A new discovery

 JEFF MACAULEY

 IT WAS ME: THE LYRICS OF NORMAN GIMBEL

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Bistro Award winning singer Jeff Macauley brought his tribute to the lyrics of Norman Gimbel, IT WAS ME to Don't Tell Mama for one night only. Norman Gimbel won an Oscar for "It Goes Like It Goes" from NORMA RAE and, working with such composers as Charles Fox, Michel Legrand, David Shire and Antonio Carlos Jobim, wrote lyrics to such standards as Meditation, The Girl From Ipanema, I Will Wait For You, Let Go, Watch What Happens, I Will Follow Him, Killing Me Softly With His Song and Bluesette,  as well as the themes to Wonder Woman, Laverne & Shirley and Happy Days.  He also wrote two notorious Broadway flops,  WHOOP UP and THE CONQUERING HERO. Hearing the incredible range of this material in one programme certainly confirms Gimbel as one of the great lyricists of popular song.
Mr. Macauley is new to me and I must thank Jack Donahue for taking me along to see the performance.  I'm told Mr. Macauley hasn't done a show in NYC in many years and performs infrequently so it was a privilege to witness his direct, clear, witty and touching renditions interspersed with very funny career anecdotes. I'm now a devoted fan.

The glorious arrangements and piano playing were by the magnificent Tex Arthur (below), musical director for the late Margaret Whiting

and the bass player was John Burr who has accompanied everyone from Chet Baker to Rita Moreno.
 The glorious and ageless Julie Wilson was in attendance giving the evening her stamp of approval.