JALC Presents Great American Crooners reviewed by Amy Menzel

JALC Presents Great American Crooners – 2/27/26
Jazz at Lincoln Center’s mission is “to entertain, enrich and expand a global community for jazz
through performance, education, and advocacy.” That means, lucky for us, the organization is
always sending incredible musicians on tour. “Great American Crooners,” a performance
showcasing standards made famous by iconic vocalists, is currently making its way across the
country, and made a stop at the Marcus Performing Arts Center in Milwaukee Friday night.

Benny Benack III (trumpet, vocals), Shenel Johns (vocals), and Robbie Lee (piano, vocals) lead a
talented and exceedingly charming sextet set to “transport you to a night in Manhattan” through
their 90-minute set. Friday night they were joined by Felix Moseholm (bass), Jocelyn Gould
(guitar, vocals), and Maria Marmarou (drums).
It seemed to take a beat for the group to find their groove last night, but once they found it, they
were off. They performed hits made famous by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgarald, Etta Jones, Nat
King Cole, Tony Bennett, and more. They covered favorites including “I Got You Under My
Skin,” “Route 66,” “I Only Have Eyes For You,” and “Fly Me to the Moon.” If my count is correct,
the set included 15 numbers. Each one, increasingly enjoyable. The show steadily crescendoed to
the end.

Of course, in a venue such as this, the ensemble doesn’t take requests. It seems, however, that
the audience was pleased with selections, and thrilled with the performance. There were audible
exclamations throughout and a standing ovation to close. If I could make a request, it would be
to allow more from Moseholm and Marmarou. Both had strong solos and I would have loved to
hear more. That said, I can’t think of anything I suggest they cut from the set to make that
happen. I would hate to have not heard Johns and Gould’s “Moon River” duet, and I absolutely
loved Johns’ extraordinary execution of Nancy Wilson selections.

There’s something about live jazz, in particular, that’s additionally engaging. It’s not
performative, but there is a performance. While you listen, you also get to observe joy made
visible. I’m always heartened to watch a musician step back and take in another musician’s solo.
The look of admiration for another artist’s skill, technique, creativity, and innovation in real
time is really special. And this fellowship between musicians naturally extends to all in
attendance. A night out listening to jazz is an evening well spent.
Kudos, too, for the group’s efforts to share their love for the city of Milwaukee. As we know,
late-winter midwest weather is hit-or-miss. Luckily, the JALC crew hit Milwaukee on a beautiful
February day, which allowed them the chance to explore. They shared some stories about their
visit to the Milwaukee Public Market. We got to hear about their pickleball games, presumably
at nearby RiverWalk Commons. Add in some cheese curds and a meal at the Swingin’ Door, and
it sounds like they made themselves a wonderful, albeit short, Wisconsin visit. True to their
mission, they also made time to entertain and educate 1200 students Friday morning. What a
day! Hopefully Lee was able to fulfill his mission of seeing the Milwaukee Art Museum’s iconic
building, designed by Santiago Calatrava, before the group left for their next stop in Iowa.

You can get more information on this tour at greatamericancrooners.com. Visit  Jazz Orchestra at https:jazz, to learn
more about Jazz at Lincoln Center.
★★★★★
JALC’s Great American Crooners was the first performance in the 2026 Milwaukee Performing
Arts Center Presents Jazz series. Mark your calendars for April 10 (New Underground Jazz) and
May 14 (ARTEMIS). Head to marcuscenter.org/2025-mpac-presents-jazz to purchase your
tickets now.