There was a time when pop music was jazz, when the hippest singers were also the most popular, when the elastic swing of jazz propelled feet as well as toes. But with the dominance of hip-hop, the fragmentation of the music audience, and the current distance of real jazz from the cultural center, it's easy to see why the Great American Songbook has been declared dead, if not at least on life support. Russ Lorenson disagrees, and has a show full of "new standards" to prove his point that well-written songs with meaningful lyrics are still being written today, just waiting to be interpreted by thoughtful, jazz-inspired vocalists. With Bay Area jazz favorites Kelly Park on piano and Terrence Brewer on guitar, "Standard Time" explores the Great American Songbook of the New Millennium, featuring songs written within the last 20 years - the Standards of a new generation.

With a nod and a wink to silver screen legends like Audrey Hepburn, Judy Garland, Doris Day, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Fred Astaire, Andrea illuminates how movie music has scored our lives and loves. Romantic highlights include: Two For the Road, Moon River, The Way We Were, Thanks For the Memory, But Not For Me, and of course, (Our) Love Is Here To Stay.

Throughout her career in theatre, television and film, Rita has won dozens of show business awards including: an Oscar, an Emmy, a Tony, a Grammy, and a Golden Globe. Ms. Moreno's latest endeavor has been in cabaret where she has met with critical acclaim.

Come see what all the excitement is about and catch the act that was named to Time Out Magazine's TOP TEN BEST CABARET SHOWS in NYC in 2006 and 2007, the winner of a 2007 Backstage Bistro Award, and this year's 2008 MAC Award!  San Francisco's reigning "Entertainer of the Year" is a crowd pleaser!  Top notch music, comedy, and all the cocktails you can handle!  It's the best of old-school Vegas right here by the Bay!

"Terese Genecco doesn't mess around, boy.  She and her "little big band" are playing [select] Saturday nights at The Rrazz Room in a rollicking retro show titled "Last Call," but it might as well be named "Party Time!"  Genecco swings S.F. like it's Las Vegas!"

"Somewhere in the two-drink-minimum section of heaven, Louis Prima is grinning.  the king of that ol' lounge-act magic is smiling because Terese Genecco & Her Little Big Band are carrying on the tradition of high-energy musical excitement that Prima and his gang for years created to electrify the wee hours in Nevada lounges.  It's a welcome addition to the downtown music scene...a new sound...a charmer...surprising and unexpected... 'Last Call!' is the right call!"

Infuse your holiday season with jazz! Debuting hits from their upcoming new holiday CD, Spyro Gyra is a marathon runner in the arena of contemporary jazz. In over three decades, they've garnered 10 Grammy nominations, including Best Pop Instrumental Album for 2008's Good to Go-Go and maintained the well-deserved reputation as a viable and highly versatile creative force.

Described as having "the voice and face of an angel", Grammy-nominated vocalist/songwriter Désirée Goyette returns to the San Francisco Cabaret stage after a triumphant sold out performance last year at the legendary Plush Room.  Best known for her original music and performances on the Charlie Brown and Garfield CBS-TV specials, Désirée wraps her heavenly sound around an evening of Holiday Favorites and American Standards accompanied by her partner in music and life fellow Grammy-nominee Ed Bogas.

starring Darlene Love
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), Da Doo Ron Ron, Today I Met The Boy I'm Gonna Marry, Wait Til My Bobby Gets Home
"Darlene Love remains, even after all these years, one of the greatest voices in all of pop music. The thrill of listening to her live has not diminished one iota, and whenever I get the chance to hear her work, I run! A great interpreter, flawless intonation, she is as musical as it gets. I love, Love!" –Bette Midler

and Melba Moore
Falling, Lean On Me, This Is It, You Stepped Into My Life, Love's Comin' At Ya
This multifaceted artist / philanthropist is always reaching deeper, pressing harder, ever challenging herself; keeping her audience on the edge of their seats, knowing that whatever happens next will be at least, as exciting as what happened before.

Acclaimed Bay Area vocalist, Lily Alunan, is pleased to celebrate the release of her second CD, “So In Love”. With her repertoire of jazz, R&B and Brazilian standards, infused with a healthy helping of Broadway-inspired tunes, Lily takes the familiar for a distinctly fresh spin.  Be ready to re-discover and re-enjoy some of these old standards, as Lily performs them as you’ve never heard them before.  Included in her new CD are the jazz standards “Devil May Care”,  “Can’t Help Lovin Dat Man”, “Mas Que Nada”, and of course, “So In Love”.  Accompanying her are accomplished pianist, Kenny Penalver, Ben Luis on bass, Mark Foglia on drums, Mio Timbalero on percussions, Raffy Lopez on guitar, Melecio Magdaluyo on sax and special guest, Bob Basa on guitar.

Celebrating a decade of solo shows that have entertained and titillated the masses, Varla Jean Merman returns to San Francisco with her new show, Victory Lap Dance.  The international drag chanteuse celebrates ten years of relentless touring and self-delusional self-promotion with a show of new songs and videos, along with some classic repertoire from each of Miss Merman's previous extravaganzas.   Varla fans will want to get to The Rrazz Room 45 minutes prior to show time, so they will not miss The Varla Jean Merman Film Festival.  Merman waxes effusive on the thought of a first-ever (legal) festival of work on the silver screen.  "Time and again, people have told me their favorite part of my show was when I wasn't actually onstage.  Videos have been a staple of my act because they give me a chance to run backstage, change costumes, and have a relaxing sip of…well, Fresca. For the first time, I am showing a compilation of my best-loved videos, YouTube hits, and short films that have been available on the black market in a limited way but are finally getting a general distribution."  For more info visit www.varlaonline.com

San Francisco's "Phantom", Franc D'Ambrosio is BACK for two weeks only !!!  Come hear the voice that brought more than 5 million San Franciscans to their feet during his 5 year run as the legendary masked man !!!! .  Franc returns to San Francisco with the songs most requested during his 4 year,  sold out, national tour.  He will sing the songs you love – Your favorites from Tin Pan Alley to Tinsel Town –  The most popular numbers from both his HOLLYWOOD and BROADWAY shows!!

Small-Town Girl Makes Good, Laughing All the Way  —Stephen Holden, New York Times

"The journey from the sticks to the Broadway stage is a pilgrimage that has been made by countless performers. But no one in recent memory has turned it into the kind of thrill ride that the singer K T Sullivan makes of it in her new cabaret show"

For her return to the Rrazz Room Sony has put together an eclectic set list of songs ranging from jazz standards to rock classics. Effortlessly navigating musical eras from Cole Porter to Rufus Wainwright she stops along the way to cover Chuck Berry, Elton John and more. With a polished and powerful voice Sony shows a deep love and respect for the material while adding an unmistakable spark of personality.

"With a smooth and velvety voice, Holland reminds one of Peggy Lee and June Christy during their early years."  —Thomas Erdmann, Jazz Review

"She delivers passion and elegance through every phrase... The voice is warm... full, and engaging. Sony is becoming a favorite request from our world wide listening audience..."   —Dr. Mike Metheny, RadioIo

"Equal parts Barbra Streisand and Sex and the City..."  —San Francisco Magazine

Freda Payne’s prolific career began in the 60's, working with jazz legends such as Pearl Bailey, Lionel Hampton, Billy Eckstine, Quincy ]ones and many others. Freda went on to score with 2 million selling singles - Bring The Boys Home and Band Of Gold. In the 80s, Freda concentrated on acting and television, briefly hosting her own talk show, but never losing touch with her music. Her indelible mark on the music industry continues to be made. Whether singing pop, jazz, or R&B, there are few singers finer that Freda Payne.

An evening of the greatest standards ever written. From jazz to theater to songs from films. This is a true American Songbook of some of the most noted composers and lyric writers that ever came out of our country. From Tin Pan Alley to The Top Ten....Julie Budd's evening of "The Standard of Things" is loaded with everyone's favorites. Ms. Budd's multi-faceted musical career has ranged from television to film and the New York stage, from symphonies to the most lavish casinos and showrooms in the country.

Bruce Vilanch has become a recognizable face, thanks to the feature-length documentary "Get Bruce!" (1999) and his stint as a regular on "Hollywood Squares" (1998), for which he also served as head writer. Vilanch contributed to Academy Awards telecasts, collaborating with the likes of Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg and David Letterman, and graduated to head writer in 2000. He has roasted celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor and President Clinton. He provided the notorious material Ted Danson performed in blackface at a 1993 Friars Club roast of his then-girlfriend Goldberg, but his resume also includes "You Made Me Watch You", the touching Emmy-winning valedictory Midler crooned as a send-off to Johnny Carson.

Sharon McNight made her Broadway debut in 1989 in Starmites, creating the role of Diva. She received a Tony Award nomination as "Best Leading Actress in a Musical" for her performance, and is the recipient of the coveted Theatre World Award for "Outstanding Broadway Debut" which waspresented to her by Carol Channing. New York Magazine's John Simon said "Sharon McNIght is a winner" and Al Hirschfeld did a caricature of her..

Wesla inhabits that indeterminate zone where jazz and cabaret meet.  Trained in classical music and opera, Whitfield has become one of the most gifted performers breathing life into that exquisite body of Broadway tunes, movie songs and Hit Parade numbers known collectively as the Great American Songbook. Working with pianist/arranger Mike Greensill, the two released their 19th recording 'Message From the Man In The Moon' in December of 2007. Whitfield and Greensill have garnered numerous national television, radio and written media credits including, All Things Considered, Fresh Air with Teri Gross, People Magazine, CBS Sunday Morning, New York Times Sunday Magazine, DownBeat Magazine profile and a feature in 'O' Magazine.

"Wesla Whitfield is an indoor landmark. Every great city deserves a signature chanteuse, and
San Francisco is fortunate to have Whitfield as its resident voice. Much like the city itself,
Whitfield keeps an amused and affectionate eye on the glories of the past, while living entirely
in the present." — San Francisco Chronicle

"There is no more joyful or thrilling sound on Broadway." – Jan Stuart, New York Newsday

"She possesses one of the finest, and perhaps most unique, instruments in the musical theatre: a voice of supple steel, capable of piercing the soul with it's razor-edged belt or ethereal upper register." – Andrew Gans, Playbill

Musical Direction: Don Rebic
Directed By: Eric Michael Gillet

Karen Akers, one of America's most arresting and successful concert and cabaret stars, presents Simply Styne, an evening of music utilizing the well-known  melodies of Jule Styne, one of the worlds most popular and prolific composers , whose musical collaborations have yielded such familiar standards as “Just in Time,” “Make Someone Happy,” “Time After Time,” and “I Fall In Love Too Easily.” In addition, his melodies  for the Broadway scores of Funny Girl, Gypsy and Bells Are Ringing, have put songs including  “People,” “Everything's Coming Up Roses,” and “The Party's Over,” into the Great American Songbook. It's a match made in musical heaven  Stephen Holden of the New York Times calls “Simply Styne”  “Extraordinary” and “A moving, witty cabaret answer to “Scenes From a Marriage.”