PANGEA’S JANUARY HIGHLIGHTS
JAZZ & COUNTER-CULTURE ALL THE RAGE AT PANGEA IN JANUARY
JEREMY LAWRENCE, MARY FOSTER CONKLIN, RACHELLE GARNIEZ, SECRET VARIETY SOCIETY, AND CAROL LIPNIK AMONG THOSE SINGING SONGS OF PROTEST
Jeremy Lawrence, Rachelle Garniez, Mad Jenny, Mary Foster Conklin, Alexis Cole, Jon Erik Kellso, Austin Pendleton & Barbara Bleier, and Carol Lipnik are just a few of the diverse talents staging musical sit-ins at Downtown’s alternative supper-club Pangea this January.
In a bald reminder that our times bear a striking resemblance to Weimar Germany, Jeremy Lawrence launches a run of his Bistro Award-winning “Lavender Songs — A Queer Weimar Berlin Cabaret” on Inauguration Day itself. The noted translator, lyricist and performer trots out his flaming alter-ego Tante Fritzy — kabarettist extraordinaire – who kicks up a storm of risqué, bawdy and gender-bending material in monthly shows, Friday January 20; Saturday February 4; Saturday March 11, Saturday April 8, all at 7pm. English lyrics and additional material written and performed by Lawrence. Directed by Jason Jacobs, with Ariella Bohrod on piano. Music charge $20.
The multi-instrumental vocalist and storyteller Rachelle Garniez returns to Pangea for the second coming of her “Farewell Party,” a trippy tribute to the dearly departed icons of music who took their leave in 2016. These include Prince, David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Mose Allison, Leon Russell, Sharon King, Merle Haggard, Maurice White of Earth Wind & Fire, Paul Kantner of Jefferson Airplane, and recent party crasher George Michael. Garniez’s genre-straddling séances have been flooring Pangea audiences since the spring and helping to establish her as one of our favorite resident fortune-tellers. Say goodbye to 2016 one more time on Tuesday January 31, at 7pm. Cover is $20
Their’s is a friendship that withstands the test of performance. Austin Pendleton and Barbara Bleier pick up exactly where they left off with their friendly club act about their friendship, “Late Nights in Smoky Bars,” with this soon-to-be holiday perennial, “’Tis the Season to Be Morbid.” Yes, it’s up to us to help pull these seasoned troupers of the counter-culture up from out of the rubble and into a new Age of Aquarius. That’s right, it’s up to us… Austin and Barbara have already given it their best! Thursday January 5, at 7pm. Cover is $20.
From January 6 to 28 a full slate of jazz procured and produced by Ari Silverstein will go from sultry, to hot, to full-on inferno throughout the month. Here is the line-up:
Friday January 6
Champian Fulton (7pm), and Kelly Suttonfield & Christine Tobin (9:30pm).
Saturday January 7
Vicky Burns (7pm) and Aimee Allen (9:30pm) on.
Monday January 9
Two sets from the fleet-fingered and feathery-voiced Alexis Cole, showing us “The Magic of Disney Love Songs” (7pm & 9:30pm)
Thursday January 12
The Flying Tomboulians are a husband and wife duo from the Midwest who need little prompting to prove they mean it. One set only. (7:30pm)
Friday January 13
Internationally known horn player Jon Eric Kellso plays New Orleans jazz sweet and hot with a merry band of merimakers called the EarRegulars (9:30pm)
Wednesday January 18
Piano luminary Alex Leonard swings from the trees to declare his “L-O-V-E – A Tribute to Nat King Cole.” Leonard’s trio includes Al Gafa and Jay Leonhart. (7:30pm only!)
Saturday January 21
Conductor, composer and jazz pianist extraordinaire Russ Kassoff gives us two sets featuring vocalist Catherine Dupuis. A mix of original songs and standards. (7pm & 9:30pm)
Thursday January 26
The Bucky Pizzarelli Trio featuring Martin Pizzarelli on bass and Russ Kassoff on piano and the great Papa Pizzarelli on guitar (7pm)
Saturday January 28
Two sets, from the respected jazz vocalist and music feminist Mary Foster Conklin, in the premiere of her newest exploration of women songwriters, “I Don’t Want the Night to End… The Phoebe Snow Songbook.” With Tony Romano on guitar Gary Wang on bass (7pm & 9:30pm)
PANGEA PRESENTS
Pangea’s new monthly “The Secret Variety Society” is an evening of wild, weird and wonderful pleasures. Hand-picked to fit our comfy confines like a latex glove are these deliciously talented deviants who make up the ensemble: Singer Mad Jenny, piano banger Sabrina Chap, Magic Brian, comedy vaudevillian Matt Roper and contortionist Miss Ekaterina. Wednesday January 11 and Wednesday February 8, both at 7:30pm. Cover is $15.
ON-GOING
Carol Lipnik resumes her highly acclaimed and long-running residency on Sunday January 15. Her weekly shows with fellow songwriter Matt Kanelos on piano feature a parade of musical surprises from week to week, including special guests, new material and old heirlooms plucked from the attic. The singing sorceress Carol Lipnik takes flight with Matt on Sundays — January 15, 22, 29, February 5, etc., all at 7pm. Cover is $15.
QUICK HITS
Rembert Block’s Joni Mitchell tribute, “On a Lonely Road: Travelin with Joni” winds its way back to Pangea on Friday January 27 at 7pm. Cover $20.
There is a $20 food and drink minimum for all shows. To purchase tickets online visit www.pangeanyc.com , or for info call 212/995-0900. Pangea is located at 178 Second Avenue (between 11th & 12th Streets).
East Village hideaway Pangea fuses uptown sophistication with downtown experimentation to create an artistic environment all its own. The one-of-a-kind restaurant-bar and cabaret features a deliciously priced Italian-Mediterranean menu.
