It's no coincidence that the new Off-Broadway revue, Going Bacharach: The Songs of an Icon, opens with "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me." Given the fact that the hit-song was written in 1963 and reinterpreted by the synth group Naked Eyes twenty years later speaks to the ageless quality and always hip style of its' creators: composer Burt Bacharach and lyricist Hal David. The pair dominated Billboard charts beginning in the 1950s and even now, years after their passing, the pair's stamp on contemporary music is ubiquitous.
Will Friedwald, Adrian Galante, Tedd Firth and Jack Lewin created the project with conception credit going to Lewin. Tony award winner David Zippel directs a cast featuring Galante (who also serves as arranger, orchestrator, and musical supervisor). Galante is a musical phenomenon who infuses new life into the familiar material. With fellow cast members Hilary Kole, John Pagano, and Ta-Tynisa Wilson, Galante occasionally steps away from his piano and accompanies them on clarinet. He's equally as skilled on that instrument.
The quartet delivers the sophisticated and often musically challenging material with smooth dexterity and audiences of all ages will recognize songs including, "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head", "Close to You", "That's What Friends Are For", and "I'll Never Fall in Love Again", but the show also highlights some of the pair's lesser known works like the haunting "Windows of the World", which speaks of a war-torn world. Sadly, the 1967 song is painfully timely today:
"The windows of the world are covered with rain/ What is the whole world coming to? /Everybody knows when men cannot be friends Their quarrel often ends where some have to die Let the sun shine through."
Pagano is a real vocal stand-out, who worked directly with Bacharach for 26 years. His soulful tenor voice shines, particularly in "The Look of Love" and the devastating "God Give Me Strength."
Going Bacharach could benefit from a bit of editing and tightening. At nearly two hours, even die-hard fans become a bit antsy. Still, it's a delightful evening of tunes that will leave you humming days after leaving the theatre.
Going Bacharach: The Songs of an Icon runs through February 22nd at The Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater 10 West 64th Street – between Broadway & Central Park West. For tickets and information, click here : goingbacharach.com.
No comments yet