A Short Course: How to Accompany Singers 101

Listen to Mike Renzi.    THE END

Mike Renzi is a singer's pianist, a pianist's pianist.  He has a stunning mastery of the instrument and has the uncanny ability to always play the right thing in the right spot and play it absolutely beautifully.  The list of singers he has supported over the years is a Who's Who  -- here's a short list:   Mel Torme, Bobbi Baird, Blossom Dearie,  Maureen McGovern,  Peggy Lee,  Lena Horne,  Cleo Laine,  Jack Jones,  Ruth Brown,  Diahann Carroll,  Eartha Kitt,  Grady Tate..... and the list goes on and on.  And yet how many have heard of Mike Renzi?  His 10 year stint as musical director for Sesame Street which won him an Emmy ( among many other Emmy's) and gained him some notoriety but generally he seems to be in the shadows of the greatest singers and a bunch that are not so great.  But the important stuff is always in the shadows so I'm hoping to shine a bit of light in there....

   Most of the recordings I can find find of Mike feature his trio in a supporting role for a featured vocalist,  and only a very few showcase his uncanny abilities as a solo accompanist ( piano and voice ).   He makes the piano sing and plays with a harmonic fluidity and pianistic tone that sets the bar extremely high for the vocalist he's accompanying and for all of us who play.  If he ever puts out a solo recording I will be the first in line. 

   Two CD's he made with Maureen McGovern showcase his solo accompanying skills and are well worth hearing.  His ability to differentiate the tunes, to bring something new and distinctive to each arrangement and to play with a fluid sophistication and finesse, tone and heart-felt interpretation are very rare. 

    Another Woman in Love     HERE   at Amazon with sound clips
    The Pleasure of His Company    HERE    at Amazon with sound clips

Renzi with Maureen McGovern

Here is a YouTube cut of Renzi with a mature Jack Jones -  listen to the shadows, there's a lot going on there that might go unnoticed.  While this doesn't showcase his considerable Jazz skills, it is one of the few YouTube examples I could find to get a glimpse of his remarkable taste and finesse.