The strains of a muted trumpet welcomed the man with the winning smile, Steve Tyrell, to the Café Carlyle stage where he will reign for the next eight weeks.

“The Look of Love” was on his face as a haunting opening celebrated Tyrell’s 7th CD, Back to Bacharach. Enhanced by his little Big Band of six pieces and top notch back-up vocalists La Tanya Hall, a beautiful jazzbird favorite (soon to release her first solo CD) and singer-musician extraordinaire Darryl Tookes, fans of the Bacharach/David team will not be disappointed hearing “I Say a Little Prayer” and “One Less Bell to Answer.”

Grammy winner Tyrell, often dubbed "the renaissance man," was raised in Texas, the son of immigrant parents, in the segregated '60s. As a teenager, he had his own bands and became an acknowledged recording artist. It wasn’t long after that he made his way to New York where his talents as a record producer and music supervisor won him a place in the world of music that has lasted four decades. During this time, Tyrell formed an unbreakable bond with Burt and Hal, reinventing and re-popularizing classic pop-standards.

In his career he has produced hits for many celebrity artists including Dionne Warwick and Rod Stewart. The Linda Ronstandt favorite (on which Tyrell was a collaborator) “Don’t Know Much” (Mann/Weill/Snow) was easy on the ears. Steve recorded the demo “Somewhere Out There” for Spielberg’s An American Tail, a two Grammy-winning animated film, and after singing it remarked, “see, it’s not only for mice!” It was Steve’s idea and suggestion that BJ Thomas, whom he knew from Texas, record the Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid hit, “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head,” which he sings in this show. Tyrell was only a teen when he worked with Burt Bacharach on this film.

A charming, throaty crooner, Tyrell is an acknowledged recording artist, having sold hundreds of thousands of albums, gaining a worldwide following. Celebrity friends this evening included Tommy Tune and NBC co-hosts Kathie Lee Gifford & Hoda Kotb.

The encore, “What the World Needs Now Is Love,” is on his latest CD, with all proceeds from this song donated to the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance in memory of Stephanie, Steve’s wife.

His Band includes Quinn Johnson, piano; Lyman Medeiros, bass, Kevin Winard, drums, Bob Mann, guitar, Jon Allen, keyboards and Matt Fronke, trumpet.

Steve Tyrell appears at Cafe Carlyle through the holiday season for 8 weeks. Call for exact showtimes.

Sandi Durell
Cabaret Scenes
November 5, 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org