For a man who has more than fifty years of music making under his belt, Monty Alexander exudes a childlike glee.  It has to be love—love of the music and for his fellow artists—which he displayed in The Music of Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole, Alexander honoring two of his inspirations.  It was Cole’s songs he sang as a youngster in his native Jamaica and it was Sinatra, who invited him to play at the renowned Jilly’s on West 52^nd Street, which brought him attention and connections.  In fact, the stage at the Allen Room looked like a bar, with a “Jilly’s” sign hanging over it. The musicians who weren’t front and center sat at the bar sipping drinks.

After a short overture weirdly combining “Mona Lisa” (Ray Evans & Jay Livingston) and “Strangers in the Night” (Bert Kaempfert/Charles Singleton/Eddie Snyder)— stating the theme of the evening—Alexander soloed at the piano in a stop-and-go, syncopated “Young at Heart” (Johnny Richards/Carolyn Leigh) and a quiet “Call Me Irresponsible” (Van Heusen/Cahn).

His first guest vocalist was 22-year-old James De Frances, sounding eerily and wonderfully like Sinatra on “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” (Porter) and two Van Heusen/Cahn songs written for and long associated with Ol’ Blue Eyes: “All the Way” and “Come Fly with Me.”  He produces his mellow light baritone with astonishing ease, his performance marred only by stiff body language.

Affable Allan Harris supplied more Nat King Cole vibes with “L-O-V-E” (Bert Kaempfert/Milt Gable) and “Walking My Baby Back Home” (Roy Turk/Fred Ahlert), performed with a sense of humor and a beautiful voice.  Harris and De Frances joined forces on “The Lady Is a Tramp” (Rodgers/Hart) and several other songs.

Alexander also sang “Sweet Lorraine” (Cliff Burwell/Mitchell Parish) and “Too Marvelous for Words” (Whiting/Mercer) in a comical Jamaican accent.  Nat King Cole’s Trio was given homage with “Body and Soul” (Johnny Green/Edward Heyman/Robert Sour/Frank Eyton).  Hassan Shakur on bass and Russell Malone on guitar were terrific here and throughout the show.  Malone, in particular, produced almost surreal shimmering outpourings of notes.

Pretty Caterina Zapponi added real Italian flavor to a duet of “Non Dimenticar” (P.G.Redi/Michele Galdieri/Shelley Dobbins) with Harris.  Jack Lynn represented the spirit of Dean Martin with “Everybody Loves Somebody” (Ken Lane/Sam Coslow/Irving Taylor).

The other dazzlingly talented musicians were: Houston Person, whose warm saxophone style added depth to every number; Dennis Mackrel, a marvel on the drums; and Bobby Thomas, Jr., whose percussion sounds added texture to most of the songs.

Of course, there were too many other songs to mention in this richly entertaining program which Monty Alexander shepherded with finesse and the kind of easygoing command of the stage that only experience and extraordinary talent can summon.

Joel Benjamin
Cabaret Scenes
December 10, 2011
www.cabaretscenes.org