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208:, Walter grew up in a musical family and received early classical training from his mother, a professional piano teacher. In 1934, after a summer job playing piano on the overnight New York to Boston night cruise, he enrolled briefly at New York University but soon accepted an offer to join the Eddie Lane Orchestra on a full-time basis. Four years later, he formed a two-piano team with Gil Bowers and played at Le Ruban Bleu when it opened. Solo engagements followed at upscale bars and supper clubs like the Algonquin, the Blue Angel, and Tony's on West 52nd Street. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, Walter explored other musical surroundings: as pit pianist with the
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In 1959, Walter was invited to resume playing solo piano at the Drake Room. This six-nights-a-week engagement would continue until a week before the pianist's death from lung cancer in 1968. "I guess by now I know how to work the Drake Room," he quipped with typical understatement to an interviewer
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profile noted that "The Cy Walter appeal can be summed up with two t's: taste and the tune. ... Sinatra, Whiting and other bigtimers are constantly dropping by... to pick up on some obscure show tune that he has resurrected from the vast storehouse of his musical mind... obscure little melodies that
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review published two days following the event noted that "The jam-packed, three-hour festivity included instrumentals, vocals, and even an exhilarating exhibition , and of The
Astaire , whose melody was composed at the behest of the icon himself to launch his dance studios." The
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in New York City on
September 27, 2015, showcased Cy Walter's original compositions as performed by eighteen top vocalists, pianists, and dancers. The show, which was produced by Cy's son, Mark Walter, featured duo piano performances and original scores by the twelve-piece Cy Walter Celebratory
167:
of Park Avenue," he was praised for his extensive repertoire (with an emphasis on show tunes) and improvisatory skill. His long radio and recording career included both solo and duo performances, and stints as accompanist for such elegant vocal stylists as
386:' awed assessment of Walter's talent in what was, in essence, a fan letter: "I have never heard better taste". Closing his profile, Teachout, a pianist himself, exhorted his readers to "isten to the gently rippling 1946 performance of Rodgers'
216:," as accompanist for Mabel Mercer and Greta Keller, and as leader of his own orchestra at the night club La Martinique. He briefly ran his own club, Cy Walter's Night Cap, before being called to a fourteen-month stint in the
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label. While not a prolific songwriter, he also crafted a number of songs in an advanced harmonic style. For example, he composed both words and music for "Some Fine Day" (1953), and collaborated with
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and great timeless songs that have been lost in the shuffle." Walter continued at the Drake Room from 1945 until 1951, building a reputation as the "dean of
Manhattan's piano professors," according to
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and Jimmy Dobson), observing that it was performed with "conversational espirit" by vocalist Doug Bowles and pianist Alex Hassan. The entire show was professionally captured by filmmaker
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By then a fixture on the New York music scene, Walter spent the rest of the 1950s performing at various
Manhattan venues and recording both as a solo pianist and accompanist—-for example, on
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featured (in addition to the anchor duo) notable guest pianists from the jazz and classical worlds, teamed up "in all sorts of unusual combinations as duos, trios and quartets."
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on the first 'Sublimities' CD and you'll hear what he meant. No, it's not jazz, but who cares? It's music, and it's gorgeous -- with or without an olive."
519:(Liberty Music Shops 78 rpm album, 1942) Mabel Mercer sings three songs accompanied by Cy Walter; Cy plays three solo songs. Album reissued twice by AEI, as
413:(Liberty Music Shops 78 rpm album, 1942) Cy Walter plays three solo songs; Mabel Mercer sings three songs accompanied by Cy. Album reissued twice by AEI, as
561:- Lee Wiley with Stan Freeman, Bobby Hackett, Joe Bushkin (Columbia CL 656, 1951; Sony Special Products WK 75010, CD; Collector's Choice 204, 2001 CD)
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Orchestra, led by music director Tedd Firth, and was a tremendous success. Also celebrated was the release of a two-volume CD set by
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on "Time and Tide" (1961) and
Chilton Ryan on "You Are There" (1960) and "See a Ring Around the Moon" (1961).
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748:"Review: The Revelatory Cy Walter Centennial Celebration Is Immensely Entertaining at The Cutting Room"
125:
387:
345:
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Walter found an ideal showcase for his talents when he opened the elegant Drake Room of New York's
573:- with Stan Freeman (Columbia CL 6216, 1952; Columbia 2OAP-1496; Collector's Choice 204, 2001 CD)
567:- with Stan Freeman (Columbia CL 6215, 1952; Columbia 2OAP-1496; Collector's Choice 204, 2001 CD)
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815:
506:(Harbinger HCD 3104, 2015) Multiple piano performances, work as accompanist, song compositions
421:(AEI-CD-17, 1995 CD). On the CD, Cy's three solos are combined into a Porgy And Bess "Medley".
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193:
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374:, penned an excellent January 14, 2016 article in the Journal profiling Cy Walter entitled
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article also highlighted performances of other Cy Walter original compositions, including
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Mabel Mercer Sings, Cy Walter Plays, Selections From George
Gershwin's Porgy And Bess
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Mabel Mercer Sings, Cy Walter Plays, Selections From George
Gershwin's Porgy And Bess
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771:"The Cy Walter Centennial Celebration And CD Release Party at The Cutting Room"
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From 1944 to 1952, Walter appeared regularly (as part of a duo piano team with
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481:(Harbinger HCD 3103, 2015) Piano solos, rare recordings, radio appearances
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543:- with Stan Freeman (Atlantic 1213, LP; Rhino/Atlantic R2 71690, 1994 CD)
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Classic
American Popular Song: The Second Half-Century, 1950-2000.
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Zion, Sidney E. "What's The Drake? It's Where Cy Walter Plays,"
537:(Atlantic 2-602, 1965 LP; Rhino/Atlantic COL-CD-6838, 2001 CD)
925:
155:(September 16, 1915 – August 18, 1968) was an American
870:
794:"The Cy Walter Centennial Celebration and CD Release Party"
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533:- with Stan Freeman (Atlantic ALS 403); tracks reissued on
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451:(Atlantic 1236, 1956 LP; Collectables COLS 6915, 2008 CD)
378:. Teachout also highly praised the recent release of the
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The Cy Walter
Centennial Celebration and CD Release Party
264:, performed before a live audience, circa late 1940s.
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Intimate Nights: The Golden Age of New York
Cabaret.
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673:Crosby, John. "Small Program, Big Audience,"
660:Jones, Will. "Blonde 'Laps Up' Piano Magic,"
272:on December 21, 1945. The following year, a
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842:"CY WALTER'S COCKTAIL PIANO, WITH A TWIST"
525:Cabin In The Sky/Porgy And Bess/Carib Song
419:Cabin In The Sky/Porgy And Bess/Carib Song
370:, a noted author and drama critic for The
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609:
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407:(Liberty Music Shops LMS-1007, early 40s)
337:Cy Walter: Sublimities Centennial Tribute
622:
500:- with Stan Freeman (Epic LG 1001, 1955)
461:Hits from the Great Astaire-Rogers Films
376:Cy Walter's Cocktail Piano, With A Twist
310:
248:
234:Reaching an international audience over
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427:(Request Records SW 107-112, early 40s)
360:, and can be viewed in its entirety on
230:) on ABC's popular weekly radio series
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494:- with Stan Freeman (MGM E-514, 1950)
967:20th-century American male musicians
839:
615:"Cy Walter Dies; Cocktail Pianist,"
792:Lester, Marilyn (October 4, 2015).
638:
584:
13:
746:Cohen, Alix (September 29, 2015).
356:and sound engineer Rubin Nizri of
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978:
864:
768:
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455:Cy Walter Plays Gershwin Classics
431:Cy Walter at The Drake Room Piano
531:Songs By Mabel Mercer, Volume II
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712:Jenness, David and Don Vesley.
565:Lee Wiley Sings Vincent Youmans
521:Cabin In The Sky/Porgy And Bess
415:Cabin In The Sky/Porgy And Bess
957:20th-century American pianists
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693:
690:Grove Weidenfeld, 1991, p. 65.
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667:
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541:Mabel Mercer Sings Cole Porter
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163:for four decades. Dubbed the "
69:August 18, 1968 (Age 52 years)
1:
873:maintained by Walter's family
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571:Lee Wiley Sings Irving Berlin
553:Greta Keller Sings Kurt Weill
662:Minneapolis Morning Tribune,
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631:Walter, Cy. Liner notes to
523:(AEI 1107, 1979 LP) and as
417:(AEI 1107, 1979 LP) and as
405:Piano Stylings of Cy Walter
10:
983:
922:Works Written by Cy Walter
463:(RCA Camden CAL-533, 1959)
362:The Cy Walter Foundation's
388:Falling In Love With Love
238:, and with commentary by
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727:"Cy Walter | Actor"
716:Routledge, 2005, p. 268.
675:New York Herald Tribune,
597:Bach, Bob. "Cy Walter,"
445:(Columbia CL 6202, 1952)
439:(Columbia CL 6161, 1951)
871:Official Cy Walter site
535:The Art of Mabel Mercer
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315:Walter fan letter from
962:American male pianists
952:Apollo Records artists
699:"Small and Cheerful,"
635:(Westminster WP-6120).
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473:Cy Walter at The Drake
380:Cy Walter: Sublimities
346:I'll Never Tire of You
320:
265:
197:
196:in New York City, 1949
848:. Wall Street Journal
633:A Dry Martini Please!
549:(Liberty Music Shops)
547:Songs By Greta Keller
527:(AEI-CD-17, 1995 CD).
504:Sublimities, Volume 2
479:Sublimities, Volume 1
475:(MGM E/SE-4393, 1966)
469:(Westminster WP-6120)
467:A Dry Martini Please!
457:(Atlantic 8016, 1957)
314:
252:
194:Copacabana night club
191:
899:Our American Stories
877:Cy Walter Foundation
769:Burns, Linda Amiel.
262:Piano Playhouse Show
846:Jazz Promo Services
816:"Rodgers Revisited"
433:(Apollo A-14, 1948)
372:Wall Street Journal
126:Liberty Music Shops
773:. Theaterscene.com
703:, Sep. 23, 1950:4.
559:Night in Manhattan
555:(Atlantic ALS 405)
358:New Record Studios
321:
266:
236:Armed Forces Radio
198:
46:September 16, 1915
31:Cyril Frank Walter
840:Teachout, Terry.
449:Rodgers Revisited
364:YouTube channel.
333:Harbinger Records
256:, Cy Walter, and
226:, and later with
218:Maritime Service.
214:Very Warm for May
159:pianist based in
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928:ACE Title Search
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796:. Cabaret Scenes
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750:. Broadway World
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651:26 Aug. 1966:37.
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443:Holiday for Keys
232:Piano Playhouse.
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664:28 May 1954:32.
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617:New York Times,
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492:Piano Playhouse
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384:Richard Rodgers
382:CDs, and cited
350:Richard Kollmar
317:Richard Rodgers
279:never made the
254:Richard Rodgers
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686:Gavin, James.
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368:Terry Teachout
354:Michael Stever
348:(written with
341:Broadway World
326:, held at The
286:The New Yorker
192:Walter at the
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149:Musical artist
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677:31 Oct. 1950.
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296:'s fledgling
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850:. Retrieved
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328:Cutting Room
323:
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273:
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258:Stan Freeman
243:
240:Milton Cross
231:
228:Walter Gross
224:Stan Freeman
221:
199:
174:Mabel Mercer
170:Greta Keller
157:café society
152:
151:
113:Years active
947:1968 deaths
942:1915 births
908:iHeartRadio
437:Piano Moods
394:Discography
302:Alec Wilder
270:Drake Hotel
210:Jerome Kern
202:Minneapolis
49:Minneapolis
936:Categories
701:New Yorker
599:Metronome,
578:References
425:By Request
281:Hit Parade
104:Instrument
96:Occupation
65:1968-08-18
42:1915-09-16
27:Birth name
913:Cy Walter
904:Cy Walter
895:Cy Walter
886:Cy Walter
498:Manhattan
339:. A
335:entitled
308:in 1966.
275:Metronome
244:Playhouse
212:musical "
206:Minnesota
178:Lee Wiley
165:Art Tatum
153:Cy Walter
117:1934–1968
53:Minnesota
20:Cy Walter
890:Allmusic
820:AllMusic
298:Atlantic
289:(1950).
200:Born in
134:Columbia
130:Atlantic
99:Musician
76:New York
72:New York
882:channel
880:YouTube
852:29 July
825:31 July
800:29 July
777:21 July
754:21 July
260:on the
319:, 1940
184:Career
176:, and
122:Labels
82:Genres
926:ASCAP
107:Piano
854:2022
827:2022
802:2022
779:2022
756:2022
732:IMDb
399:Solo
90:Jazz
59:Died
36:Born
888:on
486:Duo
142:RCA
138:MGM
938::
924:-
915:-
906:-
897:-
844:.
818:.
729:.
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40:(
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