Tedd Firth, Julian Fleisher, and Leon Fleisher

November 8, 2015

Fleisher et alTedd Firth has been one of the brightest lights in cabaret and jazz in New York City for a while, but he is usually found supporting vocalists, brilliantly. So imagine my surprise to find his name in the title of this new show, “Firth, Fleisher and Fleisher in Concert.” A friend turned me on to this and picked up tickets for Joe’s Pub, and I’m so glad she did! Julian Fleisher, a name new to me (I’m ashamed to say), has been making waves around town for some time with his group, The Rather Large Band, which features Firth on piano. The two have worked together since they met at an audition 15 years ago and it has been a most fruitful collaboration. After all that time, Fleisher wanted to see what it would be like to strip things down and just sing with piano (and a bit of his own more-than-passable guitar). They purposely “under-rehearsed” so that things would spark on stage, and they did

The whole evening was filled with exploration, discovery, and beautiful communication. Firth opened the show alone with a gloriously rich introduction to “Magic to Do” (Stephen Schwartz, from Pippin) providing an orchestra all by himself. Fleisher then entered through the house singing the lyrics with such a sense of fun and exhilaration that the audience knew those words would come true. He’s got a terrific voice and sings with a wonderful openness, embracing whatever song he chooses with just the right touch of style and storytelling. His wildly varied repertoire brought to mind an “observation” that has been leveled at me from time to time: that my taste is so eclectic it is non-existent. While this may be true of me, Fleisher fills the stage with taste, and tasty music, at every turn.

It quickly becomes apparent that that taste has a particularly special place for Joni Mitchell—and why wouldn’t it? He makes “Big Yellow Taxi” his own, and a bit later he easily maneuvers the twists and turns of her Charles Mingus collaboration “The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines.” There is a beautifully personal take on “Hotel California” (Don Felder, Don Henley, Glenn Frey) and a fiery, totally adult version of “Tomorrow” (Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin, from Annie) that cemented my resolve to see these men whenever they appear in NYC. Fleisher’s choices span years, genres and styles with remarkable ease; it seems there is nothing he can’t sing. He’s abetted through all this by Firth’s empathetic artistry, evidenced in his thoughtful support and sparkling arrangements. It was a treat to hear what he can do on electric keyboards as well. This is a partnership for the ages.

Fleisher’s captivating original songs (some bracing pop numbers and a couple of excerpts from two musicals he is writing) hold their own in these heady surroundings. They are melodic and filled with sometimes witty, sometimes thoughtful, sometimes moody lyrics; I wouldn’t be surprised if other cabaret singers started covering his material. A number of the evening’s best numbers are on his new CD, “Finally,” which is well worth getting. One of his best songs, “I Don’t Know How,” brought on the other Fleisher in the title, his father Leon, a Kennedy Center Honors Award-winning concert pianist. There was definite magic on the stage (and more than a few tears in the audience) as father and son performed together for the first time. Firth left the stage for this section, but his brilliance remained in the gorgeous arrangements for left hand that he provided the elder Fleisher, well-known for his left handed playing, having lost the use of his right hand for an extended period that began in the mid-1960s. The heightened emotion of the duet increased with Leon’s solo on “All the Things You Are” (Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II). The beauty of this moment was overwhelming. A few songs later, at the end of this great night of New York cabaret, there were more than a few sighs as we realized that Firth was playing with just his left hand, in quiet tribute to Leon.

Julian will next appear at Joe’s Pub as guest of Justin Vivian Bond on November 14 and 15. He has also recently started hosting a PBS radio show/iTunes podcast called “The Naked American Songbook,” on which each week he and a celebrity guest examine the expanded Great American Songbook and trade favorite songs to amplify their discussions. It’s a bright, funny, informative show that is gradually becoming very listener-interactive and has already become required listening on my iPod. My eclectic taste has embraced it wholeheartedly, as it has Firth, Fleisher and Fleisher.

“Firth, Fleisher and Fleisher in Concert”
Joe’s Pub  –  October 27

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About the Author

Gerry Geddes has conceived and directed a number of musical revues—including the Bistro- and MAC Award-winning "Monday in the Dark with George" and "Put On Your Saturday Suit-Words & Music by Jimmy Webb"—and directed many cabaret artists, including André De Shields, Helen Baldassare, Darius de Haas, and drag artist Julia Van Cartier. He directs "The David Drumgold Variety Show," currently in residence at Manhattan Movement & Arts Center, and has produced a number of recordings, including two Bistro-winning CDs. He’s taught vocal performance at The New School, NYU, and London’s Goldsmith’s College and continues to conduct private workshops and master classes. As a writer and critic, he has covered New York’s performing arts scene for over 40 years in both local and national publications; his lyrics have been sung by several cabaret and recording artists. Gerry is an artist in residence at Pangea, and a regular contributor to the podcast “Troubadours & Raconteurs.” He just completed a memoir of his life in NYC called “Didn’t I Ever Tell You This?”

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