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Michael Feinstein plays Fitton Center benefit

Michael Feinstein — American singer, a pianist, music revivalist, and an interpreter of, and anthropologist and archivist for, the repertoire known as the Great American Songbook — makes his ninth annual visit on Saturday, June 6, to perform in a fundraising concert for the Fitton Center for Creative Arts. Photo by Brown Studios Photography

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By Richard O Jones, Staff Writer 6:45 PM Saturday, May 30, 2009

HAMILTON — New York City crooner Michael Feinstein will make his ninth annual appearance at the Fitton Center for Creative Arts on Saturday, June 6, in a fundraising performance.

Feinstein, who was born in Columbus, has appeared with various combos in his annual visits to the Fitton Center, which have all been underwritten by recent Post-Corbett Award winners Ralph and Donna Carruthers. This time, he’ll be performing with a 17-piece band.

The format will allow him to perform material from his latest alubm, “The Sinatra Project,” as well as the many standards and contemporary jazz tunes in his repertoire.

“Sinatra considered himself, first and foremost, an interpreter of song, and his influence on other entertainers is incalculable,” Feinstein said in a news release. “He has become so thoroughly entrenched in the history of American popular song that it is impossible to open your mouth and sing without his influence being part of that.”

Feinstein said that in recording the project, he had no desire to copy Sinatra, but to put the Feinstein stamp on exploring material that the Chairman of the Board recorded.

“I wanted to create an album that would explore his style of singing and his style of music,” he said. “So, this album is not only a tribute to Sinatra, but also to his collaborators: to Nelson Riddle, and also to Billy May, Axel Stordahl and the dozens of other musicians with whom he worked through the years, from Count Basie to Quincy Jones, Don Costa, Skip Martin, Johnny Mandel, etc.”

Feinstein, who was a protege of the late Ira Gershwin, is the owner of the Manhattan nightclub Feinstein’s at the Regency, a showcase for cabaret performers where he frequently performs.

“We have become friends over the time that he has come,” Donna Carruthers said prior to last year’s visit. “His personality is great, which is one of the reasons people come back year after year to hear his music.”

The performance begins at 8 p.m. Tickets, priced at $100 and $150 each, are still available by calling (513) 863-8873. Admission includes a reception following the performance with Feinstein in the Carruthers Signature Ballroom.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2188 or rjones@coxohio.com.

How to go

WHAT: Michael Feinstein

WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday, June 6

WHERE: Fitton Center for Creative Arts, 101 S. Monument Ave., Hamilton

TICKETS: $100 and $150

INFO: (513) 863-8873

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