INTERVIEW: Billy Stritch heads to the movies to interpret Frank Sinatra
Billy Stritch, the award-winning jazz pianist and arranger, has collaborated with some of the best singers in the history of American cabaret music. From Liza Minnelli to Christine Ebersole to Marilyn Mae, his list of professional partners is astoundingly long and varied, touching upon legend after legend. The pianist continues his history of rich collaborations Saturday, May 28 at the New Jersey Performing Center’s Chase Room where he will lead a program called Sinatra at the Movies. He will be joined by singers Carole J. Bufford and Marissa Mulder. Narrating and moderating the evening will be Will Friedwald, Sinatra biographer.
“There’s so many great songs that Sinatra did in his films,” Stritch said recently during a phone interview. “We’re looking forward to doing them on Saturday because this is the first time we’ve done this show, so I love working with these two girls. I’ve only worked with them one other time. Earlier this year we worked down in Florida doing a show of [John] Kander and [Fred] Ebb material, and they’re just wonderful to work with, Marissa and Carole. And I think Will is going to put in some film clips as well, and I have not heard his narration. But I’m sure it will be great because that’s what he does very well. He’s such a great writer. I’m sure the audience will learn things probably they didn’t know before and hopefully be very entertained.”
The bulk of the songs in the show were written by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen. Stritch actually knew Cahn for several years and called the legend a “fantastic lyricist.”
“The challenge is to try and make it interesting for the three of us, you know, and try not to just totally imitate Sinatra, which wouldn’t be a good idea because, you know, he was certainly in a class by himself,” Stritch said.
Instead they will try to represent the material and perform the songs in a way that will entice the concertgoers to check out some of the movies. “I always think that’s the goal with something like this, to get people interested enough in the material that they’ll go back and do a little more research and check it out later,” he said.
Stritch grew up in Texas and listened to as much music as he could get his hands on. He was also a fan of variety shows on television and old movies, many of which hold musical gems from the American songbook. He started working in nightclubs when he was 18 years old and then quickly moved to New York. He also spent time in Nashville, where he penned the Grammy-winning country song, “Does He Love You?,” with Sandy Knox. That tune was a hit for Reba McEntire and Linda Davis. He also performed on Broadway as Oscar, the piano-playing crooner, in 42nd Street with Ebersole.
“I’ve been doing the cabaret thing for quite a long time,” he said. “I love that style of performing. I love the intimacy of it. … You feel like you really are singing right to individuals in the audience. I’ve sung at all different size venues, but there’s nothing like singing in a small space where you can kind of see the faces. That’s really a lot of fun, and that makes it fun for the audience, too. It makes it an interesting experience.”
For the song list at the NJPAC, Stritch and his collaborators have chosen some well-known tunes, like “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” from the musical Pal Joey, but also some obscure ones, like a segment of songs from the TV version of Our Town. There will also be some Cole Porter (Can-Can) and other notable classics, like “High Hopes” and “All the Way,” thrown in for good measure.
“My thrust of what I do is mainly performing and arranging songs that are already existing,” he said. “So that’s really what I love to do more than anything else is the challenge of taking a great song that is already proven and has already been done by people, that people might really know, and creating something different with it, doing a kind of new twist on it. I think that’s always kind of fun.”
When Stritch works with a performer over an extended period of time, he begins to anticipate their musical skills and next movements. Whether it’s Maye, Minnelli or Ebersole, he’s come to know the best singers in the business, helping them interpret classic tunes and beautifully realized melodies.
“There’s just a wonderful connection that comes with a long-term collaboration, and that’s one of the real joys, I think, of what I do is some of these long-term relationships I’ve had,” he said. “That’s really a gift. I mean, a lot of musicians kind of go from show to show to show and tour a lot. I mean, I’ve always been lucky in that I’ve really been able to stay with certain people that I love working with and establish these long-term relationships. It’s really fantastic for me. I love that connection with someone on stage.”
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Billy Stritch will perform as part of Sinatra at the Movies with Carole J. Bufford, Marissa Mulder and Sinatra biographer Will Friedwald on Saturday, May 28 at the NJPAC Chase Room. Click here for more information and tickets.
