John DeMarco sings mrl Torme

John DeMarco sings Mel Torme

By CHRISTOPHER BYRNE

John DeMarco is the kind of cabaret artist one doesn’t hear much any more. He is what used to be called, with complete lack of irony, a “song stylist,” a performer with a seemingly inexhaustible repertoire of classic songs—usually culled from what is generally considered “the Great American Songbook”—that he or she gives a unique personal touch. These performers got the world swinging to the kind of jazz that was the staple of the upscale cabaret scene for decades.

In his new show “John De Marco Sings Mel Torme,” the singer plies his warm voice, personal style and polished presentation to 14 songs that were popularized largely through the performances of Mr. Torme. It is not an impersonation so much as a tribute to a style of singing that DeMarco, like Mel Torme—known often as “The Velvet Fog,” a moniker he didn’t apparently love—has built a career around. Sitting in the Hideaway Room at Helen’s, in fact, one almost feels transported back to a time when it was common to see tuxedos and evening gowns in nightclubs in Las Vegas, Paris or New York—cities where, not surprisingly, DeMarco has a devoted following.

In his new show, finishing its run this weekend, DeMarco is at his best when everything clicks—warm voice, smooth presentation and a deep connection to the song—as in his rendition of “In the Still of the Night,” a Cole Porter classic from 1937 or in “Born to be Blue,” a song by Torme from 1945. These are high points in the show. There are other moments where liberties with the melodic lines and the lyrics are not as successful—as in a medley that starts with “Ole Devil Moon” and proceeds through a catalog of other “moon” songs—and where style outshines song choice and the connection to the audience frays.

Yet even in those moments, DeMarco carries off the performance with abundant personal charm that is as much a part of the show as the songs. For example, I absolutely loathe “The Christmas Song,” (“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…”) no matter who sings it, but by the end of his performance, DeMarco had softened even my hard heart. Sure, the show may have what could be called a “retro” feel, but it’s nice to know that the classic club headliner is still around and that his audience is having a wonderful time.