Music Review by Ron Fassler . . . .
For more than a half-century, the husband and wife singing team of Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé performed live the world over—producing best-selling albums together as well as separately—and recorded multiple singles and albums as soloists. Steve had hits like “Go Away, Little Girl” and “I’ve Gotta Be Me,” while Eydie scored with “Blame it on the Bossa Nova,” and “If He Walked Into My Life.” They put out seventy-four albums, did concerts in every conceivable venue, and starred as a brother and sister-in-law (yeah, you heard that right) in the 1967 Broadway musical Golden Rainbow. With Eydie’s death in 2013 at eighty-four and Steve’s just two weeks ago at age eighty-eight, it’s been a loss felt by millions of their fans. But Monday night at Zankel Hall, two escalator flights beneath Carnegie Hall, David Lawrence—their only surviving son and a composer, arranger, conductor, and singer in his own right—shared the stage with Tony Award winner Debbie Gravitte for one night only in A Toast to Steve & Eydie. They performed handed-down charts worth their weight in gold, arranged by the finest orchestrators of their day and consisting of the best of the Great American Songbook, all backed up by a thirty-piece orchestra. David dressed in a tux that once belonged to his father, while Debbie, a vision in a white and glittery gown—complete with feathers—once designed for and worn by Eydie, brought back the days when the pair were the gold standard in the culture of popular song. The whole evening was the kind of throwback that gives nostalgia a good name.
Under Lonny Price’s direction, things couldn’t have gone smoother or more efficiently. Pianist and musical director Ted Firth (phenomenal) opened by conducting the Golden Rainbow overture, arranged by Pat Williams and Jack Andrews, which had to have thrilled its composer Walter Marks, who just turned ninety last month and was in the audience. Throughout a packed setlist, David & Debbie whipped through song after song, including medleys that are signatures of the Steve & Eydie brand. The work of Don Costa, Robert Mersey, and Marion Evans, a handful of the craftspeople responsible for the ingenious and beautiful charts, added luster and joy. The clever and succinct banter throughout the show comprised a group effort of David and Debbie (naturally), along with Faye Greenberg, wife to David and a multi-disciplined writer and songwriter herself, plus Tony Award winner Robert L. Freedman (A Gentleman’s Guide to Murder).
Besides looking a great deal like his dad, David Lawrence exhibits a finely honed instrument that goes beyond mere sound-alike abilities, bringing his own personal touches of phrasing and humor to “A Room Without Windows,” his dad’s hit song from What Makes Sammy Run? There’s no doubt that Steve’s cool swagger and ability to toss off a joke come naturally to his son. In tandem with Debbie, they created a living memory of how funny Steve & Eydie were, effortlessly channeling their camaraderie. Much of that stems from the fact they’ve been friends in real life for thirty-five years, with Debbie even singing at David and Faye’s wedding.
As for Debbie Gravitte, she is a wonder. Her singing voice has never been better and she really had some big shoes to fill in belting out some of Eydie’s more memorable ballads like “What Did I Have?” and “If He Walked into My Life.” It was a total testament to both women that the songs still work as well as they do today. Of course, when handled by talents who don’t push and instead tell the stories in the songs and sing the hell out of them, every beat of emotional truth hits their mark.
In a 1992 New York Times interview with Steve & Eydie about their longevity in the business, its last passage holds particular resonance, particularly reading it as I did after attending A Toast to Steve & Eydie. “All the people out there tonight, or most of them, are our age,” Eydie said. “We’re playing to people like us. The reality is we are who we are. We can’t be anyone but Steve and Eydie.”
At Carnegie Hall Monday night, David Lawrence and Debbie Gravitte were Steve & Eydie. This very special evening was capped by David taking a few moments at the very end to share his still-raw emotions over his dad’s recent passing. With the lyrics printed in the program, he asked that the audience join along in singing the Gershwins’ “Our Love is Here to Stay,” the song they considered “their song.” This last tribute, like the entire show, was heartfelt and personal, topping off a wildly entertaining concert.
A Toast to Steve & Eydie took place March 18, 2024, at Judy and Arthur Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall(881 Seventh Avenue at West 57th Street). www.carnegiehall.org
Photos: Russ Rowland
