Jacobi’s in the Big Apple

…hello and welcome to Sunday Liner Notes.

Alright, it’s our last day in New York and I’m faced with a bit of a conundrum. Do I do my research and come up with the unexpected or take the easy road and feature the obvious.

Well, hello obvious. Although, featuring the classic showstopper, “New York, New York” does make some sense on several levels.

I’ll give you three reasons why there’s a method to my, less than creative, madness.

One, I’ve just spent a week in Gotham City.

Two, on Wednesday I saw the Broadway production of the musical featuring several new songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda and it’s fabulous.

And three, today marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of Sinatra’s passing.

The tune, written in 1977 as the title track to the Martin Scorsese film, was composed by John Kander and Fred Ebb and introduced in the movie by Liza Minnelli.

Fun fact, if the Yankees lost, they used to play Liza’s version and if they won it was Frank. Now it’s Sinatra regardless of the outcome.

“Start spreading the news.

I’m leaving today

I want to be a part of it New York, New York”

Yet another fun fact, Robert Di Nero didn’t like Ebbs original lyrics and asked Scorsese to have him do a rewrite.

“These vagabond shoes Are longing to stray

Right through the very heart of it

New York, New York”

As luck would have it, my son and I were in town 25 years ago when Frank died.

The next day after seeing David Wells toss a perfect game at the stadium we caught Toots Thielemans at the Blue Note.

The show began with Toots playing the opening of, “All The Way” then saying, “ I know he’s listening.”

Just another weekend in a city that never sleeps.

Enjoy