By Andrew Poretz . . .

Nicolas King, at long last, made his solo cabaret debut at 54 Below on April 28: Behind the Mike: Celebrating the Memory and Iconic Arrangements of Mike Renzi. This may surprise some, as King has performed at the venue many times.

The sold-out room was packed with fans and friends, as well as Broadway and cabaret royalty, including Michael Feinstein, Lee Roy Reams, Donna McKechnie, and Norm Lewis. The performance fell on what would have been Renzi’s 85th birthday.

King was accompanied by pianist/music director Tedd Firth, bassist Alan Bernstein, and drummer Mark McLean. Though Firth is among the top arrangers working today, every chart in the concert was written by Renzi, the celebrated jazz pianist and composer who was the musical director for Pegge Lee and Mel Tormé and Peggy Lee for some 25 years. The two collaborated from King’s late teens until Renzi’s untimely death nearly five years ago, including a weekly pandemic-era livestream that yielded 69 intimate “living room” performances.

The set opened with a brisk medley of “Yes I Can” (Charles Strouse/Lee Adams) and “I Can See It” from The Fantasticks (Harvey Schmidt/Tom Jones). King included the rarely heard verse to “I’ve Got the World on a String” (Harold Arlen/Ted Koehler), beginning as a ballad before shifting into a fast, bluesy arrangement at the break.

A mashup of “Where Is Love?” from Oliver! (Lionel Bart) and “Blame It on My Youth” (Oscar Levant/Edward Heyman) was beautifully rendered, with Firth recreating Renzi’s lush voicings and King matching them vocally.

King’s showbiz stories were a big part of his charm at this show, with plenty of big-name dropping – after all, he was a child star mentored by Liza Minnelli, with several Broadway shows under his belt before he hit puberty. When a teenaged King performed at the defunct Metropolitan Room many years ago, Liza suggested “You Wanna Bet” (Cy Coleman/Dorothy Fields) as his opener. Liza and Renzi were good friends with Coleman, and they made it happen. This was the first time King performed this number in nearly 20 years, and it was terrific. Another winner was “Johnny One Note” (Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart), King’s Broadway audition song at age 7, which was “Renzified” into the great arrangement heard here.

The unlikely pairing of “Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most” (Tommy Wolf/Fran Landesman) and “Just One of Those Things” (Cole Porter) proved a highlight. Firth alone accompanied the rubato opening verse to “Spring,” which flowed seamlessly into the second song. The arrangement and King’s phrasing, restored the emotional weight of “Just One of Those Things,” largely absent since Sinatra and Nelson Riddle turned it into a swing staple in 1954.

The focus then shifted to songs Renzi arranged for others. For “I Wish I’d Met You,” recorded by Lena Horne with Sammy Davis, Jr. (his final recording), King welcomed special guest Gabrielle Stravelli, another favorite of this reviewer. Their voices blended beautifully, particularly in harmony.

King and the trio recreated Renzi’s fabulous arrangement of “Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead” from The Wizard of Oz (Harold Arlen/E.Y. Harburg), written for Maureen McGovern. After a slow verse, it swung, with King scatting in sync with Firth’s playing.

Two arrangements associated with Mel Tormé brought the house down, beginning with a striking “(Ah, the Apple Trees) When the World Was Young” (Philippe-Gérard/Johnny Mercer). King recalled Renzi’s suggestion that they recreate his intricate arrangement of “Pick Yourself Up” (Jerome Kern/Dorothy Fields) for an appearance at the Cabaret Convention. (King is also funny, and when relating stories about Renzi, he does a pitch-perfect impression of his friend and mentor.) Though King performed it often with Renzi, this marked his first attempt since Renzi’s passing, and it demanded a player of Firth’s caliber.

Following a livestream clip of King and Renzi, the visibly emotional singer closed with “His Hands,” written by Ann Hampton Callaway for Renzi’s 2021 memorial. “I will listen for the echoes,” he sang, drawing a standing ovation.

Nicolas King’s solo debut at 54 was a smashing success. King is a consummate entertainer and among the finest singers this writer has encountered, with flawless pitch and tone, excellent phrasing, and Sinatra-level breath control. His scatting rivals Mel Tormé’s, and in recent years he has brought greater vulnerability to his interpretations of sensitive material. King is one of a handful of singers this reviewer will happily see at any opportunity.

For more information about Nicolas King, visit https://officialnicolasking.com.

Nicolas King: Celebrating the Memory and Iconic Arrangements of Mike Renzi took place on April 28 at 54 Below, 254 West 54th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue (https://54below.org/).

Photos: Andrew Poretz