Mark Nadler

Viewpoint
By Richard Clark

Given the gravity of my responsibility as a music reporter for The Northern Light, I naturally appeared at our performing arts center 15 minutes early Saturday evening. In hand were my new ballpoint pen, my writing pad, and the usual handouts distributed at the door. I had time quietly to relax and mentally prepare for the appearance of Mark Nadler, featured performer of Carnegie Hall fame. I peacefully meditated.

Then everyone was startled when a man in formal concert attire – black and white as a penguin – suddenly materialized in my presence minutes before the show began. “Are you Dick Clark, the famous piano teacher-slash-critic?” he shouted. I was totally discombobulated. The audience snickered. Mental preparation? Meditation? Forget it! What on earth was happening here?

Soon, I realized this was nothing less than the extraordinary style of “Mark Nadler in a Nutshell,” the 43-year-old musician who was raised in Iowa, a state where there are 3.2 pigs for every inhabitant. “And I’m a Jew,” he said. So what can one make of this man who – apart from facial expressions like Mr. Bean – looks a little like Horowitz, moves about the stage like Spiderman, entertains like Victor Borge, sings like Pavarotti and dances like Fred Astaire? The answer, in a word, is either eccentric or multi-talented, I don’t know which.

Suddenly, he made a mad dash for the stage, bounced upon it like a teenaged hurdle jumper (not once did he use the stairs), dropped onto the piano bench and, without touching a key, began singing an upbeat song that I didn’t know.

After singing a few measures, he added the piano, and I realized this man had a rare gift called perfect pitch. Mark’s music was an immediate hit, but had it not been for George Gershwin, the evening would have been guided by hilarious pandemonium. Brooklyn-born Gershwin, who died of brain cancer at age 40 in 1937, brought Tin Pan Alley into Hollywood’s limelight nanoseconds before the Big Band Era popularized his music – songs that became American classics. And Mark obviously loves him.

Nadler was hardly in a nutshell when it came to needling his audience. Noticing someone from Custer had tardily crept into the auditorium, he stopped the music and yelled, “I came all the way from New York, and I got here on time!

”Then there was the “Vodka” song, “the vodka that makes you feel a little oddka.” Along came Sandy with a glass of “vodka” that she quietly placed on the piano. As he slowly imbibed, his behavior grew relaxed, until he was tinkling the ivories while lying on the floor, quite “drunk.”

He didn’t play any Chopin, but he made up for it with Chopsticks. I think he initiated his tap dancing routine with that piece. Or maybe it was something by Scott Joplin; I can’t remember. He would sit, play and tap dance, or dance around the piano bench while poking chords as he passed by the keys. Then he broadened the circle by tap dancing around the piano.

He walked into the audience, as was his manner on several occasions, and he asked if anyone wished for him to play their favorite piece. It was Kathy’s birthday, and she requested “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Well, he happened to hate that piece, but he agreed to play another that had “many of the same notes.” I think it was “All that Jazz.”

Nearly all of the selections he played and sang were by Gershwin. Mark’s most unusual presentation, in my opinion, was a set of pieces called “I Love a Piano.” Before long, he was belting out “The Rhapsody in Blue” in fine form. On Lincoln’s birthday in 1924, Paul Whiteman and his orchestra premiered Gershwin’s masterpiece at Aeolian Hall and emancipated American popular music. “Gershwin made a lady out of jazz,” said Walter Damrosch. But what made Mark’s rendition so fascinating was the way in which he turned the Rhapsody into an accompaniment for “‘S Wonderful,” which he also sang – a complicated three-way connection between two overlapping compositions plus his voice.

He had come from Swift Current, where “nothing was swift but the current.” But he emoted over the wonderful Blaine people, and with a voice sweet as maple syrup, said, “We are bonding.” The audience, I’m sure, was deeply touched, but I couldn’t help wondering what he would say about Blaine the moment he performed in Longview the next afternoon.

The audience played a prominent role in the show. Spontaneity was key. There was no room for shyness. While time was running out at nine o’clock, he pulled about 15 women of varied ages from their seats, lined them up on the stage, and taught them to link arms and kick like cancan girls while he accompanied them. Patricia was the winner. The audience roared its delight.

Upon receiving a standing ovation, Mark agreed to play an encore. It was “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Well, happy birthday, Kathy.

Top

Arthur:
I am truly overwhelmed with Mark Nadler's performance at Tilles Center last Saturday. His energy, talent and  sense of humor is outstanding. After the show many members of the audience stopped to tell me how much they enjoyed him. What more can a presenter ask.

Jack Globenfelt
Executive Producer

From: RONTEPPINS@aol.com
     Date: May 2, 2004 11:03:04 PM EDT
 Subject: You are one unbelievable performer
   
Dear Mark,
My husband and I saw you at Tilles last Saturday and in that unfortunate overheated room, you gave the most spectacular performance! We wondered where you had been and then we realized  perhaps "where have we been?"
We loved your humor, pathos and unsurpassed talent.  I thought that this must be what my mother who is 94 felt like when she watched Gene Kelly.   

 Please put us on your mailing list. 
 Elaine Clayman
 Ron Tepperman
 150 East 69th Street, Apartment 24J
 NYC 10021

From: Fishel247@aol.com
Date: May 2, 2004 11:58:27 PM EDT

Subject: Tilles Center

We are subscribers at Tilles (Cabaret) for several years, and I've  never written to a performer yet.  However, your performance was more  than great and you deserved the several standing ovations we gave. I've never heard your name before getting the Tilles brochure last year, but will never forget your name now.  So, again, I thank you for a most wonderful evening  (we attended the  second show) and I would certainly try to see you again May 21 in  Flushing.  (We live on the border of Nassau/Queens).  I wish you much  success, you certainly earn it up there on that stage.
 Phil Plafker

Thank you Arthur!  

“Mark Nadler gave a phenomenal performance at Lakeside.  His energy is unsurpassed – he started ‘running’ 15 minutes before the show with our audience, and never stopped until the last note was played.  We had our largest audience of the season for his show, and they are still stopping me on the street to tell him how much they enjoyed his antics onstage.  I would highly recommend Mark to any event producer – you get more than your money’s worth from his outstanding talent.  We’ll definitely have him back!

”Shirley StaryLakeside Association

Putting comedian/pianist Mark Nadler on my chamber music series might have been a stretch, but it worked. We bought in new audience members who came for the laughs and yet managed not to offend the hard core classical listeners. Mark has almost too much talent – he could be a successful stand up comedian or a full-fledged concert pianist, but has settled on both careers. The school matinee for 1200 hard-to-please 8th graders was a popular as a circus, but also filled with delightful insights into the great American songbook.
Corby Skinner
Alberta Bair Theater
Billings, Montana

Thanks Arthur – Mark was a sweetheart. And what talent!

Mark’s show was wonderful.  ”Mark Nadlier is Victor Borge, Liberace and Dame Edna wrapped up into one hysterically funny show.”  He was also a pleasure to work with.  I’m seriously contemplating bringing him back in June 2006.
Regards.
Carrie

"Mark Nadler offers the unique performance for audiences of all ages.
His rapport with his audience may be his most outstanding and endearing
quality. He literally wraps the audience in his manic presence, running
around the auditorium engaging members of the audience in all aspects
of his show.  Not to be missed!"

Good morning, Arthur
I am writing to let you know how much our audience loved Mark.  He knocked
their socks off.  He got the quickest, and longest, standing O that I have
seen from our audience.
Lots of compliments coming our way for our great selection!
Mark was a personal delight to have with us.  Alyce and I truly enjoyed the
short time he spent at our home before curtain.

Jay Jantzen
President,Redmond Community Concert Association

Arthur,  Mark gave a brilliant performance last evening for the Reno/Sparks audience.  His energy and humor were infectious and the audience warmed to him immediately.  He has a way of sharing himself with the audience that every one felt they had met  a personal friend.  What a delightful young man.
Marian Holten

Hi Arthur,
We so enjoyed Mark Nadler.  One of our marketing tools was to contact all the “Red Hat Societies” in town and invite them for a night out.  Many of them came in their purple and red.  Mark had several on stage with him.  What a sight that was!  The entire audience were enthralled with not only his lightheartedness; but his ability to “feel the music” he was playing.  It was a joy to hear and see his interpretation of the music.  Thanks again for arranging the block.  We hope to rebook in the future.
PhyllisPhyllis
ColpittsTheater
Manager
CAM-PLEX Heritage Center