Jim Van Slyke, a charming, classically trained performer is the star of this tribute show heartily endorsed by Sedaka. Very smartly directed and conceived by Brian Lane Green, the song selections, of course, include the hugely popular light hits from the late ’50s and early ’60s (“Where the Boys Are” and “Calendar Girl”—both written with Howard Greenfield, as where the rest of the songs mentioned in this review, except where noted), but absolutely shines on Sedaka’s true genius, the ballads.

The first striking selection is the slowed-down rendition of “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,”, where Van Slyke’s beautiful tenor projects the lyric up front and center. 1971’s “Gone with the Morning” is sung true to the original and remains just as lovely. The vocal similarities are striking and Van Slyke can easily bring the emotion out of a ballad. His style and abilities stand out on “The Hungry Years” and a sensational version of “One More Ride on the Merry-Go-Round” (my vote for Sedaka’s enduring legacy).

The crowd had been abuzz with the appearance of Sedaka in the audience; he graciously introduced Van Slyke. The two closed the set with a duet of “Should’ve Never Let You Go” (written with Philip Cory), a love song written for Sedaka’s daughter  Dara (recorded as a duet with her father) and if, as they say, this was unrehearsed, it was the best spontaneous collaboration I’ve ever heard. The audience was giddy with appreciation of both the quality of the tribute and the chance to see the object of that affection on stage. Van Slyke calls Sedaka the “master of the ballad” and Sedaka remarked how wonderful it was for a songwriter to have a vocalist interpret his music as well as Van Slyke does. It’s hard to disagree on either count.

Jim brings The Sedaka Show to Feinstein's at Loews Regency in NYC July 21 & 22 at 8:30 pm.

Steve Murray
Cabaret Scenes
June 14, 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org