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Singer-pianist Michael Feinstein, known as The Ambassador of the Great American Songbook, has probably done more than any other musician to keep American musical standards alive. This dedicated -- and thoroughly talented -- performer arrives at Westport Playhouse on March 12, as the star of a benefit show for Bridgeport-based Neighborhood Studios of Fairfield County, a non-profit school for the arts.A five-time Grammy award winner, Feinstein has performed everywhere from the White House to Buckingham Palace. In 2003, he produced and hosted a PBS special which charted the history of this country's popular music.
In addition to a schedule that has him performing 150 concerts a year, Feinstein's involvement with musical preservation is the focus of a foundation he created. He is also a member of the Library of Congress's National Recording Preservation Board and has signed on as artistic director of the Center for the Performing Arts, a new cluster of theaters in Indiana opening this year. They will be the home of a first-ever Great American Songbook festival, live concerts and programs. Feinstein's own collection of rare memorabilia and manuscripts from the 1920s to 1960s will also be housed there.And, of course, seeing him in person, means experiencing the deep, lyrical feeling he brings to songs. A December, 2010 NY Times review of his cabaret show describes that magical infusion. "... the voice and piano became one, the sheer beauty of the sound transporting you into a dream beyond the holidays." Sign up for this romantic evening with Michael Feinstein at Westport Playhouse. The good feeling includes knowing you're also helping Neighborhood Studios. His performance begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $75-$250. For more information, visit the Playhouse's website.
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