New York Cabaret's Best 2010

I'm just one reporter and can't see everything out there, but I do see plenty of shows and many guest appearances in benefits and awards shows. So, it is difficult to come up with a short list of the "best" in New York cabaret in a year. Nevertheless, the following folks made an impact on me and I urge you to check them out if you see their names playing anywhere in the new year.

Note: this list is alphabetical, not a ranking.

1. Michael Feinstein

The hardest-working guy in all of showbiz started the year riding high on the Billboard Jazz Chart with his "Power of One" recording with Cheyenne Jackson and ended the year with his solo recording, the stunning "Fly Me to the Moon," featuring guitarist Joe Negri. In between, he continued with his own nightclub appearances, both duet and solo, and gave us the highly regarded three-part series "The Great American Songbook" on PBS. Yes, his Broadway show with Dame Edna, "All About Me," was a flop, but at least he got there. Undeterred, as of this writing, I hear he's getting ready to workshop his own musical.

2. Terese Genecco

This was the first full year of her monthly shows at Iridium, which put her in the record books as the longest-running nightclub act on Broadway. She also keeps quite busy on the west coast. Genecco recorded a single, "When I Was a Boy," and made appearances all over town in benefits and in support of her fellow performers. Her show, with her Little Big Band, is about the best entertainment you'll find anywhere-for now, last Tuesdays of the month.

3. Billy Hough

With a voice somewhere between Billy Idol and Billy Squier, Billy Hough is the cabaret act that is decidedly not for the blue-haired set. Best known for his "Scream Along with Billy" album and also a regular pianist in Provincetown, the punk-influenced Hough is instantly memorable, whether performing his own songs or covering someone else's. As a monologist, taking on sex, drugs and the day's news with equal irreverence-all while still playing the piano-he cements his status as an original and is really what cabaret was meant to be back in the days of Berlin: edgy. The Boston native plays regularly at Joe's Pub.

4. Joan Jaffe

The veteran actress put her acclaimed show "Joan Jaffe Sings Funny" to a recording. Picking comical gems both old and new-and often rare-Jaffe brought delightful delivery to both the live show and the CD.

5. Elliot Kreloff

The newcomer on my list, this award-winning illustrator waited to turn sixty to realize his dream of putting together his first cabaret show, but it was a triumph. Really more of a one-man theater piece, "Sixty Years in Sixty Minutes: Everything Goes" is a remarkable coming of age journey of a gay man who uniquely experienced the decades from the 1950s to the current day. Although his voice is occasionally taxed by the difficult Broadway material, the songs and tales go from hilarious to heartbreaking and Kreloff's love of life is always evident. And more like seventy-five minutes, but who's counting?

6. Jesse Luttrell

The long-legged, raven-haired Luttrell brought "Bawdy," a successful monthly revue-both old school and naughty-to the Triad. He always had a lineup of unusual and talented guests. And Luttrell himself made a great host, singer and dancer.

7. Joseph Macchia

One of the hardest-working guys in the clubs, Macchia is the sardonic co-host of "QTalk." What you may not know is that he is behind the scenes helping to keep the Metropolitan Room running. Most importantly, he produces and hosts monthly benefits (often featuring Broadway casts) for his pet charity, Help is on the Way Today (which he co-founded). So far, thousands of dollars have been raised for children suffering from HIV and AIDS.

8. Marilyn Maye

The saucy grande dame of cabaret continues her upward career trajectory at the mere age of 82. With extended, sold-out runs at the Metropolitan Room in the spring and fall, by popular demand, she even came back in December. Why isn't the national news picking up this story? Favorite Maye moment: While singing a ballad, during the instrumental break she stepped into the audience and put her hand over a young man's hand as he tried to discreetly text a message. "Put that away," she said with killer kindness. "You miss a lot of life that way." She went back to the stage to thunderous applause and jumped right back into the song without missing a beat.

9. Angie McKnight

As the only female host of "QTalk," the gorgeous McKnight often has her male cohorts playing catch-up to her well-timed witty and good-natured comments. She also had a successful tribute to Cher show at Don't Tell Mama. Of course, she looks and sounds nothing like Cher, but that was part of the fun-kind of like Cher by way of Lucille Ball, complete with gaudy costumes and slapstick antics. But just when you think you'll never stop laughing, in the blink of an eye, she transitions into one of her own ballads. Within moments, you are crying in your beer.

10. Metrostar Challenge

Let's hope this becomes a long-running summer event at the Metropolitan Room. Singers of all ages and styles compete in this 8-week contest, which combines votes from judges and audience. Weekly critics Roy Sander and Rob Lester offer informative advice and commentary along with celebrity guest judges. It has served as a remarkable platform for the finalists, many of whom are going on to bigger and better things: Liz Lark Brown, Carole J. Bufford, Danielle Grabianowski, and others. At the head of the class? Season One winner Anne Steele, who released her "Strings Attached" (PS Classics) CD to great acclaim and raked in the triple crown of Nightlife, Bistro and MAC Awards earlier in the year. I can hardly wait to see 2010 Season Three finalists this winter.

11. Todd Murray

The new leading man of cabaret, the handsome baritone has expert musical chops, taste and complete ease on the stage. Murray's show "Croon" was everything a cabaret act should be: so entertaining that you almost forget that you walk out of it having learned a few things as well.

12. Keli O’Hara

Of the all the wonderful top drawer talent I had the privilege of seeing this year, I'd be remiss if I didn't include Broadway star O'Hara, who seemed to effortlessly make the transition from the Broadway stage to the intimate cabaret stage, with runs at Caf� Carlyle and Feinstein's. Up close, she is every bit as winning and personable as she is on the big stage.

13. Johnny Rodgers

13. This young, dynamic jazz singer (with more than a touch of soul and blues) is a complete showman, whether at the piano or standing in front of the mic. After picking up a Nightlife Award, he toured and had a run last spring at the Oak Room. Up and up he goes!

14. Franca Vercelloni

A regular player at piano bars, Vercelloni is equally adept at show, pop and classical tunes-or even her own quirky compositions. She took her one-woman show, "Classically Trained, Practically Broke" to the clubs and then to an extended, full-capacity run at the New York Fringe Festival. Along the way, she showed herself to be a talented actress as well.

15. Terri White

After twenty years, this veteran performer made a remarkable and highly publicized Broadway comeback in "Finian's Rainbow" in 2009, after being nearly homeless the year before that. In 2010, she followed that up with a turn as Mama Morton in "Chicago" and a return to nightclubs with a show at Feinstein's. For those of us who knew White during her piano bar days, her talent was never in doubt. But the way she weaved her rags-to-riches-to-rags-to-riches tale into her new show was nothing less than transcendent-she bared her heart and soul in song and gave hope to all who had the privilege of seeing her transformation.

Honorable mention :: Sean Harkness

I must give an Honorable Mention to Sean Harkness. A Windham Hill recording artist in his own right, he has become the go-to guitarist in town. It seems every time I enter a club, there he is. It's not unusual for him to have two or three gigs a day. And why not? He's that good and one of the nice guys in the biz, to boot!

And that's the way it was in 2010. Hope to see you all filling our clubs for what will likely be another great year in 2011.