Playlist For Sunday, May 1, 2022: Ode To Morse

Things NOT to celebrate:

1.) Waking up to snow in April (and possibly May)

2.) Taxes (and death)

6.) Unripe avocados

112.) Robert Morse splitting this realm

z.) Ben & Jerry STILL haven't brought back Wavy Gravy! 

 

Things TO celebrate:

1.) Waking up at all

2.) Patience (to wait for the avocados to "come around")

d.) Movies, songs, and videos of Robert Morse, gap-toothed and impish grinned, to fill the void.

 XIII.) Broadway (you knew I was going to say that, right?)

C.) Jazz 90.1's Spring Pledge ends successfully??? 

So that last item isn't quite a done deal yet, but all appendages are crossed that by this coming Friday (4/29/22), Jazz 90.1 will have enough moola to make it/shake it/bake it for another 6 months. So that we can keep the music wafting your way!

But yeah. Snow, avocados that could sub in for cannon balls, taxes (and death)...whatcha gonna do? It's life, right? All we can hope for is HOPE and resilience and (You Gotta Have) Heart...which reminds me, one of our themes for this edition of 2 On The Aisle is the music of Lorenz Hart, whose birthday is May 2nd. Plus Carol Burnett turned 89 on April 26th, so we get to celebrate THAT. See, it ain't all doom and gloom! There's figurative birthday cake in our future.

 

Although we can definitely be mopey about Robert Morse. What a zippy guy. Always loved his energy and style! It was so good to see him do that final episode soft shoe in Mad Men...did he argue for that or were the powers that be smart enough to say "we can't let this guy go without a song and dance!" Hopefully the latter. So part of this Sunday's program will be "Ode To Morse", which is code (hah!) for How To Succeed, So Long 174th Street, and Sugar.

 

More I cannot write you. Time is a'wastin', and I probably have to go out and plow. See ya on Sunday, kiddos.

 

 

The Best Things In Life Are Free (Robert Morse, Mad Men)

How To (Robert Morse, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying)

The Company Way (Robert Morse, Sammy Smith, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying)

I Believe In You (Robert Morse, Bonnie Scott, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying)

Happily Ever After (Carol Burnett, Once Upon A Mattress)

Call Me Savage (Carol Burnett, Fade Out - Fade In)

Little Girls (Carol Burnett, Annie)

Zip (Jo Ann Greer, Pal Joey)

Plant You Now, Dig You Later (Jack Durant, June Havoc, Pal Joey)

That Terrific Rainbow (June Havoc, Pal Joey)

My Own Morning (Leslie Uggams, Hallelujah, Baby!)

Feet Do Yo' Stuff (Winston Dewitt Hemsley, Leslie Uggams, Hallelujah, Baby!)

I Don't Know Where She Got It (Marilyn Cooper, Hallelujah, Baby!)

David Kolowitz, The Actor (Robert Morse, Ensemble, So Long, 174th Street)

Nine O'Clock (Robert Morse, Take Me Along)

Bolero On Rye (Robert Morse, Sydney Blake, Gene Varrone, So Long, 174th Street)

A Million Windows (Ann Hampton Callaway, The Shoe String Revue)

A Million Dreams (Ziv Zaifman, Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, The Greatest Showman)

A Million Miles Away (Anita Gordon, Paint Your Wagon)

Je Cherche Un Millionnaire (Mistinguette)

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? (Frank Sinatra, Celeste Holm, High Society)

A Hundred Million Miracles (Miyoshi Umeki, Flower Drum Song)

Ev'ry Sunday Afternoon (Vivienne Segal, A Connecticut Yankee)

Bewitched, Bothered, And Bewildered (Marin Mazzie, Pal Joey)

You Took Advantage Of Me (Elaine Stritch, On Your Toes)

Way Out West (Judy Kaye, Babes In Arms)

It Never Entered My Mind (Shirley Ross, Higher And Higher)

The Lady Is A Tramp (Lena Horne, Babes In Arms)

Penniless Bums (Tony Roberts, Robert Morse, Sugar)

The Beauty That Drives Men Mad (Tony Roberts, Robert Morse, Sugar)

Brotherhood Of Man (Robert Morse, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying)

 

Playlist for Sunday, April 24, 2022: Drop That Name (and turn off that burner!)

 You know, I burned 2 pots this past week. If you ever hear about a 3 alarm fire out west of Hilton, you'll know who set it. My problem is I start heating something up on the stove, and walk out of the room. I get embroiled in a playlist or play dress up or start visiting my facebook/youtube "friends", and suddenly I smell something embroiling itself in my kitchen. "Doesn't your smoke alarm alert you?" you ask. Well, it would if I took it out of its drawer and put batteries in it and hung it on the wall, but 1.) it's ugly, c.) it would always be going off, the way I COOK, and 9.) it's still ugly. 

 

Not mine.

 So it was smokey. 

Meanwhile, it was also Easter and Passover, and I had an oil change, a haircut, it effing SNOWED, I did not get to bike, and my therapist left for spring break. Fun week. 

How are YOU?

But this'll be a good show: It's all based on Harry, if you want to know. Which is weird because the only Harry I know is the Connick Jr. kind. I know NO Harry's personally. But on Broadway? There's the Tom, Dick and _____ variety and from The Full Monty there's Life with _____well, not Harry but Harold. And then Listener John from Pittsford sent me Allan Sherman's Ballad of Harry Lewis. There you go! The first set of the "Drop That Name" Edition. 

 

We'll have Mary and Maria, James and Jimmy, Rose (of course) and Joe. And then the eccentric tribe will show up, with Dulcinea and Cassandra and Ariadne. This playlist could have gone on for about 87 more songs, because Broadway (and Hollywood) loves name songs, but "brevity is the soul of wit" and "always leave 'em wanting more" are my mantras. Sure. 

But have a wonderful week, which reminds me: THIS WEEK is the last week of Jazz90.1's Spring Pledge Drive. I know, I keep nagging you about this. If you've already donated a buncha dough, thank you on bended knee. You're the Man! BUT if you have yet to toss a few nickels in the Jazz "piggy bank", you are NOT the Man. I'm sure you're a "wonderful guy" as Mary Martin washed/rinsed/and repeated in South Pacific, but come on! Like Brigadoon, Jazz 90.1 (and all of its cool programming) could go POOF, evaporate, and become a mere pleasant memory, lost to the Radio Ether. Manned by 30 or so volunteers, supported by myriad listeners for 48 years...this station deserves to go on and on and on, thumbing its nose at the other side of the dial. Your donation assures that it does.

So this week, I'll try not to burn stuff. And I'll look for a real live Harry. See ya Sunday!

Great donation, Ginger!

Drop That Name (Judy Holliday, Bells Are Ringing)

Mary's A Grand Old Name (Jimmy Cagney, Sally Sweetland, Yankee Doodle Dandy)

Little Mary Sunshine (Eileen Brennan, Little Mary Sunshine)

Building A Nest For Mary (The Captivators, Red Nichols on vocal)

Bloody Mary (Ensemble, South Pacific)

Sit Down, John (William Daniels, Ensemble, 1776)

Johnny One Note (Judy Garland, Words And Music)

Johnny Guitar (Peggy Lee)

Dulcinea (Brian Stokes Mitchell, Man Of La Mancha)

Rosemary (Robert Morse, Bonnie Scott, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying)

Melinda (John Cullum, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever)

Tom, Dick, Or Harry (Ann Miller, Tommy Rall, Bob Fosse, Bobby Van, Kiss Me Kate)

The Ballad Of Harry Lewis (Allan Sherman, My Son, The Folk Singer)

Life With Harold (Emily Skinner, The Full Monty)

They Call The Wind Mariah (Ensemble, Paint Your Wagon)

Cassandra (Betty Buckley, Story Songs)

Dawn (Go Away)(John Lloyd Young, Ensemble, Jersey Boys)

Maria (Larry Kert, West Side Story)

Ariadne (Nathan Lane, Roger Bart, The Frogs)

Roxie (Renee Zellwegger, Chicago)

Bill (Annette Warren, Show Boat)

Jimmy (Julie Andrews, Thoroughly Modern Millie)

Joey, Joey, Joey (Leslie Odom, Jr.)

My Name Is James (Paul Terry, James And The Giant Peach)

Lida Rose/Will I Ever Tell Him (The Buffalo Bills Quartet, Barbara Cook, The Music Man)

Second Hand Rose (Fanny Brice)

I Won't Send Roses (Robert Preston, Mack And Mabel)

Spanish Rose (Chita Rivera, Bye Bye Birdie)

Legalize My Name (Pearl Bailey, St. Louis Woman)

My Name (Danny Sewell, Oliver!)

Miss What's Her Name (Debbie Gravitte, Miss Spectacular)

His Name Is Lancelot (Christian Borle, Hank Azaria, Spamalot)

 

 

Playlist For Sunday, April 17, 2022: It's Eggs!

This Sunday is Easter...soooooo will you really want Broadway playing in the background while you chow down on chocolate bunnies or slice and serve that ham and scallop potato "festa"? Ditto those Passover gatherings? I don't expect you to drop those holiday "baskets" and family events to tune in 2 On The Aisle...but IF you wanna bit of Judy and The Easter Parade and April Showers to serenade you, amidst all the foo-fah-rah, then I'll be LIVE for ya (and attacking my own basket of jelly beans and Cadbury's) on Sunday.

 

By the way, thanks to all who a.) put up with my lame opening last Sunday, when I succeeded in pushing several wrong buttons and messing up any hope at being a seen as a professional radio "host", and b.) continued to listen nonetheless, and c.) actually made donations to Jazz 90.1! I got calls, I got online contributions, annnnnd I got matching donations as well, so huzzahs to all who helped make my day!

 

Me, after I get a donation!

 

And this coming Sunday, we'll be offering that matching opportunity again...2 more hours in which you can give for instance $50 and have it miraculously turned into $100, thanks to some lovely and wonderful 2 On The Aisle and Jazz90.1 fans. Whether you choose to call (and face the music with me) or go online (Jazz901.org), it will all be DOUBLED in size. And size (often) counts! :) 

 

My daughter and I created Easter bonnets back in the day...

to wear (of course) in The Easter Parade!

 

Meanwhile, that Easter serenade will include: Brigadoon, Urinetown, Patti LuPone (her birthday's around the corner), Thoroughly Modern Millie, Fred, Ann, Barbara, and much Judy Judy Judy. Listen in and together we'll raise dough, put all our "eggs" in one basket (or scrambled in one skillet), and chomp on that chocolate! See you then...

Thoroughly Modern Millie (Sutton Foster,  Thoroughly Modern Millie)

We're A Couple Of Swells (Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Easter Parade)

Mr. Monotony (Judy Garland, Easter Parade)

Easter Parade (Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Easter Parade)

April Showers (Al Jolson, Bombo/The Jolson Story)

April Snow (Barbara Cook, Up In Central Park)

Little April Shower (Ensemble, Bambi)

April In Paris (Doris Day, Walk A Little Faster/April In Paris)

Once In The Highland/Brigadoon (Ensemble, Brigadoon)

I'll Go Home With Bonnie Jean (John Gustafson, Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, Brigadoon)

Almost Like Being In Love (Gene Kelly, Brigadoon)

Little Green Snake (Jackie Gleason, Take Me Along)

Green Finch And Linnet Bird (Sarah Rice, Sweeney Todd)

The Grass Is Always Greener (Lauren Bacall, Marilyn Cooper, Woman Of The Year)

Long As I'm Here With You (Sheryl Lee Ralph, Thoroughly Modern Millie)

Forget About The Boy (Sutton Foster, Thoroughly Modern Millie)

Meadowlark (Patti LuPone, The Baker's Wife/Don't Monkey With Broadway)

Millworker (Patti LuPone, Working/Don't Monkey With Broadway)

Beauty In The World (Patti LuPone, Christine Ebersole, War Paint)

I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket (Fred Astaire, Follow The Fleet)

It's Eggs! (Ensemble, Something Rotten!)

Eggs And Sausage (Tom Waits, Bounced Checks)

Don't Be The Bunny (John Cullum, Urinetown)

Alone Together (Judy Garland, Judy At Carnegie Hall)

You're Nearer (Judy Garland, Judy At Carnegie Hall)

After You've Gone (Judy Garland, Judy At Carnegie Hall)

Shaking The Blues Away (Ann Miller, Easter Parade)

Vaudeville Medley (Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Easter Parade) 

Steppin' Out With My Baby (Fred Astaire, Easter Parade)

Easter Parade (Leo Reisman's Orchestra, with Clifton Webb on vocals)

Playlist for Sunday, April 10, 2022: Time to Kneel On Rice!

I'm back from a lovely long weekend in Philly...where I saw a production of Waitress (at the Miller Theatre, national touring company, Act 1 was better than Act 2, but ain't that often the case?), shopped for mind-blowing shoes and VINTAGE, ate french toast and farfalle (not in the same meal), drank espresso martinis, walked A TON, and then came home to Upstate NY and Gruel. 

 

VS

 

 

BUT also 2OTA...and Pledge Driving! Yup, it's that time of year again and I get to:

a.) Co-host with the infamous Otto Bruno at noon, and...

b.) Twist your arms,yank your heart strings, and in general exhort you to contribute to those Jazz90.1 coffers, so we can stay alive and noisy and on the air with great music.

So expect superior block buster musicals along with all the begging. I promise to keep said begging short and sweet, pithy if not poignant, and damn motivating. Don't switch off or "turn that dial", stick around for personal stories (the tale of my one Broadway show "call back"), tantalizing thank you gift offers, and (with Otto) acerbic banter! 

 

 

ANNNNNND the best part: Two very generous listeners have made a matching gift offer for all pledges up to $1000, to take place during this Sunday's 2OTA! So to be clear, that means your donation of $90.10 (that's the member level, of course) will be worth $180.20! Huzzah! You can call during that 3-5pm time OR donate online; either way, it will be matched and you'll have successfully doubled your dough. And everyone will like you twice as much. :))))) Well, at least I WILL.

 

So we can be "in the money!"

Wilkommen (Joel Grey, Cabaret)

Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin' (Gordon, MacRae, Oklahoma)

A Wonderful Day Like Today (Cyril Ritchard, The Roar Of The Greasepaint, The Smell Of The Crowd)

On A Clear Day (You Can See Forever)(John Cullum, On A Clear Day)

A Bushel And A Peck (Vivian Blaine, Ensemble, Guys And Dolls)

If I Were A Bell (Isabel Bigley, Guys And Dolls)

Guys And Dolls (Stubby Kaye, Johnny Silver, Guys And Dolls)

It's Hot In Here (Lauren Molina, Desperate Measures)

Stop There (Peter Saide, Desperate Measures)

In The Dark (Company, Desperate Measures)

I'm The First Girl In The Second Row (Nancy Walker, Look Ma, I'm Dancin'!)

Look Ma, I'm Dancin'! (Harold Lang, Look Ma, I'm Dancin'!)

I Hope I Get It (Company, A Chorus Line)

Maybe This Time (Liza Minnelli, Cabaret)

Money, Money (Joel Grey, Liza Minnelli, Cabaret)

Cabaret (Liza Minnelli, Cabaret)

If They Could See Me Now (Gwen Verdon, Sweet Charity)

Big Spender (Ensemble, Sweet Charity)

The Schuyler Sisters (Renee Elise Goldsberry, Phillipa Soo, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Leslie Odom Jr., Hamilton)

Waving Through A Window (Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen)

Ex-Wives (Adrianna Hicks, Ensemble, Six)

Welcome to The Renaissance (Michael James Scott, Ensemble, Something Rotten!)

Something Rotten/Make An Omelette (Brian d'Arcy James, Company, Something Rotten!)

Dancing (Charles Nelson Reilly, Carol Channing, Eileen Brennan, Jerry Dodge, Sondra Lee, Hello, Dolly!)

Ribbons Down My Back (Eileen Brennan, Hello, Dolly!)

Put On Your Sunday Clothes (Carol Channing, Ensemble, Hello, Dolly!)