Local Cantors Shine at Music Festival Finale

Cantors wearing evening gowns and tuxedos and singing Motown — complete with hand motions and dance moves? Tradition went by the wayside during “A Night on the Town in Old Detroit,” a Broadway style revue by the Michigan Board of Cantors which took place on Sunday.

The sold-out concert, comprised of memorable melodies from some of the city’s best loved entertainment venues, marked the finale of the 12-day , which featured performances by international and local musicians in West Bloomfield and Oak Park.

“This is a group of dynamic individuals with a high level of skill combined with energy, passion, and charisma,” said Jerry Beale of West Bloomfield. “It’s one of the best performances I’ve ever seen.”

Michele Stevenson of Oak Park said that this concert disproves the myth that Detroit does not have much to offer in the way of entertainment.

“You just have to know where to look,” she said.

The musical journey was guided by Cantors Earl Berris of Congregation in West Bloomfield and Cantor Penny Steyer of , also in West Bloomfield, who introduced the various musical segments and the popular Detroit locales they represented.

The group of 11 cantors, from congregations throughout metro Detroit as well as East Lansing, performed a medley of songs reminiscent of those performed on similiar stages at the Fisher Theatre, Littman’s Yiddish Theater, The Raven Gallery, Baker’s Keyboard Lounge, The Caucus Club, The Roostertail, Masonic Temple, and the Downtown Synagogue.

According to JCC President Mark Litt, the cantors’ played to the “first overflow audience” in the short history of the , which opened officially on March 23 with a concert by composer Marvin Hamlisch.

“This is better than the New York stage,” said Dorothy Crawford of Bloomfield Hills. “I can’t wait for next year.”

The concert was written and staged by Cantor Michael Smolash of of West Bloomfield and Cantorial Soloist Rachel Kalmowitz of Temple Beth El in Bloomfield Township.

The ensemble opening number, “Hello Detroit,” was followed by a medley of show tunes that included “You Were Meant for Me” from Singin’ in the Rain, sung by Smolash and Kalmowitz; “Adelaide’s Lament” from Guys and Dolls by Cantor Pamela Schiffer from Congregation Shaarey Zedek in East Lansing, who sported a long feather boa; and a crowd pleasing rendition of “Feeling Good” from The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd, sung by Cantorial Soloist Neil Michaels from Temple Israel.

Another highlight was a selection of Yiddish songs by Smolash, Cantor Darcie Sharlein of Temple Emanu-el in Oak Park, as well as Steyer and her daughter, Cantorial Soloist Tiffany Green from in West Bloomfield.

Cantor Meir Finkelstein of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield gave a moving rendition of “Kol Nidre,” the melodic prayer that ushers in the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.

Any tribute to the Detroit music scene would be incomplete without a nod to Motown, and the cantors did the genre justice with finger-snapping versions of “My Guy,” “My Girl,” and the classic “Stop in the Name of Love.”

The music of Baker’s Keyboard Lounge was represented by Dave Brubeck’s “Blue Rondo a la Turk,” performed by versatile accompanists Cliff Monear, musical director and pianist; keyboardist Daniel Drummond, clarinetist and saxophonist Pete Kahn, bass player David Stearns, and drummer Dan Maslanka.

Cantors Sam Greenbaum of Congregation Beth Shalom in Oak Park and Daniel Gross of Adat Shalom Synagogue in Farmington Hills also performed.