The 2020 Honoree Roll Call: Gretchen Reinhagen

Evan Seplow
Gretchen Reinhagen’s latest CD, Take It with Me, brings a new energy and interpretation to contemporary songs made famous by others.  Hear her version of Stevie Wonder’s “All in Love Is Fair,” performed at the 2020 Bistro Awards on March 9. Tracy Stark accompanies on piano, Ritt Henn on bass, and Dwayne Cook Broadnax on...

The 2020 Honoree Roll Call: Joanne Halev

Evan Seplow
Joanne Halev used her experience in the fragrance creation profession and her travels around the globe to create her cabaret debut show, “Like a Perfumed Woman.” Here’s a medley from the show that Halev sang at the 2020 Bistro Awards where she was honored with an award for Outstanding Debut. Alex Rybeck, accompanies on piano,...

The 2020 Honoree Roll Call: Sue Matsuki and Gregory Toroian

Evan Seplow
Sue Matsuki and her musical director Gregory Toroian began collaborating 25 years ago, and their 2020 Bistro Award for Outstanding Collaboration exemplifies the success of their individual talents and their ability to weave these talents together. Watch their performance of Cole Porter’s “Too Darn Hot” at the Bistro gala, with Skip Ward on bass and David...

The 2020 Honoree Roll Call: Charles Busch

Bistro Awards
Charles Busch is a playwright, actor, director, drag icon, and singer, and for his combined talents he received the 2020 Bistro Award for Creative Artistry. Listen for yourself just how creative he can be as he gives new relevancy to “Those Were the Days” (Gene Raskin, English lyric based on Boris Fomin music, Konstantin Podrevsky...

The 2020 Honoree Roll Call: Nancy McGraw

Evan Seplow
Nancy McGraw exemplifies incisive musicianship and on-the-mark interpretation. She is the recipient of the 2020 Bistro Award’s Interpretive Artistry Award. Here she is with a medley about years gone by, taken from her Johnny Mercer tribute show, beginning with “I Wonder What Became of Me (Harold Arlen, music; Johnny Mercer, lyrics), followed by “When the...

The 2020 Honoree Roll Call: Elizabeth Ward Land

Bistro Awards
New to cabaret, Elizabeth Ward Land impressed us with her tribute to Linda Ronstadt in her show Still Within the Sound of My Voice: The Songs of Linda Ronstadt. See for yourself how remarkable she is as she sings Ronstadt’s “Someone to Lay Down Beside Me.”

Jomama Jones at the 2019 Bistro Awards

Bistro Awards
Daniel Alexander Jones, an acclaimed interdisciplinary artist, and the 2019 Bistro Awards’ recipient for Outstanding Performing Artistry.  Watch as his alter-ego, Jomama Jones, along with back-up accompaniment from Trevor Bachman and Vuyo Sotashe,  perform “Supernova,” written by Jones with Bobby Halverson.  

Salty Brine at the 2018 Bistro Awards

Bistro Awards
Salty Brine is the creative force behind "The Living Record Collection," a series of cabaret performances built around popular music albums. Recipient of the 2018 Bistro Award for Creative Artistry, here he is at the awards show performing from his show “Welcome to the Jungle” where he uses songs from Harry Nilsson’s “Nilsson Schmilsson,” woven...

The 2020 Honoree Roll Call: Lorna Dallas

Bistro Awards
West End stage, television, and concert artist, Lorna Dallas, received the 2020 Bistro Award for Consummate Cabaret Artistry. Here, singing Irving Berlin’s ‘There’s No Business Like Show Business,” she demonstrates exactly why she has earned this honor.

Sally Mayes Performance at the 35th Bistro Awards

Evan Seplow
Sally Mayes, another original cast member of Maltby & Shire’s four-hander Closer Than Ever, performing “Miss Byrd,” a song that has become practically identified with the singer. Alex Rybeck accompanies. “Closer Than Ever” was originally conceived as Next Time Now! at Eighty Eight’s, before expanding to become Closer Than Ever and presented at the Williamstown...