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Tips on Tables - Robert W. Dana - August 25, 1961

Della Reese Returns To Copa

The cacophony of excessive orchestral arrangements, with the microphone as a willing accessory, laid waste to the robust talent of youthful song stylist Della Reese in Della Reesethe early going of her return engagement last night at the Copacabana.

Fortunately, the curvaceous, excitedly gowned girl with the beehive hairdo took possession of her program at the midway point, flashed personality in some poised rencontres with her audience and used her voice as the instrument for which it was intended in more restrained renditions.

Clipped Accents.

Admittedly, a performer today seems destined to open with a flurry and a flair, but the clipped accents and overpowering manner in which Miss Reese treated her opening number, "Getting to Know You," was not only alien to the mood of the lovely number from "The King and I," but it became lost in the noisy exuberance of the orchestra.

Overpowering, too, was the treatment of the second number, "Still of the Night," with no finesse; and the microphone still annoyed, if less loud, on the third, "Don't You Know?"

Formerly a gospel singer with the celebrated Mahalia Jackson, to whom she gave a sincere tribute to danalast night, Miss Reese began to put herself across with "Nobody Till Somebody Loves You," slipped a little with a distorted version of"Always True to You in My Fashion" from "Kiss Me Kate," and then really rang the bell with the remainder of her program. The clipped accents and a staccato rhythm characterized her treatment of "Lady's a Tramp," followed by the lovely spiritual,"His Eye Is on the Sparrow."

Coming Greatness.

"You Made Me Love You," the dramatic "Far, Far Better" and the concluding "Bill Bailey" reveal solidly the coming greatness of Della Reese. She has tremendous force, verve and full-bodied voice. All she needs is restraint in the proper places.

Comedian Mickey Deems was introduced earlier as the "American well-dressed man," a conceit that was quickly destroyed with some disarray of his costume. His main comic theme was a tale of Sunday-out with his kid. An amusing guy, who got a good hand and didn't overstay his welcome.

THE REVIEWS
Andrews Sisters - Latin Quarter 1957
Desi Arnaz - w/Diosa Costello 1948
Count Basie - Lincoln 1943
Tony Bennett - Copacabana 1958
Milton Berle - Latin Quarter 1948
Joey Bishop - w/Andy Williams 1959
Ray Bolger - Wizard of Oz Scarecrow, Empire Room 1956
Cab Calloway - Greenwich Inn 1949
Diahann Carroll - Persian Room 1961
Betty Clooney - Waldorf Astoria 1954
Nat King Cole - Copacabana 1958
Perry Como - Versailles 1944
Copacabana - famous night club restaurant is reviewed 1953
Crosby Brothers - Latin Quarter 1961
Xavier Cugat - Waldorf Astoria 1951
Vic Damone - Riviera 1953
Billy Daniels - Copacabana 1952
Sammy Davis Jr. - Copacabana 1959
Phyllis Diller - w/Bobby Short 1958
Nancy Donovan - Copacabana 1952
Jimmy Durante - Copacabana 1951
Billy Eckstine - Copacabana 1951
Duke Ellington - Basin St. East 1961
Eddie Fisher - Empire Room 1959
Judy Garland -Town & Country 1958
Jackie Gleason - La Vie en Rose 1953
Benny Goodman - Empire Room 1956
Dolores Gray - Waldorf Astoria 1954
Buddy Hackett - Copacabana 1956
Connie Haines - Terrace Room 1951
Dick Haymes - Versailles 1956
Horace Heidt - 30th Anniversary 1954
Florence Henderson w/Bill Hayes 1958
Hildegarde - Pierre 1953
Celeste Holm - Plaza 1958
Eddy Howard - Roosevelt 1955
Burl Ives w/Wally Cox - Persian Room
Lisa Kirk - Persion Room 1958
Frankie Laine - Latin Quarter 1955
Julius La Rosa - Romanian 1958
Peggy Lee - Copacabana 1958
Jerry Lewis - Town & Country 1957
Joe E. Lewis - Copacabana 1945
Ted Lewis - Latin Quarter 1953
Liberace - Persian Room 1947
Guy Lombardo - Roosevelt 1957
Vincent Lopez - Grill Room 1954
Tony Martin - Riviera 1953
Martin and Lewis - Copacabana 1950
Ray McKinley - Glenn Miller Band 1957
Mills Brothers - Latin Quarter 1956
Vaughn Monroe - Astor 1955
Constance Moore - St. Regis 1958
Johnnie Ray - Copacabana 1953
Rowan & Martin - Latin Quarter 1961
Della Reese - Copacabana 1961
Sugar Ray Robinson - French Casino
Dorothy Shay - St. Regis 1961
Frank Sinatra - Wedgewood 1943
Danny Thomas - Copacabana 1949
Sophie Tucker - Latin Quarter 1950
Mae West - Latin Quarter 1956
Julie Wilson - Persian Room 1954
EDITORIALS
Dean Martin - thoughts on Mr. Sauve
Peter Lawford - retrospective
Rise & Fall of the big bands
INTERVIEWS
K Baggelaar- Copacabana author
Don Dellair - cabaret performer
Denny Farrell - big band disc jockey
Hal Turner - Performer/Conductor
B Zickafoose - played in WWII Europe
ASSORTED
Bernie Bierman bio
Sammy Kaye - Roosevelt 1957
Dinah Shore - press release and autograph from the 50's
A Letter about a WWII song
Harbers & Dale - Dance Team
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