Live Review: Larry Luger at Notaro Ristorante
(March 9, 2010)By Alex Henderson Some jazz instrumentalists
are not very proficient when it comes to interacting with singers, but that has never been a problem for New York City-based
guitarist Larry Luger. And the strong rapport he enjoys with vocalist Sandy Jordan was very much in evidence during their
March 9, 2010 appearance at Notaro Ristorante, an Italian restaurant on Manhattan’s East Side. For several years, Luger
and Jordan have been performing together on Tuesday nights at Notaro—and Luger demonstrated that he is as comfortable
in an instrumental setting as he is playing with a vocalist. Jordan has a strong cabaret/Broadway/traditional pop background,
but she is also an avowed admirer of Ella Fitzgerald and is capable of getting into more jazz-oriented endeavors; Luger’s
swinging yet melodic guitar playing, in fact, seemed to bring out more of her jazz qualities on enjoyable performances of
familiar gems ranging Jerome Kern’s “Dearly Beloved” to The Beatles’ “Yesterday” to Don
Raye & Gene dePaul’s “I Remember April.“ Jordan is by no means a jazz purist, but jazz has clearly had
a positive effect on her. When Jordan wasn’t singing, Luger excelled as a straight-ahead bop instrumentalist on well
known standards such as Ralph Rainger’s “I Wished on the Moon” and Jimmy McHugh & Dorothy Fields’
“Exactly Like You.” Another highlight of the evening was Luger’s interpretation of “Boulevard of Broken
Dreams,” which he gave an appealing Latin-flavored treatment. Rounding out Luger’s ongoing Tuesday-night trio
at Notaro are acoustic bassist Bob Arkin and the 84-year-old drummer Angelo Ferrara, who has been playing jazz since the 1930s.
Notaro is located at 635 2nd Avenue between 34th and 35th Streets.
Alex
Henderson is a veteran journalist whose work has appeared in Billboard, Spin, Creem, The L.A. Weekly, JazzTimes, Jazziz, Cash
Box, HITS, CD Review and many other well known publications. Since 1996, Henderson (http://www.alexvhenderson.com) has contributed several thousand
reviews to The
"Ms.
Jordan's repertoire ranges from the favorite American standards to the obscure. Her acting ability really shines in her
interpretation of such songs as, I'm All I've Got, Simple Little Things, and this night she brought her audience to
tears with her interpretation of, When I Fall In Love.
Ms. Jordan is ethereal, passionate, haunting, dramatic and definitely very humorous. She weaves her magic
spell on us all as she creates mood after mood. Her act is a story put to music. Is it a story of her life? We wonder. It
is so real.
Ms.
Jordan goes from jazz to opera using her fabulous voice in an expressive and melodic way. She certainly knows what she is
doing. She has superb stage presence and is truly beautiful, expressive and funny. She makes her audience as relaxed and comfortable
with her as she is with them. Don't miss this wonderful performer. One of the finest underrated jazz singers around today."
compilation of quotes by Bob Harrington NY Post
Sandy is acting as
well as singing with song writer singer pianist, Lenny Dell in the Lipp Films production of Singles.com, a fun movie about
the online and offline dating habits of New York singles. Singles.com was featured in the 2004 Big Apple Film Festival.
Sandy sang and acted in summer stock and clubs in her teens. Five years
of opera studies led to more theater. Sandy was booked as a society singer at parties, fund raisers and performed at Marty's,
Mr. Sams, Panache, The Drake Room, Freddy's, Prive, as well as hundreds of bars and restaurants. A long list of NYC
entertainment rooms and numerous small restaurants and bars. She sang in Carnegie Hall, Europe, Vegas Lounge shows, the Catskills,
opened tons of times for Rodney Dangerfield and in between produced, coordinated, and was MC at her celebrity nights and for
comics and singers. TV- Film - Radio.
SANDY AT THE UPSTAIRS AT THE IGUANA
WITH THE KEITH INGHAM TRIO
SANDY WITH THE LARRY LUGER TRIO..
TAKEN AT HER SHOW AT THE RED BAR AT O'NEALS
SANDY HAS BEEN SINGING WITH
THE LARRY LUGER TRIO FOR OVER 3 YEARS EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT FROM 8 - MIDNIGHT AT NOTARO RESTAURANT IN NYC.
NOTARO SECOND AVE (34TH-35TH STS) RESV 212686-3400
NOTARO ON TUESDAY NIGHTS HAS BECOME
A HANGOUT FOR NY'C SHOW BIZ CELEBS AND NUMEROUS SINGERS SHOW UP EACH WEEK AND SIT IN WITH SANDY AND THE TRIO. THE PRICE IS
RIGHT. NO COVER AND EXCELENT ITALIAN FOOD AND EXCELLENT MUSIC.
