Think It Again, Sam

Marc Salem’s Mind Games And All That Jazz

Marc Salem’s psychic serenade combining Mentalism and music opens June 27th at NYC’s Feinsteins at the Regency. “Mind Games And All that Jazz” brings a new slant to mind reading by highlighting material that is musically oriented; that music in particular being jazz.

Incorporating elements of Salem’s previous successful show, “Mind Games,” this new production features Vibrations, a four piece, all woman band. Vibrations provide interstitial music to open and close the show as well as interacting with master mind Salem. The addition of music to his presentation is both a nod to broadening the appeal of what is basically a one man show/platform demonstration and an opportunity to expand the envelope of psychic entertainment. To be sure, there have been mind reading demonstrations with a musical element previous to this. Marc Salem’s “Mind Games And All That Jazz” is an effort to bring the combination to new horizons and a new audience. Indeed the goal here is to synthesize a new style of entertainment. The jazz idiom has traditionally featured improvisation and the exploration of new tonalities, harmonies and rhythmic interplay; musicians and ensemble “taking chances” with the material. In this same spirit, Marc will, “walk the tightrope” every night. The inclusion of a live combo introduces not just another dimension of entertainment but another level of risk and potential spontaneity.

Performances will be presented in the evenings on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with two shows scheduled on Friday and Saturday nights. If well received, Monday evening performances may be added to the schedule which at this time runs through Sept 2nd. With a hefty cover and a stiff minimum, the attractions booked at Feinsteins are usually skewed to appeal to, “the carriage trade.” It is an intimate room seating 150 patrons for dinner, cocktails and entertainment. Generally presenting high end cabaret song stylists, Marc Salem’s show of mind reading and pseudo psychic demonstrations is a noteworthy departure from the usual presentations here. Salem’s engagement at Feinsteins is a tribute to his success in previous off Broadway and television appearances as well as to his talent and showmanship. When people remark, “I can’t get that song out of my head,” now Marc Salem in “Mind Games And All That Jazz” will do it for them.

Feinsteins at the Regency Hotel
540 Park Ave. (at 61st Street)
New York, NY 10028

Tickets are available through TicketMaster by phoning: 212-339-4095.
Prices have not been announced but the room usually has a $60 cover charge and can have a $30 food or drink minimum.

–Richard Steven Cohn