MUSIC REVIEW: Michael Feinstein - The Stoller Hall, Manchester.

Michael Feinstein has yet to break into the UK in the same way that he has in his native USA. Stateside, Feinstein is considered something of a god for continuing the tradition of popular song, cataloguing and preserving something the American's affectionately call 'The Great American Songbook' [a collection of songs which have captured the hearts of Americans from the start of Negro spirituals, through jazz and blues, Musicals, pop etc, and the list keeps growing as contemporary artistes and their writings are being added all the time]. He is a pianist, archivist, and popular song entertainer in the tradition of Bing Crosby et al, and you could easily see him performing in Vegas or some swish hotel lobby during the heyday of the jazz era. 

Feinstein is a consummate entertainer, and since he has rubbed shoulders with so many of the great songwriters and singers of the last goodness knows how many decades, he is also extremely knowledgable and the anecdotes he intersperses his songs with are delightful. His style of singing, known as crooning, is also not something which is currently popular in the UK. The likes of Perry Como and Val Doonican having vanished decades' ago. His own muse is Bing Crosby, and you can certainly see and here him channeling the great Bing at times; however, after listening to him live this evening I would describe his persona and vocal range / timbre much more a cross between Frank Sinatra and Anthony Newley. 

The evening's set was excellently chosen; a good cross-section of styles and composers, giving those unknowns a real chance to shine. Up-tempo catchy songs sandwiched between more mellow, bluesy or sad songs, and each song given the unique Feinstein treatment. The highlight of the evening though for me was 'For Us The Time Has Come' sung by Feinstein accompnaying himself on the piano. 

Interesting arrangements of familiar songs from Muscials and elsewhere were showcased, but for me the most interesting came with him singing a Sinatra standard 'Fly Me To The Moon' in its original 3/4 waltz time which the composer had written it in. It sounded so very different and brought out a different 'meaning' almost in the text. 

Accompanied by a three piece band [piano, bass and drums], Feinstein entertained us with over 20 songs in the 2 hour plus concert. A sheer delight for fans of the popular music genre of Sinatra etc. My only criticism would be that the microphones were sadly set too high, giving unwanted feedback and boom at times.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall

on - 23.10.21