2/10/20 O&A NYC BLACK HISTORY MONTH MORNING FUNNIES: Sammy Davis Junior Impersonates His Peers

A spectacular example of Sammy Davis at his best. Here doing remarkable impressions of Rat Pack friends Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra, as well as others. Continue reading

8/6/17 O&A NYC SUNDAY AFTERNOON JAZZ CONCERT: Frank Sinatra-Count Basie (1965)

Frank Sinatra with Count Basie and his Orchestra headline the Hollywood Palace, October 1965. The special aired  about a month before his A Man and His Music special and has been forgotten. Continue reading

6/7/17 O&A NYC WaleStylez HIP HOP WEDNESDAY: Logic- Young Sinatra III

Rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer Sir Robert Bryson Hall II known to the public by his stage name Logic. Despite being a hip-hop artist, Logic cites Frank Sinatra as his main inspiration. Continue reading

7/29/16 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Mikhail Baryshnikov In Twyla Tharp’s One For My Baby

Shall We Dance
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Mikhail Baryshnikov pays tribute to one of his idols, Maya Plisketskaya at the American-Soviet Cultural Exchange Festival: Hommage A Plisetskaya (1988). He performs Twyla Tharp’s One For My Baby sung by Frank Sinatra written by Johnny Mercer & Harold Arlen. Continue reading

2/19/16 O&A NYC THEATRE: Maurice Hines- Tappin Thru Life

By Walter Rutledge

Shall We Dancetappin_thru_life_a_lMaurice Hines presents Tappin Thru Life, at the New World Stages (340 West 50th Street), an entertaining mix of song, and dance peppered with Hines winning blend of tongue in cheek comedic realism. The evening chronicled his career in show business, which spans over six decades (beginning at age five). Septuagenarian (plus two) Hines charmed and cajoled the audience with unabashed panache, creating a clap along good time from beginning to end. Through a series of autobiographical anecdotes accompanied by song, dance and a mosaic/collage of multiple projected images Hines reveals a life spent “walkin the walk” or in Hines case “tappin thru life”.

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6/13/15 O&A Its Saturday- Anything Goes: Sammy Davis Jr., Mr Wonderful

It is Saturday

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Sammy Davis Jr., Mr Wonderful – A true all round entertainer made his debut on the stage at age three. He began recording in 1954 with Decca Records, and his albums went to number one in the United States. Sammy was also known for his impersonations of other celebrities. In this performance, the magic of Sammy Davis Jr. is captured with fifteen memorable songs which include What Kind Of Fool Am I, One For My Baby, One More For The Road and This Could Be The Start Of Something Big. Davis is also well remembered for being a member of the 1960s Rat Pack( with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin).  Continue reading

5/2/15 O&A Its Saturday- Anything Goes: Diana ! Diana Ross Special Featuring The Jackson 5 (1971)

It is Saturday

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Diana! Diana Ross’ first solo TV special, which aired on ABC on April 18, 1971. The special featured performances by The Jackson 5, and Jackson 5 lead singer Michael Jackson’s solo debut. Other guests included Danny Thomas and Bill Cosby. Continue reading

9/8/14 O&A Hollywood Monday: On The Town

Hollywood Mondays

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On The Town, the 1949 MGM musical film is an adaptation of the Broadway stage musical of the same name produced in 1944. Both the theatre and film productions are based on the Jerome Robbins ballet entitled Fancy Free, which was also produced in 1944. The music was written by Leonard Bernstein and the lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. 

With an all-star song and dance cast including Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Jules Munshin, Ann Miller, Betty Garrett and Vera Ellen the film was an instant success. On The Town won the Academy Award for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture, and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Cinematography (Color). Screenwriters Comden and Green won the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written American Musical. Continue reading