When Broadway Meets Swing Street
It’s amazing how many American jazz standards originated in Broadway shows. Judy Kurtz and Ed Polcer bring together the two genres in swingin’ fashion!
Musical comedy of the 1920’s and the 1930’s grew into the “musical play” of the 1940’s and the 1950’s, and eventually today’s modern musicals. Songs of the Broadway musical theater composed by Kern, Gershwin, Rodgers, Porter, Bernstein, Sondheim, etc. became standards in the Great American Songbook.
These songs became the foundation of the repertoire of the great jazz and swing musicians playing on New York’s West 52 nd Street (Swing Street). There were also instances where great jazz songs helped create musicals, such as “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and “One Mo’ Time”.
When show tunes merge with the world of swing, the results are exciting, sometimes mellow, often unusual, and always friendly to the ear.
Join Judy Kurtz and Ed Polcer on a musical stroll to that magical corner…WHERE BROADWAY MEETS SWING STREET!
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“Ed Polcer and his all stars swung into Colorado Springs leaving a SRO crowd in a swinging mood. All of these musicians are at ease establishing rapport with the audience. Selections ran the gamut of Broadway standards, swung in a jazz mode but still retaining their original flavor. .. Cornetist Polcer, along with vocalist Judy Kurtz and a hot quintet fulfilled all expectations. .. Judy ..continued .with. a rollicking version of “Them There Eyes”. Her delivery reflects ..a light jazz touch and ..cabaret style blending in nicely. “After You’ve Gone” closed out the set with the ..encore of “When You’re Smiling” – very apropos, reflecting the mood of the crowd.”
“Broadway tunes have always been a significant part of jazz repertory, and Kurtz and Polcer included a choice sampling of them on this album…Kurtz has had one foot in the world of musical theatre, and one in the pop/jazz field for many years, and this cross-pollination of styles results in knowing and effective renderings of her selections, with the jazzier side dominating in most cases… Polcer is a lyrical player and an effective complement to Kurtz’s vocals when the situation calls for it. This is an album that contains a consistently high level of musicianship, with all of the cats showing obvious respect and affection for the choice material that they are playing.”