Review
Ray Jessel in Concert

When Ray Jessel arranges the white hair on both sides of his head to resemble Albert Einstein, there’s more to this gesture than meets the eye. He may only be telling the audience that he acknowledges the resemblance, but beneath the surface he may just be slyly conceding to the rumor that yes, indeed, he is an incomparable genius. And, why not? He’s deserving! After all, this  Broadway musical composer (Baker Street) and award-winning cabaret artist writes the clever lyrics to 99% of the songs he performs (wife Cynthia Thompson, the music); not bad going for a 78 year-old who began his cabaret career a mere 8 years ago. He packed Steinway Hall in West LA on Saturday, January 26 despite the heavy rains – quite a triumph in itself in Los Angeles, proving his popularity with the over 50 concert-going public.

After making his entrance and settling down at the piano, he amusingly told the eager crowd that he had overheard them laughing and having a good time before curtain, so let’s see if “I can spoil it for you.” He opened endearingly with “The Short Term Memory Loss Blues” – describing an anxious condition for every senior citizen. Out of nowhere came “I Think About Sex”, “Oxnard”, singing the praises of those lesser known remote places, and my favorite “What She’s Got”. I won’t spoil this one for those who will purchase Jessel’s next CD The Second 70 Years (and you’d be a fool not to!), but let’s just say it’s funny enough to make you let go, and with a lot of seniors in the house, that was a big, big risk, but uproarious, and totally worth it. Closing the set were the smart and funny “That Shakespearean Tragedy Rag” and encore “Shirley Levine” about a Jewish gal with an Irish flair.

Mixed in with the comic numbers were some gorgeous ballads, highlights among these: “I’m All Right Now”, “Life Goes On” and “Once In a Blue Moon.” An added treat was guest star Shelly Goldstein who performed Jessel’s plaintive “Valentine’s Day”, his answer to a favorite standard “My Funny Valentine” and a charming duet with him: “Something on the Side” from his new musical Moll about classic hooker Moll Flanders. Goldstein has a belting, brassy delivery that has a class all its own, a perfect fit on the cabaret stage.

Nine of the songs performed by Jessel are on his wonderful CD The First Seventy Years, the rest will be served up for posterity on the forthcoming sequel.
All in all, a wonderfully entertaining evening from the gifted Ray Jessel, who I will reverently hail from this day forward as ‘the Dale Gonyea of the senior set’.