This duo’s
hearts belong to
Cole PorterHOT FOR COLE:
THE COLE PORTER STORYWith: Jimmy Borges and Shari Lynn; Noel Okimoto on drums, Lyle Ritz on bass and Jim Howard on piano
By Tim Ryan
Star-BulletinCole Porter's life and music will be chronicled in a special show by Jimmy Borges and Shari Lynn at the Honolulu Art Academy Saturday night.
"He was an incredibly prolific composer and his sophistication was top notch, never lowering his standards for the easy lyric or the fast buck," Borges said. "The lyrics have several meanings so the music lends itself to exciting and challenging interpretations."
Borges and Lynn last year performed a similar show that featured the works of Irving Berlin.
In this latest chronicle of American composers, the duo will sing more than 50 Porter songs, including a Borges medley from "Kiss Me Kate" and several songs by the late Frank Sinatra -- "In the Still of the Night," "I've Got You Under My Skin" and "I Get A Kick Out of You," while Lynn solos on songs like "Love For Sale," and "My Heart Belongs to Daddy."
Borges and Lynn will discuss the composer's history as they did in the Berlin show, but this time audience members will receive a program detailing many of Porter's songs, the musicals from which they came, show dates and a bibliography for additional information.
Porter brought sex to the stage "musically speaking," in a rather naive and "ditzy period" of composing, Lynn said.
"He spoke about sex in such couched terms, like with a wink, that it wasn't offensive," she said. "The popular songs in the '20s and '30s were all 'moon, June and croon,' very insipid little ditties. Cole Porter made audiences rise to his level of sophistication."
Porter, born June 9, 1891, learned piano and violin at age six. At 10 he composed the piano piece "Song of the Birds." By the time he left Yale University, Porter had written about 300 songs, including six full musical productions.
Porter's first Broadway show was "See America First" (1916). He married American divorcee Linda Thomas three years later in Europe. Porter went on to write "Don't Fence Me In," which was re-released in a World War II musical called "Hollywood Canteen."
The first film to contain a Porter song was 1929's "The Battle of Paris."
In 1937, Porter's legs were severely injured when a horse fell on them.
"The story goes that while his legs were pinned under the horse and he waited for help, Porter pulled out a pen and wrote the classic 'Long Last Love,' " Borges said.
Porter remained hospitalized for months, and eventually had to have his right leg amputated. It was during this period that Porter wrote "Most Gentlemen Don't Like Love," "From Now On," "Get Out of Town" and the shows "Can Can" and "Silk Stockings."
Porter died in 1964.
Borges, who has been singing professionally for 44 years, retired from night club performances in 1997. He now works primarily in special events, with symphonies and big band concerts, and cabaret shows.
Click for online
calendars and events.
