Michael Feinstein celebrates Gershwin's deep connection to jazz, both in his personal roots and influences. Gershwin was a formidable stride pianist, whose first-hand gurus were Lucky Roberts and James P. Johnson, and through his audacious themes and ingenious chord sequences, thousands of musicians have used Gershwin's work as a jumping off point for classic improvisations.

Michael Feinstein is ideally suited to interpret Porter's archly comic, ambiguous, pointed lyrics and to execute his memorable melodies, several dozen of which have inspired generations of jazzfolk to improvise at the highest level.

No living entertainer knows the ins and outs of the music of the Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression more thoroughly than the singer pianist Michael Feinstein. For the third and final concert of his Jazz and Popular Song series, Feinstein explores the music of Louis Armstrong, Mildred Bailey, Sophie Tucker, Fats Waller, Ethel Waters, and Lee Wiley.