Bobby Green has his act together. It would take a lot to throw him, and a very surprising request for a hymn at the Copa's new piano room resulted in a medley of "In the Garden" with a swinging "Closer Walk" right behind it, resulting in a very happy customer plus an enchanted audience. Green is a fine singer, pianist, song writer, and crestor of musical plays, movie scripts, and anything else you may want. He's first of all an entertainer, very much in touch with his customers.
Eddie Mondello was in the crowd. When Bobby began "Moondance", which he plays in a sultry minor modal arrangement, Eddie grabbed his flute. The two sounded great together. Bobby Green has played with so many people, especially a long run at the Hukilau with Ellie Russell, and with Ellie and Bobby Adrian before that at the Garrison Bight Restaurant.
Bobby also writes great parodies, like "Conch Republic Choo Choo", set to, of course "Chattanooga Choo Choo". Mondello played tenor sax, and once again, they sounded wonderful. Bobby sang, "My agent done tol' me" to the tune of "Blues In the Night", with perfrct tempo changes segueing back into "Choo Choo". Next we heard an original, "The Sexuality Rag". This is definitely a Key West song. "Canteen" is a tribute to a very courageous local man who suffers from MS. Bobby has written a whole show about him.
"Anticipation" was a delight. "Stay a Little Bit Longer" puts Bobby in a Motown/Stax space, one in which he's entirely comfortable. Next another original told us a great Key West story about famed 93 year old artist Mario Sanchez's gift to musician Buddy Chavez. Mario's wood cuts are famous, so Buddy was thrilled to have the great man do his portrait. Unfortunately wife number one didn't like it and wanted to hang it in the closet. Wife number two also didn't like it, ditto numbers three and four. So Buddy sold it for a thousand dollars. It went into a gallery and sold for twenty thousand. Needless to say, Buddy now has wife number five.
Now we get to "Sugarloaf Blues", a ditty about getting drunk and sleeping in a motel parking lot. Now we find out Mr. Green can scat with the best. Eddie joins in with some smoking soprano sax. "Oh Bla Di" is always great, more so when Bobby gets to the line, "She begins to sing", stops and sings "Ah,Sweet Mystery Of Life", then right back to the Beatles classic, I cracked up. As it was Valentine's week, Bobby sang "My Funny Valentine", a song I despise, but everyone else loves. Bobby's vocal was superb, aided by Mondello's low tenor solo. These are two experienced players who know what they're doing. They echo each other. Lovely!
James Taylor's "How Sweet It Is" is fine, and I love Bobby's arrangement of the Eagles' "Lying Eyes". A wonderful old torch song is romantic to the nines. Bobby sings "Teach Me Tonight" with so much emotion. This is an 'ask for'. Bobby does "The Letter" Joe Cocker style. It's a gas. "I Don't Know" is a tune Bobby heard in a New Jersey dive in 1953, one of those splendid eclectic songs Green is famous for, a cabaret tune all the way. It's cold outside, so Bobby does his hilarious Key West version of "Let It Snow" . "Old Key West" is fine, also "Boogie Down Duval Street". "I'm Sick Of Sunshine Every Day' is a hilarious.take on summertime here. We leave hearing "Summertime". The Copa is to be congratulated for finding such wonderful acts. Go see Bobby Green. He'll be there again on the 26th.
You'll have a wonderful time. Stay cool.