Today’s “Fab 5”+1/ Selected NYCity Events – WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2014.

Making Italian America
“As embodied in fashion, film, food, popular music and sports, Italian American identities have fascinated, disturbed and influenced American and global culture.

Historian and book editor Simone Cinotto will lead a group of scholars in a discussion of how consumption has shaped the culture and identity of Italians in America” (ThoughtGallery)
Tenement Museum, 103 Orchard St.,
not exactly Manhattan’s WestSide, but this should be worth the detour:
subway: #1-2-3 to 14^th St, transfer to F – 4 stops to Delancey St.;
walk 2 blks W on Delancey.
212-982-8420 / http://www.tenement.org
at 6:30 pm / FREE, seats are first-come, first-serve.
However, you can reserve two seats with the purchase of Making Italian America.
Contact Laura Lee at llee@tenement.org or 212.431.0233 ext. 259 to purchase a book.

Marissa Mulder -“Living Standards”
“Living Standards” is an exciting new cabaret show that addresses the complaint “they don’t write ’em like they used to.” Produced and directed by Tom Toce, “Living Standards” presents later entries to the Great American Songbook. Songs written by living composers and lyricists. Songs that are every bit as witty, elegant, touching, and intelligent as the Gershwin/ Kern/ Porter standards of days past. ”

Living Standards” will include work by the best of today’s cabaret songwriters, writers such as Francesca Blumenthal, John Bucchino, Craig Carnelia, Julie Gold, and Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich, as well as songs from singer-songwriters like Christine Lavin and Anais Mitchell. Celebrity songwriters like Randy Newman and Joni Mitchell will be included as well. Some songs will be well known in the cabaret community, having achieved “standard” status through numerous recordings or industry awards. Other songs will be less well known, but in the opinion of the show’s creators, equally deserving of the high status. Marissa Mulder recently won two MAC Awards, for Major Artist and for recording of the Year. Both awards pertained to her last show at the Metropolitan Room, “Tom…In His Words,” devoted to the songs of Tom Waits. Tom Toce is a veteran theater and cabaret songwriter.“ (Cabaret Hotline)
THE METROPOLITAN ROOM, 34 West 22nd St.
212-206-0440
at 9:30PM / $25 cover plus a 2-drink minimum

Stephen J. Dubner and Steven D. Levitt
The co-authors of the bestselling Freakonomics and co-hosts of Freakonomics Radio on WNYC talk with Catie Lazarus (host of Employee of the Month) about their latest book, unveiling essential tools to allow readers to “think like a freak” — to see the world unconventionally, and ultimately, more clearly. The Freakonomics guys developed the book after receiving thousands of readers’ and listeners’ questions.
Symphony Space, Broadway at 95th St.
212-864-5400 /symphonyspace.org
at 7:30pm / $25

Terell Stafford (throughMay 18.)
“The high-velocity excitement Stafford used to stir up in the nineties as a rip-roaring young trumpeter with Bobby Watson’s Horizon band remains in his playing, but maturity has further deepened his musicality. Telling examples of his artistry can be found on Stafford’s most recent album, 2011’s “This Side of Strayhorn,” a heartfelt tribute to Duke Ellington’s trusted collaborator. He is joined by the same quintet from that record, which includes the saxophonist Tim Warfield and the pianist Bruce Barth.” (NewYorker)
Village Vanguard ,178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St.
212-255-4037.

Timothy Geithner
Stress Test: Reflections on Financial Crises
Join Timothy Geithner as he discusses Stress Test: Reflections on Financial Crises with Mad Money’s Jim Cramer.
Barnes & Noble, Union Square, 33 East 17th St.
212-253-0810
at 7:00 PM / FREE
Priority seating with receipted book purchase from Barnes & Noble, bn.com or NOOK device. Books sold at our location are pre-signed as their will be no signing portion of the program. Event space opens at 5:00 pm

A Night of Improvised Round Robin Duets
“The art of spontaneous duologue gets a supersize platform in this special concert, a joint presentation of Red Bull Music Academy and Undead Music. Unfolding as an overlapping series of one-on-one exchanges, it will feature a staggering array of musicians, including Allen Toussaint, the New Orleans pianist and singer-songwriter; Marc Ribot and Nels Cline, the stylistically voracious guitarists; Amp Fiddler and Daedelus, the head-trippy electronic producers; David Murray and James Carter, both unstoppable saxophonists; and Wadada Leo Smith and Dave Douglas, both incisive trumpeter-composers. “ (Chinen-NYT)
Town Hall, 123 West 43rd St.
800-982-2787, the-townhall-nyc.org
At 7:30 p.m. / $22 to $32.
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♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.

♦ NYCity is a big town with many visitors where quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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Chelsea is the heart of the NYCity contemporary art scene. Home to more than 300 art galleries, the Rubin Museum, the Joyce Theater, and The Kitchen performance spaces, there is no place like it anywhere in the world. Come here to browse free exhibitions by world-renowned artists and those unknowns waiting to be discovered in an art district that is concentrated between West 18th and West 27th Streets, and 10th and 11th Avenues. Afterwards stop in the Chelsea Market, stroll on the High Line, or rest up at one of the many cafes and bars and discuss the fine art – my fave is Ovest on W 27th St., where the aperitivo is like Happy Hour on steroids.

For a listing of 25 essential galleries in the Chelsea Art Gallery District, organized by street, which enables you to create your own Chelsea Art Gallery crawl, see the Chelsea Gallery Guide (nycgo.com) Or check out TONY magazine’s list of the “Best Chelsea Galleries” and click through to see what’s on view. ==========================================================

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in the right Sidebar: “Selected Events + Special Exhibitions : Manhattan’s WestSide” dated (04/30) and (04/28).