Las Vegas Park MGM Jazz and Piano


JILL WEINLEIN

After graduating from UCLA, JIll traveled the world looking for unique destinations. She’s been writing about her travels for almost 30 years in various publications.

She writes a weekly restaurant review for the Beverly Press and Park LaBrea News. It’s inserted into the Los Angeles Times every Thursday and delivered to subscribers from Hancock Park to Beverly Hills, Hollywood Hills to the Wilshire Corridor.

Las Vegas Park MGM Jazz and Piano

BY JILL WEINLEIN

The Park MGM is one of MGM’s new mega resorts in Las Vegas. Recently renovating and rebranding the Monte Carlo in a joint venture with Sydell Group, MGM renamed the 32 floor resort Park MGM. There are 2,992 guest rooms, including 259 luxury suites, a large casino, variety of restaurants, serene spa, and state-of-art theater.

Staying overnight, I dined at the elegant NoMad Restaurant for a multi-course dinner, where the dining experience features a library of over 20,000 books donated from David Rockefeller. Afterwards, I walked with friends to the nearby Park MGM Theater to see Lady Gaga’s Jazz and Piano show.

A few years ago when Tony Bennett approached Lady Gaga to sing a collaborative jazz album together, she jumped at the opportunity to sing the songs she lovingly grew up listening to as a young girl. Some of her favorites included songs by Nat King Cole, Dinah Washington, George Gershwin and Cole Porter.

In 2014, this eclectic duo sang some of his and her favorite songs on the Cheek to Cheek album, earning Lady Gaga the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

Now at the Park MGM Theater in Las Vegas, Lady Gaga is performing two types of shows – a contemporary Enigma and songs from the American Song book in her Jazz and Piano.

During her Jazz & Piano residency, Gaga passionately sings century old songs from the Great American Songbook, along with stripped-down versions of her favorite award winning contemporary songs.

Her heart is filled with joy when she sings jazz. Wearing a black sequin floor-length dress, gathered at the waist, with a long slit up the side, she opened with Frank Loesser’s Guys and Dolls song, ”Luck Be a Lady.” This song was a Frank Sinatra favorite. With brightness in her voice, she beautifully sings Richard Rodgers “The Lady is a Tramp” and Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life.”

She pays tribute to Cole Porter’s “Anything Goes” she also belts out “Flash, Bam, Alakazam” from Nat King Cole’s “Orange Colored Sky” while swirling her dress around.

Lady Gaga fondly talks about meeting and working with Tony Bennett, or as he calls him “Tone.” Singing one of his favorite numbers by Bart Howard “Fly Me to the Moon” with her band, she introduces her favorite band member, Randy Newman. Not only is he a long time friend and expert trumpet player, Lady Gaga is the godmother to his child.

Newman served as the trumpet player and bandleader for her album Cheek to Cheek with Bennett, and often performs at The NoMad Hotel restaurant after the show.

The band grows quiet when Lady Gaga sits at the white Grand Piano playing and singing her Grammy Award winning song “Poker Face”. She also sings a stripped down version of her 2011 Grammy nominated Album of the Year song “Born This Way”.

This show appeals to all ages and the audience adores her. Even though she doesn’t sing her Academy Award winning hit song “Shallow” from the remake of A Star is Born, she does belt out Piaf’s “La vie en rose” similar to how she sang the song in the movie.

Tickets are available for Lady Gaga Jazz and Piano show on December 31 at 8 p.m. In 2020, tickets are available on May 3, 7, 10 and 16 at 8 p.m. The theater is located at Park MGM on the casino level. Premium Sales call (844) 600-PARK premium@parktheaterlv.com or call 1.844.600.PARK Park Theater Ticket officeticketoffice@parktheaterlv.com. To make a reservation at the Park MGM Hotel call (888)529-4828 or go to https://parkmgm.mgmresorts.com/en.html.

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