Vegas in 1966. Legendary crooner Frank Sinatra joins forces with The Count Basie Orchestra to perform at The Copa Room inside The Sands Casino & Hotel. It was the height of the “Rat Pack” era and the Golden Age of Las Vegas, when couples still dressed up to catch dinner and a show. The show’s arrangements and conducting were provided by a young Quincy Jones, and Sinatra captured the hearts of his audience with his voice and stage presence.
As I stepped into Doc’s Jazz Club on Westheimer last night, I felt the magic in the room. It was almost like stepping into a time machine when The Graeme Francis Orchestra rang up the opening notes to “Come Fly With Me” alongside jazz singer Wyatt Michael. The evening served as a tribute to that fateful night in Las Vegas as the band brought Sinatra At The Sands to life.
Before Doc’s opened last December, the last time I stepped into the old Tower Theater was to have a delicious lunch at El Real Tex-Mex Cafe before it closed in 2019. I was excited to hear about the renovations at the space, and a jazz supper club was both unexpected and highly anticipated.
“I’m not a great Frank Sinatra impersonator, but I will try my best” confessed Wyatt Michael after the first song of the evening. And his best is certainly what we witnessed last night as Michael and the band allowed Sinatra and Basie to flow through every piano note, every spirited saxophone solo and every song of love and heartbreak. The way the horns have a conversation between verses is absolute magic.
“If you don’t know this one, then I don’t know why you’re here” Michael said with a chuckle before singing “One For My Baby (And One More For The Road).” Much like the Sinatra live recordings, the mood was a back and forth between laughter and introspective, fast and slow, soft and loud. My heart filled with emotion hearing the horns swell up and down, longing for the days when I played alto sax in the jazz band in high school.
At the midpoint of the evening, Michael offered a short recap of his history as an artist, falling in love with jazz and Sinatra, as well as stories about his friendship with Michael Bublé. After the “tea break,” the band offered up “You Make Me Feel So Young,” much to the delight of my girlfriend. “That’s from my favorite movie Elf!” she said with a big smile. Yes, I certainly remember the scene with Buddy The Elf and his love interest Jovie run around New York City at night. Its also one of my favorites, both the song and the movie.
The song “The September Of My Years” was a revelation, mostly because I had never heard it before. Hearing a “brand new to me” Frank Sinatra song is such a gift, and to hear it live is so special! My birthday is in September, and although Earth, Wind and Fire is still my preferred birthday song, “The September Of My Years” is now a close second place.
“My Kind Of Town” closed out the evening with an optimistic swing, showcasing the brass and woodwinds and Wyatt’s voice to the max. If you haven’t made it out to Doc’s yet, do yourself a favor and check out the calendar and make a reservation ASAP.
Dinner, drinks and a show – That’s Life!
