The Sinatra Project with Michael Feinstein and the VSO

VANCOUVER, BC – Five-time Grammy nominee and the “Ambassador of the Great American Songbook,” Michael Feinstein has played all around the world from Buckingham Palace to the White House. He plays at the Orpheum Theatre for one-night only, Wednesday, October 21st, at 8pm. Bill Elliot conducts the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in this very special concert that also celebrates the music of other legendary interpreters of the American Songbook, including Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney, Nat ‘King’ Cole and more.

“Simply put, nobody knows more about the great songs and the people who wrote them, and nobody is better at sharing his love for the music than Mr. Feinstein.”

- The New York Sun

“Feinstein demonstrates he’s not mainly a singer or musician or walking encyclopedia of American popular song. He is an entertainer, and a grand one at that.”

- Variety

This special concert, based on Michael Feinstein’s latest album, is a tribute to “Ol’ Blue Eyes” himself, Frank Sinatra. It focuses on songs written for Sinatra that were never recorded during his golden years at Capitol Records and is comprised of classics such as Fools Rush In, I’ve Got a Crush on You, At Last Love, Exactly Like You, and many more. Mr. Feinstein explains, “For years I’ve had the desire to celebrate Sinatra’s musical sensibilities, but I have no desire to copy the classic songs that he rendered better than anyone else. I wanted to create an album that would explore his style of singing and his style of music.”

More than a mere performer, Mr. Feinstein is also a music historian and curator. He is nationally recognized for his commitment to the American popular song, both celebrating its art and preserving its legacy for the next generation. Visit Michael Feinstein at: www.michaelfeinstein.com.

CONCERT INFO

Specials:
Wednesday, October 21, 8pm, Orpheum Theatre
The Sinatra Project with Michael Feinstein

Bill Elliott, conductor
Michael Feinstein, singer/piano
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra

Exactly Like You

There's a Small Hotel

Fools Rush In

The Song Is You

The Same Hello, the Same Goodbye

Begin the Beguine

I've Got a Crush on You

It’s All Right with Me

You Go to My Head

How Long Will It Last

All My Tomorrows/All the Way

At Long Last Love

Singer, pianist and passionate protector of the Great American Songbook, Michael Feinstein created The Sinatra Project as a tribute to arguable the greatest interpreter of that song book, Ol’ Blue Eyes himself. Not only a tribute to the Chairman of the Board, Feinstein pays homage to other greats of the post-war/pre-rock era, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney, Nat “King” Cole and others. You’ll hear classic tunes such as Begin the Beguine, Under My Skin, I’ve Got a Crush on You, Fools Rush In, and so many more great songs performed in Frank’s own unmistakable style.

Tickets: $25 - $78.50 (senior, student and subscriber discounts available)
Tickets available online at www.vancouversymphony.ca or by calling VSO customer service at 604.876.3434

BIOGRAPHIES

Bill Elliot, conductor

Bill Elliott is a composer and arranger whose songs have been prominently featured in many feature films and TV shows, including the HBO film INTRODUCING DOROTHY DANDRIDGE and the Disney Channel film ALLEY CATS STRIKE. Elliott began his career as a rock'n'roll piano player, touring and recording with such artists as Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Nicks, and many others, before finding his calling as a swingmeister while writing and arranging songs for the 1989 film DICK TRACY. The Swing Orchestra, formed in 1993, was an outgrowth of Elliott's continuing success in writing original, vintage-sounding swing music for film, television, and commercials. He has assembled many of L.A.'s hottest musicians for his mission of recreating the authentic fire and style of big bands at their peak in the late '30s. The band also features BILL'S LUCKY STARS, a vocal quartet who sing in the close-harmony style of the Pied Pipers and the Modernaires, and glamorous lead singer Cassie Miller in featured solos as well. Playing a dominant role in southern California's current swing revival, Elliott's band is a favorite among the young jitterbug and Lindy Hop dancers whose vibrant new counterculture has been growing rapidly. Elliott's music is in the style of the great swing bands of the late '30s and early '40s - as hard-swinging as they come, with an emphasis on colorful arrangements, sophisticated and light-hearted lyrics, and danceability.

Michael Feinstein, vocalist

Michael Feinstein started playing the piano by ear when he was five; he moved to Los Angeles when he was 20 and was introduced to the great lyricist Ira Gershwin by the widow of the legendary concert pianist-actor, Oscar Levant. Feinstein became Gershwin’s assistant for six years, archiving the extensive Gershwin works and gaining unprecedented access to numerous unpublished Gershwin songs, which he has since performed and recorded. After launching his own career he was spotted by Liza Minnelli who was so impressed with the young musician, she helped launch his career. Feinstein became a household name after his Broadway show, Isn’t It Romantic, which opened in 1986. Through his live performances, recordings, film and TV appearances and his song writing (in collaboration with Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Lindy Robbins and Carole Bayer Sager), he has become one of the premiere interpreters of American popular song. Visit Michael Feinstein at: www.michaelfeinstein.com