Ruth Leon recommends… As long as I live – Cabaret Convention

As long as I live – Cabaret Convention 

I didn’t get to the Mabel Mercer Foundation’s   annual Cabaret Convention in New York this year because of a scheduling conflict but I was there in spirit to hear the best of New York and world cabaret. Here’s just a little taste of what I missed – a song by two of my favourite performers, Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano.
These two, major stars of the New York cabaret world, have an intrinsic love and understanding of the songs they sing and an irrepressible joy in singing them for their always appreciative audience (which includes me).

They sang this great song by  Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler at the Cabaret Convention last week at Rose Hall’s Jazz @ Lincoln Center.

It was first recorded by Lena Horne in 1934 and I think you will agree that Arlen himself would have loved this version by Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano, accompanied by bass player Steve Doyle and drummer Daniel Glass.

I wish I’d been there.

Read more