience, but it was, it was so, so worth it. And then after I finished high school, I went to college for theater. Now, your parents are from Russia. Oh, no, no, no, no, they're descend. My father's descendants are from Russia. That's where the name is from. But they are, I think I am about 11 different nationalities. So it's we're real much we are real much of the world. Well, there you go, yeah. Michael Hingson  04:05 So now we need to just clone that combination, since obviously you sing, well, we need to get that in other people, just just, you know, just a thought, you know, Spider Saloff  04:16 sounds good. Sounds dangerous to me. Michael Hingson  04:18 Actually, I know it's either that or we're gonna Spider Saloff  04:21 have to get more, more of one than more than one of Michael Hingson  04:24 me, more than one spider? No, we can't have that. Well, either that or we get AI to to imitate you. But we don't want to do we don't want to do that either, scary stuff. 04:35 Yeah, yeah, it is. Michael Hingson  04:36 Well, so how did you encounter and come up with the name spider. Spider Saloff  04:44 I did not choose it. I, you know, I never thought that my real name made any sense from the time I was a child, it's, I'm like, that doesn't make sense. And then I got the nickname when I was in college, because I have, I'm. Really a small person, but I have very long arms and legs, and it was a nickname, and it just stuck with me. And then finally I surrendered to it as a professional name, and people don't forget it. They may not like me, but they don't forget the name. And then it just stuck. And it's been that way ever since, how could Michael Hingson  05:20 somebody not like you? Spider Saloff  05:23 Well, I don't know. I'm sure there's somebody out there. I would love to thank everyone. Just endorse me, but Michael Hingson  05:31 we'll see. Well, yeah, I mean, it'll all go so where did you go to college? Spider Saloff  05:37 I went to a college that doesn't exist anymore, actually, now it is Rowan University. It's in New Jersey, outside of Philadelphia, and it became Rowan University when it got the largest private donation in history. But it was a state college called Glassboro State College, and it was a fine arts school at the time. There were several of my friends, including the conductor for the Lion King and Broadway people, all went to school there, and now it has no arts program at all. But part of our program, I did get to study at University of London too. So that was really exceptional. And it was so wonderful, a wonderful school, great opportunity. You know, it's, it was outside of Philadelphia, close to New York, and now it's an engineering school. For the most part. There isn't, there are no fine arts there at all. Well, that's too bad. But, well, yeah, I know, but somebody's got to do the engineering, Michael Hingson  06:39 I guess. I Well, there's truth to that too. Now, have you seen THE LION KING LIVE on Broadway? I have Spider Saloff  06:46 never seen it, and it's never seen it. I gotta see it. I've got to see it. I it just never happened. I kept intending to go and I never saw it. And I know people that played for it as well. 06:59 You've seen the movie. No, you haven't seen the movie Spider Saloff  07:02 either, anything Lion King. My goodness, I know I better. That's one of my goals. By the end of the year, let me see if I can see it. Michael Hingson  07:10 Well, I'll tell you my lion king story. A my brother in law knew someone who knew some of the actors in Lion King, and he and his wife and their little girl, who at the time was like three or four, were coming through New Jersey, where we lived in Westfield, and we all arranged to go see The Lion King. It was a Wednesday afternoon. It was a matinee, and near the beginning when scar, the bad guy meets the hyenas, who he works with, they all come on, they come on stage and they're growling and all sorts of things like that. Well, in the theater, the hyenas come from the back of the theater, down the stairs, and they walk past everyone growling and making all these noises? Well, my wife was in a wheelchair her whole life. She was a t3 paraplegic, and when one of the hyenas came up next to her, because we were able to arrange for an accessible seat, which was right on the aisle, this hyena comes up right next to her and goes, you've never seen a woman who is totally paralyzed suddenly literally jump up and almost walk out of the theater. It was amazing. She he shocked her completely. But it was so much fun. And of course, Alanya, the little girl, was just there with these big, huge eyes over all of this. But what Karen, my wife, told me later was that what was interesting about it was that when she was obviously watching all of this, and she said, You got totally used to the the puppets being the animals they were. They didn't you. They didn't even look like puppets anymore. They were just the animals. Spider Saloff  09:05 And that's exactly what I've heard about it, that it's like, it was fascinating. You're completely swept away with it. Michael Hingson  09:10 Yeah, wow. So, so it's cool, but, yeah, you gotta, you gotta go see The Lion King. It is absolutely worth it. The music is wonderful and all that. Wow. So we got to see it on Broadway, which was cool. Well, so you, so you went to college, and then what did you do? Spider Saloff  09:32 Well, when I got out of college, I, you know, was doing theater, but I ended up in musicals because I sang, and I really my training, my formal training, really is acting. I did not train as a singer. I just started singing naturally when I was a teenager, and then I just did a ton of musicals. I was in musicals like forever and but. I always loved jazz, and that was always in my back pocket. And then at one point, I really decided I wanted to pursue jazz while it was still in musical theater, because it was getting harder and harder to get roles, because they wanted, this is in the late 80s. They wanted you to be a dancer as well, and that was not going to happen for me. So I really thought, you know, I just, I want to check out the whole nightclub scene, you know, in Cabaret, where you could produce your own show. And so I started to really pick the minds of the guys in the pit band. And I talked to all these pit musicians, and they would tell me about, you know, places to go, and how they there were guys I met there that introduced me to other people, that helped me to do my first demo, and then started working in clubs. And then that really changed everything for me. Michael Hingson  11:01 So you got very much involved in doing a lot of Spider Saloff  11:04 jazz, yeah, jazz and cabaret, and it was all small clubs. But then that was what got me major press attention. And then I started touring with a show that I co wrote with a guy named Ricky ritzel, who's from New York, and we did a show called 1938 and that was my first recording as well. And then then just kept going from there, and that's how a lot of things happened, was really just deciding to do my own thing and create my own world of performance. So you're also Michael Hingson  11:45 known for doing something related in one way or another to comedy? Spider Saloff  11:50 Well, yeah, I've always done comedic roles, and I can't say I have ever done stand up, but I may be getting close to it, I'm not sure, but I always involve a lot of comedic monologs in everything I do. Like, if you see me at a jazz club, I will tell stories. And, you know, it's part of, part of who I am, is a lot of the comedy stuff. And, you know, crazy stories and telling stories about people, and, you know, doing imitations of people that I've met over the years and that kind of stuff. So it's, it is part of my whole persona on stage. Michael Hingson  12:33 What's your favorite musical that you've done? Boy, it's probably a toughy. Spider Saloff  12:40 I did so many, I have to say, Guys and Dolls. Okay, guys and dolls. I was Adelaide and Guys and Dolls, one of the best roles I've ever done. It was really a good choice for me, and and I, and I have to say I was in what, four productions of Fiddler on the Roof, and I've been two seidels, one Hava and fru masera, so but I love that show. I think it's magical. Michael Hingson  13:21 Just it is. Have you ever been in numb? I like Guys and Dolls, but my favorite, and it's just been that way for a long time. I don't know why was the music? Man, were you ever in the music? Spider Saloff  13:32 Man, I was, but there's no, there's no role in that for me. But I was one of the pick a little ladies. Oh, it is one of my favorite shows. Though, I think it's a masterpiece. I love love love music, man. I think it's just brilliant. Michael Hingson  13:48 You don't think you could have done you? Lily capecni shim you know, Spider Saloff  13:53 I was too young to do it at the time. Michael Hingson  13:54 Yeah. Well, like always, now there's always Marion, Spider Saloff  14:00 no, I don't have the soprano chops for that. They let me do it in Sutton Foster's keys. Well, I was thrilled that they took it down for her, because I could actually do it in those keys. That would be great. Michael Hingson  14:16 I saw it a couple of times on Broadway. Now I'm blanking out on the person it was in. Well, we saw it in, like, 2002 1001 and I'm trying to remember I'm blanking out on the person who played Marion. She actually ended up getting Lou Gehrig's disease and passed away. Spider Saloff  14:43 I don't know who. I don't know, which Michael Hingson  14:45 totally shocked us. Spider Saloff  14:46 I'm drawing a blank, I don't know. Michael Hingson  14:48 Yeah, I'm blanking out on her name. I may think of it, but, Oh, forgive us. She did a she did a great, a great job. But, yeah, but there's nobody like Robert Preston to play Harold Hill. And. Spider Saloff  15:00 Anyway, oh, that movie is so beautiful. I love that movie. Yeah, music, man is brilliant. It really is brilliant. Well, that Michael Hingson  15:10 goes back to, you know, Mr. Mr. Meredith. Meredith Wilson, Spider Saloff  15:18 yes, and I read, I read his book. Have you ever do you know of his book called he doesn't know the territory? Michael Hingson  15:27 No, I'll have to see if I Spider Saloff  15:28 can find writing and production of music. Man, I love, love. Love that book. And it's about all the trials of getting it produced and how he did. They did one of the opening one of the readings when they were trying to raise the money to do it. And moss Hart. Moss and Kitty Hart were there, and they hated it so much they walked out the middle of it. Opening Night, moss Hart was there, and he he saw, he saw Meredith Wilson in the lobby, and he shook his hand, and he said, he said, Great show. But you know what, you still haven't licked that book. Oh gosh, because he was an outsider. I mean, he wasn't part of the Broadway team. And no, the fact that he actually played with a John Philip Sousa, like, what, yeah, couch or something. It was real deal. Like, real real, like, old timey marching band stuff. Michael Hingson  16:35 Yeah, amazing. Well, then he also did The Unsinkable Molly Spider Saloff  16:39 Brown, yes, yes, another great show, yeah, not produced very often. But no, Michael Hingson  16:45 no, it's not. It's, it's sort of sad. Oh, well. But you, you've been very much involved with with a lot of jazz and so on. Tell us about meeting the Gershwin family and and your your involvement with Gershwin, which, you Spider Saloff  17:01 know, he, of course, magical. It was. It was truly a life changing event for me, my partner and I, Ricky ritzel And I had been doing 1938 and then we decided to write this show that was called Porgy and Bess, a cabaret concert, oh boy. And it was in New York, and a very powerful guy from ASCAP came to see it, and Michael kirker, and he came to see it, and he said, this show is brilliant. He goes, but you guys are going to get shut down by the Gershwin family, so you need to call them and see if they'll give you permission. So I had the phone number for Leopold godowsky, the third who is the nephew of George and Ira. His mother is Frankie Gershwin, who was George and IRA's younger sister, and I was a wreck. My hands were shaking, and I called him on the phone and and he was very polite. He just had this incredibly mannered guy, you know, it was really lovely. He goes, Well, you know, I don't see that we could allow Porgy and Bess be performed in a night club, and it wasn't like we were doing the show. We were just right. We were telling a story about how it was written and then just performing the songs as separate entities, but they were enfolding into the story. So I said, Would you would you want to comment? Would you want to see it? If we put it on a videotape, and he goes, Oh, I don't know. He goes, let me think about it. So then I called him back right away. I had the nerve to call him back again. I said, Well, would you come to see the show. He said, you know, what would you and your partner be willing to come and perform it at my home in Connecticut? There you go. And I'm like, What? What? So this whole thing got put together, and we went up to the Gershwins home in Connecticut. We met Leopold and his fabulous wife, Elaine, and they had, they said, we're having, we're having 40 close friends here for dinner. They were cooking dinner themselves, and it was this magical house in Connecticut. They had 40 industry people there. It was crazy. I mean, there were all these famous people there, and we were, we did like, as he called it, a 30 minute musicale. We did highlights from the show in their living room by the great. End piano, and I believe the piano had belonged to George, because Leopold is classical pianist as well. So we did the show, and then we all had dinner, and this friendship started. So what evolved was they, they did, let us do the show, but then my relationship continued with them, and when the Gershwin Centennial started in 1996 it was Iris 100th birthday, two years before George's. In 98 I became part of the centennial presentation, so I got to tour with my Gershwin concert under their brand, and also record my Gershwin album with their brand on it. And it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. And it was, it was a huge, you know, a huge mark in my career, and it opened a lot of doors for me. So wonderful, wonderful people. Michael Hingson  21:03 One of my favorite pieces of all times. Calling it a piece is probably not totally accurate. It's bigger than that, but one of my favorite things from classical music has always been Rhapsody in Blue. And I don't know why, but the very first time I heard it, I loved it, and I've enjoyed it ever since. I've heard the Boston Pops do it, you know, and and others do it. It's just one of those neat things I've just always loved. Spider Saloff  21:30 I'm getting chills just talking about it, because that was so groundbreaking at the time when Paul Whiteman had the contest right of who was going to be able to cross the borders of jazz and classical. And you know, who else was in that contest was Aaron Copland, oh my gosh, Eric Copeland, and he was always in competition with Gershwin, yeah, and Gershwin won and musically, that that changed the whole concept of jazz, I mean, to be accepted in a classical arena. It was really remarkable. What that what that piece did, like, amazing. Michael Hingson  22:18 I actually heard once the Paul Whiteman arrangement of Rhapsody in Blue was performed by a group I don't even recall where, but it was outside. It was a little different, but it still was just so neat to hear this. Spider Saloff  22:36 The first person to hear it, yep. I mean, Paul, my Paul Whiteman was incredible, though. I mean, what a what a groundbreaking person. He was artistically, right? Michael Hingson  22:48 Yeah, he, he did some amazing things, Spider Saloff  22:51 yeah, yeah, you know what I've got to mention. And I hope this doesn't make make our interview too dated. But last night, I saw the movie Blue Moon. That is about about Larry Hart. Oh, my God, I haven't seen that. I'm gonna have to. It just came out last week. Oh, okay, it's not gonna be very often. It's absolutely gorgeous, and Ethan Hawk plays Larry Hart. It it's it's beautiful and funny and heartbreaking, and it all the whole premise is Larry Hart has to go to opening night of Oklahoma, oh gosh, and how painful it is, and this whole cathartic thing he's going through. So the bulk of the entire it's more like, like a theater piece. The whole thing takes place at the bar at Sardi's when he's talking to the bartender and waiting for for Rogers and Hammerstein to show up. And it's, ah, Wowza, it's brilliant. It's brilliant. And talk about, I don't know how they ever got that produced, because it's definitely a movie that's not going to appeal to everybody, but boy, is it brilliant. Michael Hingson  24:14 Wow. Well, hopefully it will come out in some place where I can can watch it up here, and that'll be cool, yeah, Spider Saloff  24:22 and I think it's probably going to go to streaming pretty soon, I'm sure, yeah. So you'll have a lot of opportunities. But I really was happy to go to the theater and see it. But wow, and people in the audience were laughing at all the jokes they were getting, all the sly, Sly comments of Larry Hart, like, wow, witty, witty, witty, just brilliant, just brilliant. Michael Hingson  24:51 Well, your whole Gershwin relationship, obviously, is pretty significant. You even did some Gershwin concert. In Russia, Spider Saloff  25:02 yes, yes. That was why I went to Russia. They were having a Gershwin Centennial in St Petersburg in 1998 because that is the, that is the origins of the Gershwin family. They are from St Petersburg. And so I was hired with my pianist to go to St Petersburg. And do we? Did we were there for seven days, and I think we did like five concerts, and it was amazing to be there, because this was when Russia was getting good. This was, like the good part, and still was scary. It was scary. We stayed in this really creepy hotel that was like a government hotel, and the rooms were bugged. And then when the hallways there were padded walls, like where they could pull these panels out, and there was all kinds of wiring in there, bugging and strange stuff. The concert hall was absolutely magical. It was an old concert hall, and people went crazy, and when I sang the song vodka, which is an oddity, by Gershwin, by way, herbert stothard, Otto Harbach, Oscar Hammerstein and George Gershwin wrote this crazy song called vodka. And when I did the song, people stood on their chairs and screamed, the Russians just loved, loved, loved the concert, the audiences couldn't have been better, and the people that ran the organization couldn't have been weirder. It was, it was very strange. And when we went to leave, the guy that booked us and me and my pianist, they they took our passports, and we had to go to a little room where they said that we our visas were expired and and we had to pay money to get out of there, and they were mad at the guy that was our manager, because he sassed them. And anyway, we had to wait. We were afraid we're going to miss the plane. And then finally, they came out with, like a little, a little tape from an adding machine, and they, they said, you have to pay $58.23 American. So they charged us this $58 and we paid it and ran to get on the plane and and I'm like, I was never so scared in my life. I didn't know what they were going to do, but it was an experience, and it was thrilling and beautiful. But don't think I'm going back to Russia, not in the near term. Yeah. Oh, and then that's when all these people said, my name is sell off. You are my cousin. I come home with you like there were so many people with my name, because in this country, there aren't that many. Aren't that many sell offs. My family is pretty small, and occasionally I'll meet us a sell off. But they're usually, they're usually rabbis, or it's like there aren't that many of us out there, but it was, it was an amazing experience. Loved it. Michael Hingson  28:28 Now, did you when you were over there, sing any of the songs or anything in Russian, or did that matter? Spider Saloff  28:34 Oh no, oh no, let's didn't do that, huh? I'm not. No, I, you know, I'm good at doing accents, and sometimes I will learn to say, like I would learn a little bit of French to get by, but then they would start asking me questions, and I didn't know what they were saying, and then they thought I was just being a jerk, you know, I'm pretending I don't understand them or something. But it was, No, I don't speak. I can barely handle English, but I didn't know whether you might have Michael Hingson  29:05 tried to learn one of the songs just for fun. Spider Saloff  29:08 There wasn't time. This went together so fast. I think we only had, like, two weeks notice. They had rushed the visas and, you know, we had, we had passports in order, but it was a lot of legal red tape. Michael Hingson  29:25 But that's why it cost $58.33 to get out. I don't know, very crazy one of those things. Oh, yeah. Well, well, at least it was affordable. Spider Saloff  29:41 Well, it will, and it was exciting. I mean, everything was paid for. But, oh, this was another weird thing they paid. They paid us in cash, American dollars, and I needed to hide, I had to hide it in my boot. I put it in. Hide the soul of my boot when I'm okay, wow, yeah, it was, it was creepy all the way down the line. It was very strange. Oh, well, yeah, things happen. 30:11 Things happen. Yeah, I was, Spider Saloff  30:12 I'm very, very, very fortunate that I got, got to do it, yeah? Michael Hingson  30:19 So obviously a wonderful memory. And yeah, oh yeah, one of those things that you'll you'll always treasure. You bet. Well, so when did you move to Chicago? Spider Saloff  30:32 Oh, well, when? When I started to get get my feet wet in New York, in the nightclub scene and the jazz scene, I got some really fabulous reviews, including the New York Times. And there was a guy from Chicago who I met through the great Julie Wilson, and his name was Bill Allen, and he was partners with Bobby Short, and he opened this really crazy club in Chicago, very famous, called the Gold Star sardine bar. And both Liza Minnelli had played there the Basie band. He squeezed the Basie band in there, but it was this tiny little place right in downtown Chicago, and it was really wild. And a lot of people had played there. Tony Bennett had played there, and Liza and I kind of was courting the room. I kept talking to him. He had he had found my press kit. Think he had been sent three different press kits, and we don't know which one he opened, and he called me, and we kept this ongoing conversation about coming out to do performance there, and then finally, he decided to bring me out for New Year's Eve, and my husband and I flew out, and it was just we were we had a couple of friends here in Chicago that we visited, but we didn't know anybody here. I'd never been to Chicago, you know, but it was magical. And then he said, Well, I'm going to have you back. I'm going to have you back. And then I didn't hear from him. And finally, the following September, he asked if I could come and play for a month, and I had almost no warning, because he was very impulsive and really crazy. So he asked me to come out for a month, and I did. They put me up in a hotel, and I played with the musicians. Were magical. People were so great. And so I played for a month, and then he said, you know, what would you think about about moving here? And my husband and I were both excited about it. Then we didn't hear anything from him. And then right after So, the first week of February the following year, he calls me up and said, Could you move here? And I'm like, I guess so. Why he goes, Well, I'll book you here for a year, and we'll arrange to get an apartment. And can you start like next week? Oh, gosh, ah, so I did it. I came out, and then my husband came out. We took a sublet on an apartment right downtown in Chicago, sight unseen. We moved here with our cat, and the rest was history. I ended up having the best nobody has a gig for a year, yeah, and and hired partially by the only person that had a gig forever, who was Bobby Short. So because I had met Bobby Short in New York, and he kind of gave bill the okay, you know, he liked me. And then I, I met Tony Bennett there, and Liza interrupted my show one night and crawled on to the over the balcony, onto the stage. And it was magical. There were lines around the block and and I got, I was courted by the press in Chicago like you wouldn't believe. I mean, it was magical. So when my run was up there, I started working at other clubs, and also I started touring at concert tours of my shows, like the Gershwin show, and started to tour. So it just became another life for me. But I'm, I'm in Chicago forever. As far as I'm concerned. I adore it here. I just love it. Michael Hingson  34:45 So when did you move there? Spider Saloff  34:47 The beginning of 92 Michael Hingson  34:49 Okay, all right, so when Liza, when Liza invaded the stage? Did you guys sing together? Spider Saloff  34:55 No, this is what happened. I had met Liza. Yeah, well, I was still living in New York, and I was friends with Billy Stritch, who was liza's musical director. So he was a friend of mine, and he introduced me to Liza, and because she was he was conducting a bit that big show she did at Radio City Music Hall that was a tribute to Vincent Minnelli. Right? She did this spectacular show at Radio City, and Billy was musical directing, and that's when they really became partners. And he introduced me to Liza, and she was just a doll, one of the nicest, coolest people in show business. So I met her, and she was really kind to me, very friendly, very sweet. And so they were playing at the Chicago theater. Liza was doing her one woman show, and it was closing this particular Saturday that I was at the Gold Star, and I had sent Billy a note to to, you know, come by when they're we're done. So I'm doing the second set. And then crazy Bill Allen at the break. He goes, he goes, Okay, people are going to come in here. Joe Pesci is going to come in and and he's going to come up and meet you. And I'm like, Joe Pesci. Joe Pesci was doing a movie here, and his double, his gangster double, used to come in and see me at the gold star. So anyway, the break comes, I'm on stage, and all of a sudden the door opens, and they come in, and it's, it was Billy and Liza and Joe Pesci. And Joe Pesci comes up on stage with Billy and my band kind of crawls off the stage, because by now, there are, there's about, I don't know, 200 people packed in a 70 person room, and their people are coming out of the woodwork. They're like, sitting on top of the bar, and I can't even get off the stage. And Joe Pesci. Pesci leans down, he's like, hey, hey, honey, my my double. He thinks you're great. He goes, Yeah, we're gonna do some songs now. And I'm like, okay, so I sat there, and Billy came up and played. The bass player was there with them. Joe Pesci got up and sang. He was adorable. And then Liza is sitting right by this. They called it the opera box. There was a big, like private table that was right next to the stage. She crawls over the bar onto the stage, and people are just screaming. It was absolutely nuts. And she did like three songs, and she was losing her voice. She had just done a killer thing at the Chicago theater, and she was really, like, raspy. Did it anyway? And she ended with New York, New York, and people were like, screaming. It was just bonkers. It was bonkers. And so that's what the Gold Star was like. It was just a crazy place, and you didn't know who was going to come in the door, who was going to interrupt your show? You just, you just didn't know. Michael Hingson  38:24 Yeah. And they even had the Count Basie orchestra there, and that was, how'd they fit him? How'd they Spider Saloff  38:30 fit him in? Couldn't fit them. It was like a publicity stunt, yeah, and the band was all stuffed in there, and there were a few people that could get in the room, but people were standing in the hallway to hear Pacey pants. This is way before my time. Yeah, it was like in the early 80s, when they opened and they were way crazier then, then when, when I came, Michael Hingson  38:53 you settled them down. Did Spider Saloff  38:55 you No? No, but they, they, they, well, I was there for a year, and then the following year, I went back a few times on Saturdays, and then Bill told Jeremy Conn and I that we were going to be the regular actor because they were always on the verge of closing. They wouldn't have any liquor, and somebody would be coming in the back door with liquor because they didn't pay their liquor bill. And it was, he was in a lawsuit. And anyway, they told us that he goes, Yeah, yeah. Call me on Tuesday and we're gonna we're getting all the details straight. Now. You guys are going to be regular. Here Tuesday came and there were chains on the door. Oh, gosh. And that was the end of it. It ended, and it was a magical time, but there were a lot of problems, a lot of legal problems going on. Michael Hingson  39:50 I met Liza Minnelli once. That was the second or third time I was interviewed by Larry King, and she was now. She was going to perform on the show as well, but it was after September 11, and so I got, I got to meet her, and that was about it, but I did get to meet her, which was fun. Exciting. It was fun. How exciting. And every time we walked out after the interviews, there were lots of photographers outside. Everyone was taking pictures, and we had to put up with all that, but I guess it provided a lot of visibility, but it was kind of fun to be able to do that. Spider Saloff  40:34 How cool. I never met Larry King. I knew a lot of people were on his show. But well, how exciting that you did it twice? Michael Hingson  40:43 Well, actually we there were five interviews with Larry. The first one was right after September 11. It was on the 14th. And then there was another one. There was either one or two more. I think there was one more in November of 2001 and then on the anniversary, in 2002 was the third. But there there were five altogether, and during one of them, and I think it was the one on the anniversary or in 2002 but I have to go back and see if I can research it. But anyway, Hillary, Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer were, were there? Lisa Beamer, Todd Beamer, his wife Todd's the guy who said, let's roll on flight 93 when they took over the plane again and got it in a crash in Shanksville. Wow, and and Queen. Nor was there. So who I'm sorry, Queen nor from? Who is the queen of Jordan? Oh, wow. And she and she and Roselle had a thing for a while. Roselle was my guide dog at the time, so they visited. It was kind of fun. Oh, wow. But, yeah, it was, it was interesting. But as I say, then we, we did meet Liza briefly, and that was kind of fun. She said she's Spider Saloff  42:09 a doll, yeah, doll. Oh, yeah. What a great person, yeah. Michael Hingson  42:13 Well, so I was looking at all the things that you sent me, and I noticed Tony Bennett. I got to meet Tony Bennett once we were on Regis and Kelly live in November of 2001 and I was sitting there, and I heard that Tony Bennett was going to be on the show. And suddenly he comes over and he says, Hey, I'm Tony Bennett. Good to meet you. I've heard about you. So we chatted for a while, and he and Roselle had a thing too, and he and Roselle had a thing too. Spider Saloff  42:45 So that was good. Oh, that Roselle. Oh, but yeah, I met him at the Gold Star, and he because he had played there several times, you know, as a future act. And he was doing, he was in. He was in town to do something. Maybe it was at the Chicago theater as well, but he came in, hanging out in his in his white dinner jacket, absolutely charming. And he sat down and talked to me between sets. It's like talking to your uncle, like he's like, Yeah, what do you think of this weather here in Chicago, and it was like just the friendliest, most laid back, cool guy and and I've seen him perform several times. I adored him. Michael Hingson  43:32 I regret I never got to see him live other than hearing him do, other than hearing him on regents and Kelly, he did a New York state of mind. Spider Saloff  43:41 Oh, cool. Very cool, Michael Hingson  43:43 wow, very soft spoken guy. But when he can sing, he can he could Bell it, Bell it out, Spider Saloff  43:49 and he and he sang the same forever, like, that's my my idols are. I want to sound the same forever, and I have the two, the two, the two most remarkable preserved voices were Ella Fitzgerald and Mel Tormey, both of them, they had chops forever like that. They they were just very, very careful and smart about the way they use their voices. Michael Hingson  44:18 Yeah. Johnny Mathis lasted a long time. I don't know what he sounds like. Spider Saloff  44:24 He just sounded the same forever. Yeah, killer, woo hoo, wow. And I never got to see him live, but I know people that did, and I mean, not that long ago, and they were blown away. Like, just Yeah, killer, yep, Michael Hingson  44:43 amazing, another amazing guy. Well, so have you ever had any any real kind of challenges and sort of negative things that have happened to you in your life? You've obviously been very successful. And all that. But, you know, unstoppability oftentimes happens when you have a challenge. Spider Saloff  45:05 Oh yes, well, you know, small things, challenges. I mean, like the worst, though, was when I was very young, a young actress, I got swept away by a guy that was a director. He was 10 years older than me, and I ended up in a really terrible abusive relationship for years, and didn't know how to get out, and I did. I ended up doing a six part. I have a YouTube channel, and this was two years ago. I did a six part series called learning to love you, and it was the very subject of what happens in abusive relationships and why people stay and why they are convinced that they can't live without the person. They're convinced that they're powerless. They are told they have to depend on this person, and they're very afraid. And I I was so lucky to break away from there and get out. And when I got out. I mean, I this guy completely left me with no money, no home, no job, and I was so ashamed to tell my family. I didn't tell them till months after it had happened, and I went, you know, trying to get trying to get more work as an actress. I worked as a bartender in a comedy club, and I did that's what I had a lot of comedian friends because of that era, and my friends, and eventually my family, really helped me to get out of it. But I had to get I had to be independent through the whole thing, I my first place I ever I was homeless for six months, and I would go around on busses going between wherever and Atlantic City because the casinos were there. So I could get a free ride to Atlantic City and then get a free bus back to New York. I could get a bus back to Philadelphia. I could go around on these busses and just stay at people's houses a couple of nights a week, and not having a place to live, it was horrible. So when I finally moved somewhere, I moved in with an actor friend of mine who had just got out of his abusive relationship, and I slept on the floor of an attic for like, the first six months that I was living on my own, and I was so grateful to have that floor and and I just kept saying every night before I went To bed, it it gets better from here. It's going up, it's going up, and it did. It did. It was it's remarkable. It's remarkable. Michael Hingson  48:09 What? What did you learn from that relationship? Spider Saloff  48:14 Beware of predators. I really never, never lose sight that you're the person in charge. Yeah, you are the person in charge of your life, and you're the only one that's allowed to do that. And you don't, you don't bend to anybody that's asking you to do anything too far. You just, you have to be very skeptical about, you know, who's getting close to you? And I was married long after that, I was married to my husband, and he passed away, oh, 16 years ago, and but there's been, there's been a lot of strange loss and and trauma. But I I am blessed with resilience, and I have to say, the thing that keeps me steady music, music and beauty and art can carry me through anything, and I'm surrounded by that and the best, best, best friends in the world. Oh, man, and my family and my friends are amazing, and I'm very, very fortunate, very fortunate. Michael Hingson  49:32 How long were you married? Before he passed away, Spider Saloff  49:35 we would have been married 17 years. Oh, my wife, Michael Hingson  49:41 my wife. My wife and I were married 40 years. She passed away in November of 2022 lot. Well. Thank you. I appreciate that. And I I always say when I when I tell that to anybody that she's watching from somewhere, and if I misbehave, I'm going to hear about it, so I don't even. Chase the girls. I also point out that they're not chasing me, so it's okay, but, but, but, you know, so many wonderful memories after 40 years, and people say, Well, are you going to move on? And I say, No, I'll never move on. I'll move forward, but I won't move on. I don't want to forget, but I'll move forward. Spider Saloff  50:20 That's an interesting twist of words there. Yeah, no. I mean, I have moved my life has become, actually, way, way better since my husband passed. I was dealing with a lot, and he was, he was dealing with severe mental illness, and it was very it was very hard near the end, my life is beautiful now. And I, I'm just, I feel like everything is new all the time. And I, I don't really have any close relationships, in romantic relationships. I tried a couple since he passed, but I don't, I don't think I'm good at it. I do better on my own. I'm much better on my own. Michael Hingson  51:18 Yeah, yeah. I know what I know what you mean. And as I said, it'll be three years in two weeks for me and I, when we got married, we had both lived alone. And when she was when she passed, it wasn't totally all of a sudden. So I I had some time to prepare. But it it has worked out pretty well. And so now I have a dog and a cat who keep me honest. The cat especially, oh, we have a cat. Her name is stitch, and she likes to be petted while she eats, and she'll yell at me until I come and pet her while she's eating and what. And when I travel somewhere to speak and I come home, I hear about it for quite a while. How could I ever do that? But she's not left alone. You know, I've got somebody who comes in. She has to give me what for? Well, she does. That's her obligation. Just ask her, absolutely, yeah. And how come you took that dog with you and not me? It's a guide dog. Spider Saloff  52:20 So this is not fair, yeah. Michael Hingson  52:24 Well, the other side of it is, I don't want her to ever get the idea that she can go out of the house. She She developed, on her own, a fear of going outside we she went out into our garage once when we first moved in here, and I kept calling her, she wouldn't come in, so I turned the lights off and I closed the door, and 10 seconds later, she's at the door wanting in, and so she doesn't try to go out. So I really feel blessed that she Spider Saloff  52:49 Yeah, that's good, yeah, yeah, yeah. I had a cat that never wanted to go near the door either, because he had been an alley cat. Everything outside that door was the alley going back there. Yeah, he also was a, he was a big fat house cat. Like, just wanted to lay around and luxuriate and eat and, you know he was, he was really a sweetie. I don't have pets anymore because I'm I leave too often? Michael Hingson  53:21 Yeah, you travel a lot. Well, a lot we at least I have people to help take care of stitch when I'm not here. So it does work out. Yeah, so do you so with all the things that you've been doing and singing and so on, do you teach voice to people? Spider Saloff  53:40 I do. I've taught at a school I didn't start teaching till I moved to Chicago, and this guy named David bloom, he's kind of a Chicago icon. He's had a jazz school in Chicago for years, and he asked me to teach at the school about a year after I moved to Chicago, and I said, I don't know how to teach. He said, Yes, you do. You just teach what you know. And I started teaching. And then I did courses there for a long time. I met a lot of people, and I've had wonderful students, and I still work there on occasion when we have a course. But I teach privately now, and I am. I just love it so much. I mean, I learned so much from my students all the time. You know, they're, they're just amazing, and they're all different, all different voices, all different age groups, all different reasons why they want to sing. But it's, it's one of the joys of my life. Students, they're fantastic. And I adore teaching voice. And I really a coach, you know, I teach performance and coaching, and it's not so much technique. I do some technique, but mostly it's working with. What, what the singer has to offer. Michael Hingson  55:03 I like the way you put it though that you learn so much from students. I think the day we stop learning, the day we become useless, we we always need to learn, learning, and life is all about learning, every Spider Saloff  55:15 day, learning, you bet it's exciting. It keeps you ticking. Michael Hingson  55:21 It does. It's so much fun. And it's, you know, like the internet, I regard it as an as a wonderful treasure trove. There's always neat stuff to learn. So I don't worry about the so called dark web and all that. You know, I didn't know that I would Spider Saloff  55:35 learn as much as I did about, you know, the internet and and the things covid really well. I always, always had a website. I had a guy that became my webmaster, that heard me radio and like there were all. I always was connected with it. But to the extent that I learned how to produce videos that all happened during covid, I really thought I was never going to be performing again live. I you didn't know, you know, that talk, you know, it was just so such a weird world. All of a sudden it was but learning to adapt. That was what we all learned from covid, was adapting and being open to new experiences. You know, that was a major, major factor of the whole thing. Michael Hingson  56:23 And living alone, you have to cook your own food. Spider Saloff  56:25 And like I've always, cooked my own food. Oh, my God, do I love to cook. Yeah, every day for myself. I love cooking and throwing parties. I must be Michael Hingson  56:35 a little bit lazy. I enjoy cooking. But when Karen was here. We shared the responsibility, and it's it's a lot to cook for one person, so I don't do as much of it as I used to, but I don't suffer. I will Spider Saloff  56:50 point that out you guys suffer, no, but I probably I cook for myself. Every day I cook. Almost everything I eat, I don't cook for myself is when somebody magically takes me to dinner or I go to somebody's house. I've got a lot of friends, so I get to eat at other people's houses and go out to restaurants, but I do and look forward to cooking for myself. I just can't wait to see what am I gonna have today, like I get excited about it. You know, it's a joy for me. Michael Hingson  57:23 I cook more easy meals, but I also do my own cooking. I mean, I don't go out very often, and that's fine. Yeah, I enjoy being home. I enjoy being home with a puppy and a kitty and listening to the radio and all that sort of stuff. So I hear you fabulous, fabulous. So you did some work on on radio series. Spider Saloff  57:45 Oh, yes, one of the, actually, the very first pianist that I worked with at the Gold Star sardine bar is a guy named Brad Williams. And we've been friends for years, and then at one point, this, this this guy that was a big fan of mine, Bill Sheldon. He was an old way, older fellow. The three of us created a radio series that's called Words and Music, that's about the American Songbook, and we were on the air for two and a half years. We were on we were part of NPR, and we were syndicated internationally, all through our classical station here in Chicago, W FMT, and it was the most challenging but wonderful time to crank those shows out. We never worked so hard as we did for that show, but those are still out there, you know. And we the copies of that show are available on CD. People can purchase them, and you can learn about that on my website too. Michael Hingson  58:49 I have been collecting old radio shows since 19 Well, let's see, probably 1968 and I've collected a bunch, and I'm also part of the radio enthusiast of Puget Sound, so we recreate programs every year. So I wasn't able, I wasn't able to be at the one that they did up in Washington State in September, because I was speaking somewhere. But there's going to be another one around. Well at Christmas, it's actually going to be the fifth, fourth, fifth and sixth. I think it is. Of December, we're going to recreate something like 12 or 13 different shows, and that's a lot of fun. Spider Saloff  59:34 Wowza, what are the shows like? What is it comprised of performance or recordings or what? Michael Hingson  59:42 No, no, we're actually going to perform live up in Washington, and people are invited to come and be in the audience, and they'll also be broadcast on yesterday usa.com and yesterday usa.net whichever you go to yesterday, USA is a, is a network. It's, it's got a red net. Work in a blue network, just like NBC used to have, and they play old radio shows and a lot of interviews with people. So there's still some old radio actors who will be there as part of it, Carolyn Grimes, who played Zuzu and it's a wonderful life will be there, and Beverly Washburn, who was on the Jack Benny show, and and there'll be other people, and it's kind of neat. And Larry Albert, who will be doing some of the voices, and who's was Harry Niles for years, and still is, I guess, on NPR and and so on. But it's really fun. Spider Saloff  1:00:39 That's excellent. What a blast. Yeah, it is, wow. Well, have a happy holidays with that. Michael Hingson  1:00:46 And yeah, well, I want to thank you for being here. How do people reach out to you, if they'd like to, to reach out, or if you Spider Saloff  1:00:54 want them to my website, spider jazz, calm, and you can find everything and too much information about me, and then, and if you want to get in touch with me directly, write to my email address. Spider jazz@gmail.com makes it easy. And maybe you can take private lessons, because I teach on Zoom. Ah, there you go. Me how. Yeah, cool. Michael Hingson  1:01:20 Well, thank you for being here, and I want to thank you all for listening today and watching whichever you do or both. Love to hear your thoughts about our conversation. Feel free to email me. Michael H, i@accessibe.com that's m, I, C, H, A, E, L, H, I at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, i, b, e.com, wherever you're monitoring us today, please give us a five star rating, and please give us a review. We love your reviews. We appreciate your input. If you can think of anyone who you think ought to be a guest, and if you listening out there want to be a guest, please reach out to me. We're always looking for more people to come on the podcast. We met spider through someone else who has been on the the podcast as well. And spider, if you know anyone who want who you think ought to be a guest, yep, love to hear from you. I got some ideas, cool. Well, I want to once again. Thank you for being here. This has been absolutely fun. Spider Saloff  1:02:16 Thank you, Michael, what a blast. I'll be talking to you soon. Michael Hingson  1:02:24 Thank you for being here with me on unstoppable mindset. I hope today's conversation left you with a fresh perspective, a new insight, or at least something worth thinking about if you're ready to go deeper into the ideas that shape how we see ourselves and others, I have a free gift for you. Head over to Michael hinkson.com and download my free ebook, blinded by fear. It explores the invisible beliefs that hold us back and shows you how to reframe them so you can move forward with clarity and confidence. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast, leave a review and share this show with someone who can use a reminder that growth starts with mindset. When people think differently, we all move forward together. Thanks again for listening. Keep learning, keep questioning and keep choosing to live with an unstoppable mindset you.

This Big Conversations, Little Bar episode spotlights a life steeped in swing, storytelling, and the American Songbook. Patrick Evans and Randy Florence welcome guest Billy Stritch who shares how a Houston kid with a portable cassette recorder became a New York mainstay—shaping shows, accompanying legends, and commanding intimate rooms like the Purple Room and Birdland. He recalls opening for Mel Tormé at Carnegie Hall, meeting Princess Diana after a Royal Albert Hall performance, and the serendipitous piano-bar moment that led to decades of collaboration with Liza Minnelli. We hear about London's Crazy Coqs, the curated Cast Party at the McCallum Theatre, and the electric connection only a small cabaret can deliver. His pandemic livestreams—65 consecutive weeks—kept creativity alive and a community together, proving music's power to sustain and unite. From early influences (Gershwin, Ella, Nat King Cole) to arranging, Brazilian flavors, and unforgettable stages, this conversation celebrates craft, friendship, and the joy of bringing a room to hush with a single chord.Takeaways:The magic of small rooms: intimacy, faces, and instant connectionSerendipity at a piano bar sparked a 25-year creative partnershipPandemic livestreams built community and kept the music—and rent—goingCast Party thrives in New York and a curated McCallum Theatre seriesCareer highlights include Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, and Hollywood BowlInfluences span Gershwin, Ella, Nat King Cole, bossa nova, and moreStories of working with icons like Liza Minnelli and Tony BennettMusic as a unifier in divisive times—and a lifelong calling#BigConversationsLittleBarPodcast #PatrickEvans #RandyFlorence #SkipsLittleBar #MutualBroadcastingSystem #CoachellaValleyResidents #SkipPaige #McCallumTheatre #BillyStritch #LizaMinnelli #PurpleRoom #Birdland #CastParty #TonyBennett #LindaLavin #CrazyCoqs #RoyalAlbertHall #AmericanSongbook #PalmSprings #JazzPiano

If Jim Caruso's name sounds familiar, that's not surprising. Jim is also host of the wildly popular “Cast Party” which has been a Manhattan mainstay for more than two decades at the iconic Birdland Jazz Club.   In 2011, this irrepressible, affable, and talented singer recorded and released an album titled, “The Swing Set,” which he calls a true labor of love. It's  a smart and sophisticated romp through the Great American Songbook. In it, Jim was joined by special musical guests including the late guitar legend Bucky Pizzarelli, jazz violin sensation Aaron Weinstein, pianist and singer Billy Stritch, music phenom Michael Feinstein and Tony Award-winning Broadway leading lady Stephanie J. Block.   Fast forward to 2025 and this album has now been given a new life and has a new label behind it called Club 44 Records. The album has been remastered and re-released as the Swing Set-Deluxe Edition. As Caruso says about the recording..“But wait – there's more, this Deluxe Edition comes with two surprise additions: a hilariously fun new track featuring my musical partner-in-crime Billy Stritch at the piano, and a fresh take on an old recording with the divine Jane Monheit.  While the album released in streaming and digital formats last spring,  it took us until now to nail him down for a conversation. So on that note, enjoy my conversation with the delightful man of the hour himself...Jim Caruso. 

  JazzOmania #122 par Stéphane Kochoyan avec Canal 30, Stellar Média & Jazz70    Nouveautés du mois d'Avril 2025, actualité de plateformes musicales, la playlist de Tous Les Jazz :   Brandford Marsalis 4tet (Notre photo) rend hommage au quartet européen de Keith Jarrett, les chanteuses  Ladie Scott, Gabi Hartmann , Kandace Springs publient un nouvel album, et plaisir de retrouver le "trio d'argent" de Claude Nougaro avec  Maurice Vander, Bernard Lubat, Pierre Michelot (Photo DR ci-dessous)  ...   La Playlist #122 de Stéphane Kochoyan   01 - Ella Fitzgerald & Count Basie Orchestra  - Sweet Georgia Brown (Live) 02 - Jane Monheit, Billy Stritch, Jim Caruso - Avalon 03 - Kandace Springs - I'm a Fool to Want You 04 - Joan Chamorro - They Can't Take That Away From Me 05 - Yellowjackets - Comin' Home Baby 06 - José James & Takuya Kuroda - Rock With You 07 - Jazzrausch Bigband - Bei dir sind meine Gedanken, Op. 95, No. 2 08 - Gabi Hartmann feat Laurent Bardainne  - Love High (feat. Laurent Bardainne) 09 - Emil Brandqvist Trio - A Visit to Reality 10 - Jowee Omicil - Trip To GHanA 11 - Maurice Vander, Bernard Lubat, Pierre Michelot - Le Coq et la Pendule 12 - Lady Scott - Happy mess 13 - Branford Marsalis Quartet - 'Long As You Know You 're Living Yours     #Podcast #jazz #Jazz70 #TousLesJazz

Second Chance Romance: Sweetie and Kyle, Dirt Alert: Gossip about Ryan Reynold's "SNL" joke, and the great Billy Stritch joins us to dish about music, Broadway, and Liza Minnelli! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Second Chance Romance: Sweetie and Kyle, Dirt Alert: Gossip about Ryan Reynold's "SNL" joke, and great Billy Stritch joins us to dish about music, Broadway, and Liza Minnelli! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Musician and arranger Billy Stritch stops by to share his life and career. 

Harvey Brownstone conducts an in-depth Interview with Billy Stritch, Renowned Music Director, Vocalist & Pianist About Harvey's guests: Today's guest, Billy Stritch, is a renowned composer, arranger, vocalist, and pianist extraordinaire who is both a highly sought-after music director and a star performer in his own right.   For 25 years he worked closely with Liza Minnelli as her music director, collaborator and accompanist.  He's also been the music director and arranger for many other great stars including Tony Bennett, Marilyn Maye, Linda Lavin, Linda Eder, Ann Hampton Callaway, and Christine Ebersole.    In addition, he's a wonderful songwriter.  He co-wrote the multi-platinum, Grammy-winning, number 1 hit song “Does He Love You” recorded in 1993 by Reba McEntire and Linda Davis.    As a solo entertainer, he performs sell-out shows in concert halls and nightclubs across the country, including his highly acclaimed tribute shows to Mel Tormé and Cy Coleman, as well as his spectacular show with Jim Caruso called “The Sinatra Century”.  During the pandemic, he was one of the first artists to start performing online, creating his own weekly live-stream show called “Billy's Place”, celebrating the Great American Songbook with songs and stories from his amazing career.    He's recorded numerous albums, and some of my favourites are “Jazz Live”, “Waters of March”, “Billy Stritch Sings Mel Tormé”, “The Sunday Set: Recorded Live at Birdland”, “Christmas at Birdland”, and “Billy's Place”, which is a collection of his favorite songs from those online shows I just mentioned.  He's also been prominently featured on at least a dozen other albums by music artists like Christine Ebersole, Jim Caruso, Benny Carter, Klea Blackhurst, and many more.   And if all that weren't enough, our guest is also a Broadway star.   He played the role of “Oscar” in the Tony Award winning 2001 Broadway revival of “42nd Street”.  And when he's not on tour, he can often be found dazzling New York audiences on Sunday nights at Bemelman's Bar at the Carlyle, and of course, every Monday night at Birdland, for Jim Caruso's Cast Party. For more interviews and podcasts go to: https://www.harveybrownstoneinterviews.com/ To see more about Billy Stritch, go to:http://billystritch.com/https://www.facebook.com/billystritchpro/https://www.instagram.com/billystritch/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPKEPvjXbWy_RQALL8KiLPghttps://open.spotify.com/artist/5BFCEjtWiORUGo96eKDbXi?autoplay=true #BillyStritch   #harveybrownstoneinterviews

EPISODE 93: Jim Caruso made his Broadway debut singing Kay Thompson arrangements alongside Liza Minnelli in the Tony Award-winning Liza's At The Palace.  He has performed at The Carlyle and Algonquin Hotels, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the United Nations, and the White House, winning numerous MAC, Nightlife and Bistro Awards. For the past twenty years, he has produced the Broadway at Birdland concert series and celebrated talent at "Jim Caruso's Cast Party" at Birdland in New York City, as well as in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, London, San Francisco, Dallas and on the high seas.  His recordings include “Live and In Person,” “The Swing Set,” “Christmas at Birdland,” and “The Sunday Set.”   jim-caruso.comContact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!

Billy Stritch connected with Jazz88 in advance of his Crooners show, "A Musical Night Out with Billy Stritch". Sean from the Afternoon Cruise chatted with Billy about what he's learned from working with greats like Liza Minnelli, Linda Eder and others. Billy Stritch also shared a memory of playing with the late great Tony Bennett in Stritch's hometown of Sugar Land, Texas.

Billy Stritch connected with Jazz88 in advance of his Crooners show, "A Musical Night Out with Billy Stritch". Sean from the Afternoon Cruise chatted with Billy about what he's learned from working with greats like Liza Minnelli, Linda Eder and others. Billy Stritch also shared a memory of playing with the late great Tony Bennett in Stritch's hometown of Sugar Land, Texas.

Learn more at TheCityLife.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/citylifeorg/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/citylifeorg/support

Learn more at TheCityLife.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/citylifeorg/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/citylifeorg/support

Learn more at TheCityLife.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/citylifeorg/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/citylifeorg/support

Learn more at TheCityLife.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/citylifeorg/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/citylifeorg/support

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://thecitylife.org/2023/05/04/birdland-presents-the-return-of-mel-and-ella-swing-celebrating-mel-torme-and-ella-fitzgerald-with-billy-stritch-and-gabrielle-stravelli/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/citylifeorg/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/citylifeorg/support

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://thecitylife.org/2022/11/22/birdland-presents-13th-annual-swinging-birdland-christmas-with-klea-blackhurst-jim-caruso-billy-stritch/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/citylifeorg/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/citylifeorg/support

This week, Ira spoke with Jim Caruso, bringing “Jim Caruso's Cast Party” (with Billy Stritch on piano) to Myron's at The Smith Center November 18 at 7 p.m. In this episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Jim talks about his Cast Party that features an impromptu open mic/variety show where stars and up-and-comers deliver music and dazzle dazzle; his career in show business; how he came up with the idea of a cast party; why he loves traveling the world, celebrating talent; how the show is successful due to the high-end venues, Billy Stritch and the musicians, and great lighting and sound; why he's not a snarky host; why it's a very democratic show; and the party's most unusual acts.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://thecitylife.org/2022/11/11/christmas-at-birdland-deluxe-edition-featuring-billy-stritch-jim-caruso-and-klea-blackhurst-with-four-new-tracks-out-today/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/citylifeorg/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/citylifeorg/support

For Video Edition, Please Click and Subscribe Here: https://youtu.be/_iVcJV5Qy7g Nicolas King and Seth Sikes, two of New York's most popular young nightclub entertainers, join forces for an evening you won't want to miss. The swinging American Songbook is the specialty of these performers, and the pair will pay tribute to the show-stopping stars who paved the way, such as Sammy Davis Jr., Anthony Newley, Eydie Gormé, Liza Minnelli, Judy Garland, Ethel Merman, Peter Allen and more! Nicolas and Seth will carry the torch from these legendary performers and the great songwriters who wrote so many of their hits. King is an award-winning artist who's been ‘belting' out tunes since he was 4-years-old, having been seen in dozens of TV commercials, and numerous times on Broadway opposite Tom Selleck, Carol Burnett, Linda Lavin and Andrea McArdle. King was the longest running “Chip” in Disney's Beauty And The Beast. He toured the country as Liza Minnelli's opening act, and has performed on stages all over the world from Carnegie Hall to The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Sikes is one of New York City's most popular nightclub singers. His critically-acclaimed tributes to Judy Garland (which won a Broadway World Award), Liza Minnelli, and Bernadette Peters are a consistent draw for audiences around the world. The hardworking Sikes, a native of Texas, was also Associate Director on the multiple Tony-award winning musical The Band's Visit. Under the musical baton of Jon Weber in New York, Michael Orland and Dave Loeb on the west coast, and Billy Stritch in Boca Raton, Seth Sikes and Nicolas King will deliver a powerhouse performance that promises to capture the glitter and magic of the New York nightclub scene of long ago, and bring it into the next generation! 

For Video Edition, Please Click and Subscribe Here: https://youtu.be/PxhM3R4DGpA   How to Celebrate National Dessert Day. There are many ways to celebrate this sugary day, the easiest of which is probably to pick up already-made desserts such as cakes, pies, fried dough, chocolate, candy, fruit tarts, and pastries at your local bakery or grocery store.OR join me with five fascinating Guests...ALL of who are as exciting as any Dessert you've ever had. Who knows? You might even win a dessert! I'm joined by a return visit from Charles Evans and Eddie Varley and Reggie Whitehead's first time with us! Charles Evans is an actor in the San Francisco area . Raised in Boston , he went to every show that came to town starting at 13 , also starting acting lessons at that age . He studied theatre at Boston University before going on to a career in corporate Human Resources , Training and Development. Theatre lured him back in the late nineties and he has been in nearly 100 shows since then . Favorite roles include : Ismay in Titanic, the Judge in Sweeney Todd , the Mysterious Man/Narrator in Into the woods, Herr Schultz in Cabaret , Mitch in A Streetcar Named Desire, Adult Men in Spring Awakening , Virgil in Bus Stop, Joe in Merrily We Roll Along , the Old Actor in The Fantasticks , Sipos in She Loves Me and Mr Webb in Our Town. He has also done 2 one person cabaret shows directed by Faith Prince and studied cabaret with her and such artists as Marilyn Maye , Billy Stritch, Ann Callaway, John Bucchino, Jason Graae , Karen Mason, Natalie Douglas , Tedd Firth and Alex Rybeck. 

For Video Edition, Please Click and Subscribe Here: https://youtu.be/NQ1Miysw_l4 Wonderful Weirdos Day is celebrated on 9th September every year. Nothing is very dull and boring in life as being normal and average. Celebrate this funny and Wonderful Day by being weird, and honor the person who was always weird in your life on Wonderful this Day. And I'll be joined by some of my favorite weirdos! You never know who might show up and what might happen! I will be joined by Desiree Davar, Alex de Suze, Charles Evans and Frank McDonough Charles Evans is an actor in the San Francisco area . Raised in Boston , he went to every show that came to town starting at 13 , also starting acting lessons at that age . He studied theatre at Boston University before going on to a career in corporate Human Resources , Training and Development. Theatre lured him back in the late nineties and he has been in nearly 100 shows since then . Favorite roles include : Ismay in Titanic, the Judge in Sweeney Todd , the Mysterious Man/Narrator in Into the woods, Herr Schultz in Cabaret , Mitch in A Streetcar Named Desire, Adult Men in Spring Awakening , Virgil in Bus Stop, Joe in Merrily We Roll Along , the Old Actor in The Fantasticks , Sipos in She Loves Me and Mr Webb in Our Town. He has also done 2 one person cabaret shows directed by Faith Prince and studied cabaret with her and such artists as Marilyn Maye , Billy Stritch, Ann Callaway, John Bucchino, Jason Graae , Karen Mason, Natalie Douglas , Tedd Furth and Alex Rybeck. He is now having a blast in Kinky Boots, at Ray of Light theatre in San Francisco through Oct 8. Here is some basic info about Frank McDonough Started out 10 years ago with taking a course at the YMCA with Collette Black and Ricky Ritzel. Frank is one of three people to win a 2022 Singnasium award for Cabaret Trailblazer 

For Video Edition, Please Click and Subscribe Here: https://youtu.be/NQ1Miysw_l4 Wonderful Weirdos Day is celebrated on 9th September every year. Nothing is very dull and boring in life as being normal and average. Celebrate this funny and Wonderful Day by being weird, and honor the person who was always weird in your life on Wonderful this Day. And I'll be joined by some of my favorite weirdos! You never know who might show up and what might happen! I will be joined by Desiree Davar, Alex de Suze, Charles Evans and Frank McDonough Charles Evans is an actor in the San Francisco area . Raised in Boston , he went to every show that came to town starting at 13 , also starting acting lessons at that age . He studied theatre at Boston University before going on to a career in corporate Human Resources , Training and Development. Theatre lured him back in the late nineties and he has been in nearly 100 shows since then . Favorite roles include : Ismay in Titanic, the Judge in Sweeney Todd , the Mysterious Man/Narrator in Into the woods, Herr Schultz in Cabaret , Mitch in A Streetcar Named Desire, Adult Men in Spring Awakening , Virgil in Bus Stop, Joe in Merrily We Roll Along , the Old Actor in The Fantasticks , Sipos in She Loves Me and Mr Webb in Our Town. He has also done 2 one person cabaret shows directed by Faith Prince and studied cabaret with her and such artists as Marilyn Maye , Billy Stritch, Ann Callaway, John Bucchino, Jason Graae , Karen Mason, Natalie Douglas , Tedd Furth and Alex Rybeck. He is now having a blast in Kinky Boots, at Ray of Light theatre in San Francisco through Oct 8. Here is some basic info about Frank McDonough Started out 10 years ago with taking a course at the YMCA with Collette Black and Ricky Ritzel. Frank is one of three people to win a 2022 Singnasium award for Cabaret Trailblazer 

This week's guest is theatre & cabaret performer, astronomy enthusiast, and 2022 Neil Munro Directing Intern at the Shaw Festival, Ryan G. Hinds. A Toronto-based theatre artist and cabaret performer, Ryan has performed #KanderAndEbb at the Stratford Festival (with digital appearances from John Kander and Chita Rivera); We Will Rock You for Magnus Theatre; Starry Notions for Toronto Fringe; Hedwig in Hedwig & the Angry Inch at the Capitol Theatre; and Piragua Guy in In The Heights for We Are Here. An Artist-in-Residence at Buddies in Bad Times from 2014 to 2016, Ryan is also an Associate Artist at lemonTree Creations, where the work has included Lydie-Anne in Lilies; Or, The Revival of a Romantic Drama; the development, premiere, remount and national tour of dance-theatre hybrid MSM [men seeking men]; and the world premiere of Private Eyes (in association with the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario). Currently one of the two 2022 Neil Munro Directing Interns at the Shaw Festival and Assistant Director for Damn Yankees, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Gem of the Ocean, Ryan's work as a director includes Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley for Theatre New Brunswick; 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for Vanier College Productions at York University; Cock-Tales with Maria for Tapestry Opera; MacArthur Park Suite: A Disco Ballet for Summerworks; and Little Pretty & the Exceptional for Factory Theatre (asst to Brendan Healy). An alumnus of Randolph Academy's Triple Threat program, Ryan is a graduate of Generator's Artistic Producer Training program, a member of the 2019 co-hort of Director's Lab North, the 2017 Factory Theatre “Factory Foremen” intensive program, and the 2016 Obsidian Theatre Mentor/Apprentice Program. Ryan is proudly serving a second term on the national council of Canadian Actors' Equity Association, and has shared stages and screens with artists such as Taylor Mac, Todrick Hall, Liza Minnelli, Billy Stritch, Debbie Reynolds and more. ryanghinds.com Twitter: @ryanghinds Instagram: @ryanghinds Support Stageworthy Tip Jar: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

Tony Award and two-time Golden Globe Award Winner, Linda Lavin, will perform at the Southern Vermont Arts Center's Arkell Pavilion on Thursday, August 18th at 8PM as part of the Broadway in Vermont Concert Series presented by Berkshire Bank.Linda Lavin, Love Notes is a CD release party with the great Billy Stritch at the piano and on vocals. A romantic and swinging collection of the Great American Song Book with some Brazilian and Steely Dan thrown in for dazzle!Broadway, TV, and film star Linda Lavin has received numerous awards: a Tony, a Drama Desk, an Outer Critics, a Helen Hayes, and in 2011, she was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame. She is also a 6-time Tony Nominee. Linda is widely known for playing the title character in the TV sitcom Alice for 9 years, for which she is a two-time Golden Globe Award Winner.

What a treat, Provincetown! Get your tickets at The Pilgrim House for Cast Party, or you will be missing out on this show! These two Texan entertainers end up in New York City, meet Liza Minelli, and the rest is show business. They have done the same show across the globe, and never has it been the same. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stephanie7502/support

Join Kelli and Anne for their 215th NEW and last episode for now…. Today they are starting off with a little news. Now that life is up and going and Anne is back on tour and booking gigs on cruise and Kelli is booking lots of exciting travel and they are both traveling a lot, they have decided to press pause on the podcast for awhile. They have loved these past 4 years and 4 seasons of doing the show. They have gotten to showcase so many of their incredibly talented friends PLUS meet lots of new interesting people from all different fields that they never would've been able to meet without this show. They also have to thank Derek and Romaine for giving them the chance to do the show and for being so supportive and helpful through the entire process. As always they check in about their lives and update you on their big move, Jersey City restaurants, seeing Melissa Etheridge at City Winery NYC, their 9 year wedding anniversary, Vivi's first college apartment and all that comes with that process and the generation divide between their movie choices from the 80's. Next they reached out to some of their all time favorite guests and asked them to send in a message about why they loved being onI Love My Wife Podcast. From Sharon Gless to Sam Harris to Miss Richfield 1981 to Sandy Bernhard to Billy Stritch, every message made them smile and they hope they make you happy too. They have had a blast these last 4 years and have really loved getting to know so many listeners through social media, at Anne's shows and even on Kelli's trips! Over the summer they are going to rerun some of their favorite episodes from the past. Every other week make sure to check in to hear some fantastic chats with their incredible guests. Please continue to follow them on social media to see all of Anne's concerts and their  travels over the Summer and into the Fall. IG: @Ilovemywifepodcast FB: Ilovemywife Twitter: @ilovemywifelive  They aren't saying goodbye, they will just say see ya later.  They thank you for all of the love and support.  

Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch's friendship began almost 40 years ago, way before they ever set foot in New York City. Jim was living and performing in Dallas, Texas, when his manager asked if a young vocal trio from Houston could sing a few songs before one of his shows. That trio was Sharon Montgomery, Rebecca Plant, and Billy Stritch. Jim thought “Oh sure, give these kids a break.” Their performance blew everyone away, including Jim, who said “They were one of the best vocal groups I'd ever heard, I wanted to kill myself. In lieu of that, we became best friends.” Now, Jim and Billy spend every Monday night together at the Birdland Theater in New York hosting “Jim Caruso's Cast Party” — one of the best open mics in the city. Every week for 18 years they've brought people on stage to share their talents with the audience. The best part? You never know who might walk in the door But you can't make it to New York to hang out with Jim and Billy, you can bring them into your home every day with their album The Sunday Set. It opens up with a sunny medley of “Whistle While You Work” and “Give a Little Whistle,” and is followed by a 60s swingin' arrangement of “You Are My Sunshine.” You'll be laughing while they sing “What Did You Do To Your Face?” and grabbing for a beer during their “Sinatra Saloon Medley” Listen to the full interview with Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch to hear all the details of their newest album, The Sunday Set. They laugh about the crazy adventures of hosting an open mic night, explain how their album came together, and describe the process of arranging tunes for The Sunday Set. Resources Learn more about Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch on their websites. You can find their album The Sunday Set anywhere you stream music. It's also available for purchase on Amazon Music. Enjoying Bite-Size Jazz? Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. We'd love to connect with you!

This week we catch up with American composer, arranger, vocalist, and jazz pianist Billy Stritch who has joined forces with long time friend singer, presenter extroidinare of Cast Party at Birdland Jim Caruso to cut their latest album out of Club 44 Records, “The Sunday Set”.

This week, Les chats with Grammy-nominated Singer, Songwriter and Pianist Billy Stritch about his new duet album, "The Sunday Set" as well as his amazing career working with Liza Minnelli and Tony Bennett, his Facebook Live weekly show "Billy's Place" as well as his upcoming 5-show stay at Birdland NYC celebrating his birthday. Check it out! Billy Stritch's Big Birdland Birthday Bash will run from February 10th through the 12th.  For tickets, please visit BirdlandJazz.com Photo Credit: Christopher Boudewyns

On this special edition of the “Big Band Files” Doug Miles talks with Singers and Musicians Billy Stritch and Jim Caruso and features selections from their new CD “The Sunday Set” featuring standards from the American Popular Songbook and their upcoming gigs around the country. (www.dougmilesmedia.com)

Doug Miles talks with Singers and Musicians Billy Stritch and Jim Caruso about their new CD “The Sunday Set” featuring standards from the American Popular Songbook and their upcoming gigs around the country. (www.dougmilesmedia.com)

I hope to be around at 93, but to accomplish what Marilyn Maye has done in her time on earth, you must be an incredibly dedicated human. Listen to her talk about her remarkable career and what she has planned for Provincetown at The Art House this season. "MARK CORTALE & BROADWAY @ THE ART HOUSE are proud to present the legendary MARILYN MAYE with BILLY STRITCH at the piano for 10 shows only. Marilyn Maye is a highly praised singer, actress, director, arranger, educator, Grammy-nominated recording artist and a musical treasure. Her entire life has been committed to the art of song and performance. The award-winning Ms. Maye appeared 76 times on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, the record for a singer. Perhaps the simplest Marilyn Maye accolade came after one of her show-stopping appearances on The Tonight Show when, turning to his audience of millions, Johnny Carson said, And that, young singers, is the way its done. Marilyn began her professional singing career by winning a 13-week appearance on radio station WIBW, Topeka, Kansas, at age 9. She has been committed her entire life to the art of song and performance. During her eleven-year engagement at the Colony in Kansas City, she was discovered by Steve Allen, who was the first to present her various times to a national television audience. The Steve Allen performances led her to an RCA recording contract. Her RCA recordings consist of seven albums and 34 singles, including the first hit recordings of Cabaret and Step to the Rear. Her album with full orchestra, The Lamp is Low, is considered a classic. Her place in American music history was assured when the Arts Council of the Smithsonian Institution selected one of her recordings, Too Late Now, for the Smithsonian-produced album of the 110 Best American Compositions of the Twentieth Century. Her many symphony concert appearances around the United States include the Florida Symphony, The Philly Pops, The Phoenix Symphony, The Kansas City Symphony, The Omaha Symphony, and in June, 2015, The Pasadena Symphony, Michael Feinstein conducting. Her two appearances with the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall for tributes to Stephen Sondheim and Frank Loesser received show-stopping applause and rave reviews." --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stephanie7502/support

Doug Miles talks with singer/composer Billy Stritch about his new CD “Billy's Place” and his career in show business on “Talk Across America”. www.dougmilesmedia.com

“It's always a great lyric, but the more you perform, the more you live, and the more experience you have — the more meaning it takes on.” Singer-Pianist Billy Stritch has been performing professionally for over 40 years. His talent as an accompanist has taken him all over the world — especially during his 25 years playing with Liza Minnelli, ducking from paparazzi, staying with celebrities like Frank Sinatra, and learning how to cope when the power goes off right before your show at the Hollywood Bowl. But Billy is also a talented entertainer in his own right, and his latest venture of weekly live streams has been documented in his album Billy's Place. Every Thursday night at 8 pm he invites the public into his “virtual speakeasy” for an hour of music and cocktails — as long as you make it yourself. The album Billy's Place brings us 12 of his most beloved tunes, recorded in Nashville for Club44 Records. Listen to the full interview to hear more from Billy Stritch about what makes a great accompanist, how to memorize hundreds of tunes, and his adventures playing around the world. Billy is also celebrating the album release with a run of concerts at Birdland August 5-7, so you can see him live instead of just through a webcam! Link to tickets below. Birdland tickets are available at www.BirdlandJazz.com. You can also continue watching his live stream concerts Thursday night at 8:00 pm EST on his Facebook page. Learn more about Billy Stritch on his website, www.billystritch.com. Follow Bite-Size Jazz on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to stay up-to-date with the latest interviews.

Peter Filichia, James Marino, and Michael Portantiere talk with Billy Stritch. This Week on Broadway has been coming to you every week since 2009. It is the longest running Broadway and theatrical podcast with hundreds of shows giving thousands of reviews and interviews. Subscribe to BroadwayRadio in Apple Podcasts by read more The post This Week on Broadway for August 1, 2021: Billy Stritch appeared first on BroadwayRadio.

Ann Hampton Callaway one of America's most gifted artists in pop and jazz  talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about her upcoming live performances as COVID restrictions continue to be lifted. First up Ann will be performing her very popular one woman show "The Streisand Songbook" on July 13th at 8P at a new venue on Cape Cod, The Music Room Gallery & Wine Bar in West Yarmouth, MA. With over 100 Symphony performances to rave reviews, this show is 90 minutes of soaring, sizzling hits and gems of the diva of divas so definitely check it out. Then it's on to the Patio Stage at Strathmore in Bethesda, MD where she will be joined by Billy Stritch to perform “The Linda Ronstadt Songbook” on July 16th. Ann will then be traveling across the country to Costa Mesa, CA to perform “The Linda Ronstadt Songbook” on July 25th at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. On July 29th she will perform at the Vail Jazz Festival and finish the month with her popular virtual show Callaway Hideaway live stream "Ann Hampton Callaway Sings The 70's" on July 31st. Continuing her national tour on August 13th and 14th she will be performing "Ann Hampton Callaway - Broadway Classics" at the Arts Garage in Delray, FL and will end the month virtually with Callaway Hideaway live stream on August 29th presenting "Ann Hampton Callaway - Songs I Wish I'd Written". Then if COVID restrictions continue to lift globally she will be off to the UK to perform “The Judy Garland Songbook" and "Ann Hampton Callaway - Cinematic Serenade" in London. We talked to Ann about what she hopes to accomplish with her work and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.  Ann Hampton Callaway is a leading champion of the Great American Songbook. She's made her mark as a singer, pianist, composer, lyricist, arranger, actress, educator, TV host and producer. Voted by Broadway World as “Performer of the Year” and two years in a row as “Best Jazz Vocalist” Ann is a born entertainer. She is best known for her Tony-nominated performance in the hit Broadway musical “Swing!” and for writing and singing the theme song to the hit TV series “The Nanny.” Callaway's performances and recordings have garnered her The Theater World Award, 15 MAC Awards, several Bistro Awards, The Mabel Mercer Award, The Johnny Mercer Award for Songwriting and The Blanton Peale Award for Positive Thinking. For  More Info & Tix… LISTEN: 500+ LGBTQ Chats @OUTTAKE VOICES 

In this episode, Ben and Daniel discuss A Love Letter to Liza Minnelli, the 75th birthday all-star virtual tribute concert, which was presented by Daniel Nardicio, Sam Benedict, Club Cumming, and Scott Gorenstein. The show featured appearances by showbiz greats such as Kristin Chenoweth, Joel Grey, Lily Tomlin, Joan Collins, Ben Vereen, Nathan Lane, Kathy Griffin, Billy Stritch, Coco Peru, Parker Posey, and Sandra Bernhard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Birthday Billy!! Billy Stritch is one of the premier singer-pianists on the New York and national jazz and cabaret scenes. He began his career in Houston, Texas, where he formed the vocal trio Montgomery, Plant and Stritch. The trio performed all over New York and Europe from 1983 until they disbanded in 1990. A chance meeting with Liza Minnelli in March of 1991 resulted in her asking him to create vocal arrangements for the record-breaking extravaganza Liza Stepping Out at Radio City Music Hall. In addition to his 25-year collaboration with Liza, Billy recently toured with the legendary Tony Bennett as Tony’s pianist and musical director. A solo entertainer in his own right, he has performed his own shows (including tributes to Mel Tormé and Cy Coleman) in concert halls and nightclubs across the country. Billy also serves as music director for such leading vocalists as Linda Lavin, Christine Ebersole, Paulo Szot and Marilyn Maye. He is the co-writer of the Grammy-winning song “Does He Love You” recorded by Reba McEntire and Linda Davis. When he’s not on the road, he is the pianist for Jim Caruso’s Cast Party open mic night every Monday at New York’s legendary Birdland Jazz Club and he and Jim hold forth on Sunday nights at Bemelmans’ Bar in Manhattan’s fabled Carlyle Hotel. Currently during Covid-19, he is hosting his own weekly Facebook live-stream show “Billy’s Place”, celebrating the Great American Songbook with songs and stories from his varied career. The show airs every Thursday evening at 8:00 pm EDT on his BILLY STRITCH Facebook page. He has recorded five solo CDs and his latest CD release “Billy’s Place” (Club44 Records) is a collection of his favorite songs from these online concerts. @billystritch www.billystritch.com Watch Billy's Place on Facebook Buy Billy's New Album Billy's Place --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/confessionsofanactress/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/confessionsofanactress/support

On this week's show, we chat with multi award winning Jim Caruso, who made his Broadway debut alongside Liza Minnelli in the Tony Award-winning Liza's At The Palace and the host of the weekly NYC showbiz bash "Jim Caruso's Cast Party"; multi award winner Billy Stritch, one of the premier singer-pianists on the New York and national jazz and cabaret scene and actress, singer and comedienne, Klea Blackhurst, known for her award-winning tribute to Ethel Merman, Everything The Traffic Will Allow. They talk to us about the 11th Year of NYC seasonal favourite, Christmas at Birdland. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

A native of Oceanside, Long Island, Mark Sendroff graduated from Syracuse University and Temple University School of Law and immediately started his entertainment law career at the firm of Bomser & Oppenheim in 1975, thereafter moving to the firm of Gottlieb, Schiff, Ticktin & Sternklar in 1979 and eventually becoming a partner of that firm until its dissolution in 1995, at which time he founded Sendroff & Associates, P.C. In January, 2007, he and entertainment lawyer Jason Baruch formed the current firm of Sendroff & Baruch, LLP. Mark’s illustrious list of clients include actors Linda Lavin, Frank Langella, Fran Drescher, Jim Dale, Christine Ebersole, Stephanie J. Block, Donna Murphy, David Hasselhoff, Lucie Arnaz and Holland Taylor; directors Jerry Mitchell, Jeff Calhoun, Richard Jay-Alexander and Jack Cummings; writers Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman, Jack Feldman, Andrew Lippa, Gerard Alessandrini, and Jason Robert Brown; designers Bob Mackie, Howell Binkley and Anna Louizos; concert and recording artists Steve Lawrence, Marilyn Maye, Barbara Cook, Dee Snider, Peter Noone, Barbara Carroll, Ann Hampton Callaway, Bill Charlap, Billy Stritch, Nicolas King and Sam Harris; and over 100 music directors, arrangers and orchestrators working in the theatre today. Mark has lectured on theatre law for the Commercial Theatre Institute, the New York State Bar Association, the New York Law Journal and Columbia University School of Law and served on the Board of Directors of the Manhattan Association of Cabarets. http://sendroffbaruch.com/mark-d-sendroff/

Jim Caruso is a multi-talented singer, writer, producer, master of ceremonies and longtime staple of the New York Performing Arts community.  As a vocalist, he has performed his acclaimed revues (in collaboration with Billy Stritch, Jane Monheit and Klea Blackhurst) to packed houses around the country.  In addition to curating the “Broadway at Birdland” series at the venerable NYC jazz venue Birdland, he is the host and creator of the long running “Jim Caruso’s Cast Party”, an after-hours, extreme open mic that features, in his own words, “...some of the greatest singers in the Universe; also, other people." In 2009, Jim appeared with the incomparable Liza Minnelli in “Liza’s at the Palace”.  That production won the Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event and its original cast recording was nominated for a Grammy.  Jim is the recipient of six MAC Awards, two BackStage Magazine Bistro Awards and a New York Nightlife Award.  You can find all things "Pajama Cast Party" related at www.pajamacastparty.com. or check-out "Pajama Cast Party" on Youtube on the  Cast Party Network.You can make a donation to "Pajama Cast Party"  via Venmo @Jim-Caruso-1 or via PayPal at Carsuo212@aol.com.  For more information about NYCNext go to NYCnext.org.Cocktails at Table 7- Inside New York’s Joe Allen is produced and hosted by Jason Woodruff, Dana Mierlak and Sean Kent, with music by James Rubio.  The producers would like to extend a special thank you to Christina D’Angelo and the owners of Joe Allen, Orso and Bar Centrale Restaurants.

Just a few months ago, Debbie Wileman was a suburban housewife living in the UK, raising her daughter and looking for something inspiring and fun to do during the global pandemic that has many people self-quarantined and people in some countries under mandatory lockdown. Like many, Debbie was looking for some creative outlet that might serve as a distraction or an entertainment for her handful of Facebook friends. Nearly a month later, Debbie has more than doubled her social media following and started a virtual career that is, most definitely, going places. (Source Stephen Mosher, Broadway World) Internet sensation Debbie Wileman, whose Song a Day videos on Facebook and YouTube have garnered tremendous response during the past eight months joins Richard Skipper for a conversation about her singing and impressions and discussing the women she channels including her Judy Garland, Doris Day, Julie Andrews and Barbara Streisand impressions and her latest duet with Billy Stritch. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk7N7BjmXJd7sVr9QDzICxA https://www.broadwayworld.com/cabaret/article/BWW-Interview-Debbie-Wileman-Emerges-As-Virtual-Virtuosa-And-Internet-Inspiration-20200419 https://www.facebook.com/debbie.saloman http://dougmilesmedia.com/2020/08/05/singer-impressionist-debbie-wileman-as-judy-garland-2/ https://vimeo.com/427230050

Last Christmas, Ernie Haase and Signature Sound released "A Jazzy Little Christmas," the product of a collaboration between his vocal quartet and Tony Bennett's long-time arranger Billy Stritch. Haase talks at length about their collaboration, and how the album fits into their career as Christian recording artists. He talks about how he squares the spiritual and the secular in his recordings and the holiday season.  A couple of notes:  1) We recorded this interview last January, well before Coronavirus had become part of our national discourse. That explains why he talks about Christmas music tours without a hint that they might not happen, and it explains why he sees snow on the ground while talking to me. 2) At one point in the conversation, I brought up a caroling event that I organize each year in New Orleans. I didn't want the conversation to be too much about me, and since I believe I have mentioned it before, I cut a number of references to it. At one point though, I couldn't do that without losing something interesting that Ernie said. And doing so would have changed the context for a few things he said, which wouldn't have been fair to him.  In this episode, I also mentioned I'd link to the trailers for upcoming Christmas albums by Meghan Trainor and Carrie Underwood.       

Internet sensation Debbie Wileman, who's Song a Day videos on Facebook and YouTube have garnered tremendous response during the past 3 months joins Doug Miles for a conversation about her singing and impressions and some of her recent performances are spotlighted including her Judy Garland, Doris Day, Julie Andrews and Barbara Streisand impressions and her newest duet with Billy Stritch. (www.dougmilesmedia.com)

In this very special QuaranStreams, Ben and Daniel talk to Grammy-winning composer, musical director, and performer Billy Stritch about Liza Minnelli's 1992 concert at Radio City Music Hall, for which he arranged the music. Billy tells stories from his years of working with Liza, from their first meeting in 1991 to their decades of collaboration on projects such as Minnelli on Minnelli: Live at the Palace, and Liza's at the Palace. Billy has worked with many other showbiz legends such as Christine Ebersole, Marilyn Maye, and Linda Lavin. Tune in to Billy's Place every Thursday at 8 PM on Facebook Live to hear Billy sing songs and tell stories from his apartment in New York City.

In this episode, Ben and Daniel discuss the 1992 concert, Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall. This legendary night featured performances by Patti LuPone, Liza Minnelli, Glenn Close, Madeline Kahn, Bernadette Peters, Betty Buckley, Dorothy Loudon, Billy Stritch, Jerry Hadley, Eugene Perry, Herbert Perry, Harolyn Blackwell, Daisy Eagan, Patrick Cassidy, Victor Garber, Bill Irwin, and Karen Ziemba. It was directed by Scott Ellis, with music direction by Paul Gemigniani.

THE TONY AND GOLDEN GLOBE-WINNING,EMMY-NOMINATED BROADWAY AND TV LEGEND We talk to her about her Off Broadway musical isn’t happening for now, but her album,Loves Notes , is out and she is doing Facebook Live virtual concerts with Billy Stritch every Wednesday afternoon.

I’m Stefan Sittig and welcome to AMERICAN THEATRE ARTISTS ONLINE, where we talk with leading contemporary figures in American Theatre. Tony and Golden Globe Award-winning stage and screen star, Linda Lavin has been delighting audiences for six decades. Her new album Love Notes is a swinging collection of songs led by Grammy nominated composer, arranger and jazz pianist Billy Stritch.  

In this episode, Ben and Daniel talk to cabaret superstar and musical theater actress Marilyn Maye about her 1967 album Step To The Rear. They also discuss Jerry Herman, Mame, Hello Dolly, Mel Tormé, Rosemary Clooney, Barbara Cook, Tommy Tune, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, Billy Stritch, Tedd Firth, Provincetown, The Anchor Inn, Palm Springs, Feinstein's/54 Below, Birdland, and The Art House. Marilyn tells stories from her career as a singer and recording artist, and shares her expertise on how to build a show and sing to an audience. Marilyn has released seven albums and thirty-four singles, and performs all over the country to rooms full of adoring fans. Marilyn also holds the record for the most frequent singer on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, where she appeared a total of seventy-six times.

In this episode, Ben and Daniel talk to Real Housewives of New York City star Luann de Lesseps about Madonna's first album, Madonna. They also discuss Stevie Nicks, Natalie Cole, Desmond Child, Richard Jay Alexander, Billy Stritch, and Liza Minnelli. Luann talks about her current hit cabaret show, Countess and Friends, as well as her upcoming show, Marry... F**k... Kill. Luann is currently on tour and will be appear at BravoCon on November 15-17 in New York City.

Join Kelli and Anne for their 91st LIVE episode! They begin this episode by talking about Kelli's R Family Vacations full charter on the Uniworld River cruise down the Danube River. Next they chat about Anne's Atlanta concert at City Winery with Matt Alber. Next the talk about Anne's very first time performing on an Olivia Cruise from Rome to Nice and how much fun it was! Finally they talk about jet lag, getting back on Weight Watchers and their Peloton bike! Hear all about Equality Vodka's new cocktail inspired candles and how to get 10% off your order with their special code MYWIFE10. Just go to www.EqualityVodka.com and place an order TODAY for the Holidays!! Their Special Guest today is Klea Blackhurst, an incredible actress, singer, comedienne and Mermanologist. Hear how she was inspired by Ethel Merman and turned that love into her award winning show, All The Traffic Will Allow. Also hear about other roles she has loved to play and what she has coming up next….including a Christmas show at Birdland in NYC called A Swinging Birdland Christmas with 2 of our former guests, Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch and their new Christmas Album collaboration called Christmas At Birdland. www.KleaBlackhurst.com www.BirdlandJazz.com As always, they end with a cocktail from Equality Vodka.  This week, in honor of Columbus Day, they are serving The Ocean Blue!

Edited by Thomas Lahren (https://www.thomaslahrenmusic.com/) Aaron and Drew sat down for a lengthy discussion with legendary composer, arranger, saxophonist, and educator Andy Farber, who has been a leading writer in the NYC and international jazz scene for many years. His many collaborations include Wynton Marsalis, Jon Hendricks, Shirley Horn, Bobby Short, Michael Feinstein, Catherine Russell, Frankie Laine, Alan Harris, Cynthia Scott, Billy Stritch, B.B. King, Ray Charles, and more. He has also composed music for a number of film and media projects, including Star Trek Continues. Find out more about Andy at his website: www.andyfarber.com

Join Kelli and Anne for their 87th LIVE episode! They begin this episode by talking about Anne singing on our previous podcast guest, Susie Mosher's, show The Line Up at the new Birdland Theater downstairs at Birdland Jazz in NYC. Next they talk about their September 11th memories and how they honor that memory every year. Next they talk about their daughter Vivi cheering at MetLife Stadium and how exciting that was. Finally they talk about going to The Harvest Fest in Sharon Springs, NY. You may remember their previous guests, the Beekman Boys, talking about their Harvest Fest. Hear all about their experience & the fun they had.  Their Special Guest today is Billy Stritch, one of the premier singer-pianists on the New York and national jazz and cabaret scenes. He also happens to be Liza Minnelli's right hand man for the past 25 years. Hear about how he got started in music, how he met Liza and forged a lifetime of work and memories together, touring with Tony Bennett and leading the trio of musicians on stage every Monday at Jim Caruso's Cast Party at Birdland Jazz in NYC. As always, they end with a cocktail from Equality Vodka.  This week, in honor of Billy, they are serving The Stritchtastic!

Edited by Thomas Lahren (https://www.thomaslahrenmusic.com/) Aaron and Drew sat down for a lengthy discussion with legendary composer, arranger, saxophonist, and educator Andy Farber, who has been a leading writer in the NYC and international jazz scene for many years. His many collaborations include Wynton Marsalis, Jon Hendricks, Shirley Horn, Bobby Short, Michael Feinstein, Catherine Russell, Frankie Laine, Alan Harris, Cynthia Scott, Billy Stritch, B.B. King, Ray Charles, and more. He has also composed music for a number of film and media projects, including Star Trek Continues. Find out more about Andy at his website: www.andyfarber.com

In part 2 of Judy & Billy's conversation, Billy takes his talents to New York, moves in with Liza...and that's just the first ten minutes!  Plus, much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Award winning music man, and self proclaimed "grey goose guy," Billy Stritch joins "Kill Me Now with Judy Gold" and discusses his Texas upbringing, musical influences, and his dabbling in college which would eventually lead to a professional career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Judy and Billy talk about his many years with Liza Minnelli and Tony Bennett and perform together onstage at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor, NY.

Join me and the fantastic and incredible Billy Stritch as we discuss his career start as well as all the projects he's got going on. Is there an artist he wishes he could work with? Find out here!!! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/triple-threats--beyond/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/triple-threats--beyond/support

Jim Caruso made his Broadway debut alongside Liza Minnelli in the smash hit Liza’s At The Palace!, singing, dancing and celebrating the music and arrangements of the late, great Kay Thompson and the Williams Brothers. The show was honored with a 2009 Tony Award for Best Special Event and the recording was nominated for a Grammy.For his nightclub work, Caruso has won six MAC Awards and two BackStage Bistro Awards for sold-out shows at Birdland, The Oak Room at the Algonquin Hotel, and The Russian Tea Room. He has also performed at clubs in Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Palm Beach and London.His recent studio recording, “The Swing Set,” was called “a top drawer, first-rate swinger” by Jazz Times and “a completely entertaining experience” by All About Jazz. His first CD, "Caruso Live and In Person," went to number one on both the album and singles charts at Outvoice.com. Jim was featured in a Tribute to Kander & Ebb at Carnegie Hall, backed by the New York Pops, and performed in a Tribute to Hope & Crosby in an evening hosted by Michael Feinstein at Zankel Hall. He and singer/pianist Billy Stritch are regular performers at Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle Hotel in NYC.With his award-winning jazz vocal and comedy trio, Wiseguys, he performed in an all-star Inaugural extravaganza for President Clinton, and were then invited to sing at his First State Dinner at the White House in an evening hosted by Lauren Bacall. The trio performed in concert at the Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall, and in "the big room" with Rosemary Clooney.On the small screen, Jim was seen co-starring with Kathie Lee Gifford on Showtime Television in “Personal Assistant,” which was written and directed by Charles Busch. He also co-starred on the Nostalgia Network variety sit-com, “Café DuArt” for two seasons.As a writer, Jim has contributed to InStyle Magazine, Theatermania and InTheater Magazine He has produced and booked television talk and entertainment programs like "Jim J. & Tammy Faye" and "Fox After Breakfast," and was a Field Producer for E! Entertainment Television, working the red carpets, conducting interviews for "Celebrity Profiles" and covering the Tony Awards.Caruso hosted "Broadway On Broadway" in Times Square for a crowd of 100,000 theater fans, hosted MAC Awards at Town Hall in Manhattan and co-hosted the Drama Desk Award webcasts for four years. His radio series was heard on BroadwayWorld.com for four years, and his podcast “Here! On Broadway” was honored with a Summit Award. He can currently be heard on Legends 100.3 FM Radio with his weekly “New York Minute” segment.For the past fifteen years, he has hosted a weekly Monday night showbiz bash at Birdland called "Jim Caruso’s Cast Party,” which has brought him two BroadwayWorld Awards, a New York Nightlife Award, MAC Award and the Sidney Meyer Award. He’s taken celebrity versions of the Party to Lincoln Center and Town Hall in New York, and celebrated local talent at venues in London, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Chicago, Austin, Dallas, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and on the high seas. The weekly “Broadway at Birdland” series he produces has also been honored with a Nightlife Award.

An award-winning composer, arranger, vocalist, and jazz pianist of extraordinary range and sophistication, BILLY STRITCH breathes new life into the Great American Songbook, all the while bringing an easy sense of humor and showmanship to his performances.Born and raised in Sugar Land, Texas, Billy Stritch got his start at age 12, playing piano at his neighborhood First Presbyterian Church. Word spread about the child prodigy, and the local country club hired him for a four-year weekly gig in the piano bar. The dreaded requests came in droves, prompting Billy to rush home and learn all the requisite standards, which would subsequently fill his tip bowl! Inspiration came from jazz greats like Oscar Peterson and George Shearing, but his older sister’s love for Elton John and Billy Joel opened up a new world of pop music which informs his playing to this day. After being turned on to singers like Mel Torme, Ella Fitzgerald, Mark Murphy and Carmen McRae, Stritch started to find his own voice to use in conjunction with the piano mastery.Billy Stritch has collaborated with a diverse group of artists including Liza Minnelli, Jim Caruso, Marvin Hamlisch, Michael Feinstein, Mel Torme, Carol Channing, Natalie Cole and currently Tony Bennett. 

Pianist/vocalist Billy Stritch is that rare performer who is a great musician and great entertainer. Heâ??s learned from the best, with long associations with Liza Minnelli and Marilyn Maye, two gals who know a thing or two about winning over an audience.

On this I Love Jazz Special Archive Edition, you'll catch music from a collection of the artists we've featured over the last year. These performances are not repeats of what you've seen before on our show, but musical numbers that we just didn't have the time to include. You'll hear Trumpeter Dawn Weber and her band, vocalist Marlena Shaw, jazz from the facility and students from Webster University, A Cabaret performance from Marilyn Maye and Billy Stritch, and a great sax and percussion duo - Willie Akins and Montez Coleman.

Jim Caruso from NYC's "Cast Party" joins Candi and Randy to talk about bringing the best party in town to Las Vegas at the Smith Center's Cabaret Jazz. Jim Caruso’s "Cast Party" is a wildly popular weekly soiree that brings a sprinkling of Broadway glitz and urbane wit to the legendary Birdland in New York City every Monday night since 2003.  It’s been the ultimate spot to mix and mingle with Manhattan show folk and their fans.  It’s a cool cabaret night-out enlivened by a hilariously impromptu variety show. Showbiz superstars hit the stage alongside up-and-comers, serving up jaw-dropping music and general razzle-dazzle. Caruso guides the entire affair like a bubbly cruise director, musical director Billy Stritch holds court at the ivories and the audience is invited to participate in the festivities!  Cast Party has been honored with two BroadwayWorld Awards, a MAC Award, Bistro Award and a Nightlife Award. It’s the party that would happen if somehow David Letterman and Ed Sullivan threw a hip house party around a nine-foot concert grand piano! Don't miss Jim and Billy in Las Vegas on October 9th at Caberet Jazz at the Smith Center at 9:30pm

Our new season of I Love Jazz begins with the marvelous Marilyn Maye and the incomparable Billy Stritch. In a sit down interview with Don Wolff Marilyn discusses her 60-plus year career which began with Steve Allen and Johnny Carson and continues to this day at the age of 85. Taped live at the Sheldon Concert Hall this show puts the focus on the Art of Cabaret music and features Gerald Spaits on bass and Jim Eklof on drums. In our Jazz Gems segment we find Rebecca Kilgore shining bright as she performs Cabaret Jazz in a Big Band setting.