Sue Matthews, along with Randy Reinhart on cornet and trumpet, Robert Redd on piano and James King on bass, present “Isn’t this a Lovely Song?” songs from the very substantial songbook of Irving Berlin at The Mainstay in Rock Hall, Maryland on Saturday October 3 at 8:00 p.m. Admission is $20. For information and reservations call 410-639-9133. Information is also available at the Mainstay’s website https://www.mainstayrockhall.org.
From Tin Pan Alley to Broadway to Hollywood, the exquisite vocalist Sue Matthews brings some of the gems from pen of Irving Berlin, one of the most prolific and long-lived writers in the Great American Songbook to the Mainstay.
Sue Matthews is a superb singer with a silky voice, exquisite phrasing and passion for finding every bit of meaning in song. Give her a great song, no matter how familiar, and she will find in it fresh nuances and new depth of meaning. For this celebration of the songs of Irving Berlin, she’ll be joined by pianist Robert Redd, cornet and trumpet player Randy Reinhart and bassist James King. They will do some of Irving Berlin’s classic songs and lesser known treasures – songs like “What’ll I Do?” “Easter Parade,” “Change Partners,” and “Isn’t This A Lovely Day?”
Irving Berlin is widely considered to be one of the greatest songwriters in American history and his music forms a great part of the Great American Songbook. He died in 1989 at the age of 101. During his 60-year career he wrote at least 1,250 songs, including the scores for 19 Broadway shows and 18 Hollywood films. He published his first song, “Marie from Sunny Italy”, in 1907 and had his first major international hit, “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” in 1911.
His songs were nominated eight times for Academy Awards. Many songs became popular themes and anthems, including “White Christmas”, “Alexander’s Ragtime Band”, “There’s No Business Like Show Business” and of course, “God Bless America.”
Sue Matthews first came to the music world’s attention in 1991, when she released the traditional jazz album “Love Dances.” She was soon playing clubs and festivals and her next release “When You’re Around,” reached the top 20 on the Gavin and R & R Jazz charts. Since then she has released a number of recordings and become a favorite throughout the mid-Atlantic jazz clubs, concert halls, jazz festivals and television studios and, of course, at The Mainstay.
She has been a featured artist at the W.C. Handy Music Festival, with the Calgary Philharmonic, the Florida Symphony, the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Showcase in NYC and the Saluzzo Musical Festival in Italy as well as artist-in-residence at the Clifden Arts Week Festival, County Galway, Ireland and at Augusta Heritage Cente. She is a two-time recipient of the Maryland State Arts Council individual Artist Award.
Randy Reinhart is a celebrated virtuoso on cornet, trumpet and slide trombone. He began playing cornet and trumpet at nine. In 1976, he learned that the trombone position with the Jim Cullum Jazz Band was open and he taught himself that instrument and subsequently spent the next ten years with the Cullum group filling the trombone position and second cornet. Since returning to New York City in 1986, Reinhart has played with groups such as Vince Giordano’s Nighthawks, as well as performing at Michael’s Pub, Lincoln Center and Dick Hyman’s Jazz in July at the 92nd St. “Y”. He has toured with Ed Polcer and with Warren Vache, Jr., as well as with Banu Gibson’s Hot Jazz. He’s also done an Inaugural Ball, backed singer Banu Gibson, played in Jim Cullum’s nationally broadcast band and was selected to play in the 50th anniversary Benny Goodman Carnegie Hall tribute.
The Mainstay (Home of Musical Magic) is the friendly informal storefront performing arts center on Rock Hall’s old time Main Street.
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