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MARK NADLER’S “AN EVENING WITH ERVIN DRAKE- IT WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR” AT FLUSHING TOWN HALL ON NOVEMBER 10, 2006 AS PART OF THE BROADWAY CAFÉ SERIES.

Mark Nadler ( http://www.MarkNadler.com ) is an entertainment phenomenon. You have seen him over the years in his Hootenannies at Sardis, with KT Sullivan at The Algonquin, wowing ‘em at The Cabaret Conventions and even at Carnegie Hall. Now this multi-talented performer is serving as the producer, musical director and host for the Broadway Café Series at Flushing Town Hall. Mark gave a special show on October 13 to celebrate his birthday and also to preview the three shows in this season’s series with guest artists Lumiri Tubo, Barbara Brussell and Ervin Drake performing one song each.

Last night the first of the this years Broadway Café Series began with, “An Evening with Ervin Drake – It Was A Very Good Year.” It was an evening not to be missed! What is better than hearing the great composers actually talk about their lives, how and when they wrote their great hits, and then actually singing them? The 92^nd Street Y Lyrics and Lyricists series began this way, but there are not many of the greats of that era left and now most of the programs are not about living composers.

Ervin Drake, Composer and lyricist, is now a very youthful 87, having been born in NYC on April 3, 1919. He has had a very varied career, including extensive work as a producer in television (700 prime time network programs and 40 specials) and significant activism on behalf of songwriters when he served as President of the Songwriters’ Guild of America from 1973 to 1982.

I am lucky to call Ervin and his wife Edith Drake my friends and have been to many evenings and tributes dedicated to him. He even performed several programs for me at The NY Sheet Music Society over the years. But last night was particularly special because Ervin was not at the piano playing his songs, but beautifully accompanied by Mark Nadler. Even though he is a high-energy performer and pianist extraordinaire, when Mark accompanies singers he allows them to shine through and doesn’t draw attention to himself. That is very extraordinary indeed!

Being accompanied by Mark and not having to sit at the piano allowed Ervin to concentrate on singing his own songs and talking about his life. Despite being burdened with a cold, he was in strong voice and his witty and articulate self. The evening began with a very dapper Mark Nadler introducing the equally dapper Ervin Drake to the stage. Ervin sat on a stool with a music stand in front of him and began to sing the first few phrases of “It Was a Very Good Year” which he interwove throughout the evening. This was his biggest hit and composed for The Kingston Trio and became a world-wide hit for Frank Sinatra in 1966. In 2002, a recording by Robbie Williams sold eight million CDs and in 2004 it was recorded in a duet by Ray Charles and Willy Nelson. Later on in the show, a screen dropped down and we saw a clip of Frank Sinatra’s actual recording session.

Ervin said that he began writing songs at age 12 and his first success came in 1942 when he wrote the English lyric to Tico Tico, a popular Brazilian instrumental by Zequinha Abreu. He sang this fun song for us and I could see the audience enjoying the Latin beat. After that success, Warner Brothers asked him to write lyrics for two Italian songs, Al Di La and Quando, Quando, Quando.

In 1944 he wrote words to Juan Tizol’s instrumental “Perdido” and at that point the wonderful Lumiri Tubo came out in a dazzling white gown trimmed with fur to do the best rendition of that song I have ever heard. Lumiri sings with great ease and the program states that “she is best known for her honest and pure emotional interpretations and vocal skill.” That says it all.

In 1946 Ervin wrote one of his best known songs first recorded by Billie Holiday “Good Morning Heartache” with Irene Higginbotham and Dan Fisher. He wrote it after “being dumped” by a young woman that he had been going with for three years. They met when she was in high school and he was in college. As happens in life, the young woman went on to become a model and showgirl and they each went their separate ways, getting married and having families. The woman’s husband had passed away and a few years later she read that Ervin’s wife had died and decided to phone him to offer her condolences. When he picked up the phone, he recognized her voice immediately and said “Hello, Edith.” It was like the years had melted away and all that time they had lived only a mile from each other. They have been together ever since and will be married 24 years on November 19.

Lumiri sang a lovely medley of “I Believe” with “One God” and Ervin joined in at the end. “One God” was recorded by Barbara Streisand in her 2003 Christmas album and said that she loved the song since her childhood but was waiting for the right time to record it.

For Broadway, Ervin wrote the lyrics and music to ”What Makes Sammy Run” starring Steve Lawrence and sang the hit song from that show “A Room Without Windows.” Another hit from the show was sung as a duet by Mark and Lumiri – “The Friendliest Thing.” Ervin also wrote the book, music & lyrics for “Her First Roman” based on George Bernard Shaw’s play “Caesar And Cleopatra.” I saw a very good revival of the show at the York’s Mufti series a while back. Mark sang “ Evil Companions” with his usual verve and great comic touch and then Ervin and Mark sang the duet “Dangerous Age” which was a total delight. Ervin said that his favorite ballad from this show is “Just For Today” which was very moving when he sang it for us

One of the most memorable moments was hearing Ervin sing the lovely ballad “The Father of Girls” and talk about his two beautiful daughters. Ervin has used his song writing talents throughout his career to stand up for his beliefs. In 1945 he wrote a song about bias and Lumiri sang “No Restricted Signs in Heaven” and then Ervin sang the very political “ Liberal Song.”

The evening was a total joy from beginning to end and Ervin received a well-deserved standing ovation. I know that Mark was thrilled to be able to honor Ervin Drake in this manner and Lumiri sang his songs to perfection. I was glad to see that the show was being videotaped because it was a special one of a kind performance and should be preserved. Kudos to Ervin Drake, Mark Nadler and Lumiri Tubo!

The next two Programs with Mark Nadler: Barbara Brussell in Almost Like Being In Love – The Music of Alan Jay Lerner on Friday, March 9, 2007 at 8:00PM and Sandra Reaves-Phillips – The Songs of Kander & Ebb on Friday, April 13, 2007. For more information: http://www.flushingtownhall.org – box office: (718) 463-7700 x222. Tickets are $25 for members/$35 for non-members.

The program was made possible by arrangement with

AAAArtists International, Ltd. Arthur Shafman International Ltd.

Phone: 212 799-4814

E-mail: ashafman@aol.com http://www.arhurshafman.com

Linda Amiel Burns

Director of The Singing Experience, popular cabaret performance workshops since 1977 and featured on CBS Sunday Morning. Linda has written, booked and directed over 400 cabaret acts, has a Cable TV Show on MNN and RCN, and President Of The New York Sheet Music Society ( http://www.NYSMS.org.)