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Summary: Bobby Short's life was an adventure. It still is.
Review: Bobby Short, a quintessinal storyteller in song, is also capable of telling the story of his life in prose, in his own way, thank you very much. Like his show, it's delightful. Bobby began playing piano in local saloons, went on to entertain in roadhouses, bars, nightclubs, cabarets, always with his eye on the audience. And now the "saloon singer" has performed for almost three decades in the Cafe Carlyle, not exactly your typical saloon ambiance. He learned a lot along the way. First there's the talent. Then there's the inate sense of style, that sent a talented little boy in white tails, going off to make a living for his family by playing piano. He made a career for himself, honing his personal panache and learning from good and bad that came his way. The good included hearing jazz by the best, Art Tatum, Dorothy Donegal, Mabel Mercer, his idol, Duke Ellington. The bad was the bad all black performers knew in those days. Yet, he managed to meet and befriend the most sophisticated, talented, interesting people of every color. It all left its mark. Bobby Short today, still has his focus on his audience, catching and keeping the attention. That is the important thing. It might be the secret of his success as a legendary interpreter of the American songbook. -Elizabeth Ahlfors
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