Y M
C K
STEPPIN’ OUT
Cosby returns to Palace for night of comedy
BY STEPHEN SHUCK
Hour Correspondent
Although most of the con-
troversial news regarding
iconic comedian and televi-
sion star Bill Cosby has elicit-
ed errs from his detractors,
his presence in Stamford this
Sunday will be primarily to
elicit laughs.
Following a successful run
during the Stamford Center
for the Arts 2004-2005 season,
Cosby will be returning to the
Palace Theatre on March 30 to
perform his new comedy act
LIVE.
The veteran funnyman, who
since 2004 has been an extreme-
ly vocal critic of what he sees
as the problems in African-
American society, is less known
for his comedy these days than
as his role as a social commen-
tator. Last year, he authored the
book “Come on People: On the
Path from Victims to Victors”
with Dr. Alvin F. Poussaint, and
he is currently in the works on
a rap album that is said to be an
alternative to the violent and
sexual lyrics he sees as preva-
lent in the hip-hop industry.
Sandoval takes stage
at Quick Center
from B9
only by ear, to improvise, to
write music. Piano is the best
teacher,” he said, adding that
none of this is work.
One Southern California
jazz writer, Jay Matsueda, says
that Sandoval is such a promi-
nent figure of the genre that
he’s been included in the Play-
boy Jazz Festival.
“He’s really one of the
prominent figures in the genre;
he’s sort of a very popularized
and recognized name; there
aren’t that many who would
really stand out [in this space],”
Matsueda said.
So why does he stand out?
First, Sandoval seems to
thrive on both classical turns —
he’s a renowned classical musi-
cian who’s performed with lead-
ing orchestras, even recording
with the London Symphony on
John Williams’ bequest — and
pop culture, performing with
Justin Timberlake.
“I love my music! My way of
thinking is I love music, period.
I don’t …say I am a jazz musi-
cian or Latin jazz or this or that
or anything. I love music — [an]
old, good piece of music I would
love to learn and be able to play
[anything],” Sandoval said.
He’s recently performed on
Kenny G, Yanni and the last
three Rod Stewart records, he
points out casually.
But who knows what might
have happened had fate charted
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But fans of Cosby shouldn’t
worry that his current shows
will be sound like lectures. The
Stamford Center of the Arts
has stated his Sunday perform-
ances will be about comedy.
Entering his fifth decade in
show business, Cosby, like
most comedians, started out in
the small clubs of New York
and Philadelphia, although he
was able to snag gigs with both
Ed Sullivan and Jack Parr. His
big break, however, was in
1965 with the television show
“I Spy.” The show, which gar-
nered Cosby three Emmy
awards, was particular for the
chemistry between himself
and co-star Robert Culp, show-
ing two different people work-
ing together despite racial
barriers.
Cosby continued to buck
racial trends in 1984 with “The
Cosby Show,” which showed an
affluent, non-stereotypical
African-American family,
something rarely seen on
prime-time television. The
show is credited with reinvigo-
rating the sitcom genre, pulling
its network NBC from its flail-
a different course. Thanks to
his mentor, the late Gillespie,
Sandoval was supported
through the agonizing process
of gaining political asylum.
Gillespie even accompanied his
protégé to the American
Assembly.
“When I heard jazz for the
first time it was Dizzy Gillespie.
Somebody played me one of his
records. That was the first jazz
player I ever met in my life,”
Sandoval said. “Later on, I was
so lucky, I met him. We became
very, very close friends and I
played with him and he brought
me to America. He was, he is
still my hero, my biggest musi-
cal influence.”
Yet these days, Sandoval is in
a place of influencing the
younger generation himself,
especially through music clin-
ics he conducts in schools
around the country. He is also a
tenured professor at Florida
State University.
So does he ever get tired?
“I cannot afford that, I have
to keep going until I retire or I
die or something. I don’t know
yet what will come first,” he
said. “I enjoy very much what I
do. For me, it’s not work. Play-
ing for me is not a job, it’s not
work — it’s pleasure. It’s a
blessing from God to have the
music as your way of expres-
sion. If your passion and your
love become your way of living
too, that’s a privilege.”
ing last place to first and show-
casing a group of positive role
models.
The humor that Cosby incor-
porates, either as a television
star or a stand-up comedian, is
noted for two distinct traits.
The first, by his own admis-
sion, is finding the laughter in
everyday life.
“I feel that in-person contact
with people is the most impor-
tant thing in comedy. While I’m
up on stage, I can actually put
myself into the audience and
adjust my pace and timing to
them. I can get into their heads
through their ears and through
their eyes. Only through this
total communication can I real-
ly achieve what I’m trying to
do,” says the comedian regard-
ing his performances.
The second distinct quality
of Cosby’s comedy is its sur-
prising lack of profane, sexual
or scatological humor that is
prevalent in most modern,
mainstream comics. He once
famously called and chastised
Eddie Murphy for the rampant
profanity in his shows, which
Murphy then turned into a rib-
Thursday, March 27
Harold Clurman Poetry Read-
ing Series. Stella Adler Studio of
Acting, 31 West 27th St., New
York. (212) 689-0087. The Harold
Clurman Poetry Reading series
presents award-winning poets,
Alfred Corn, and Ravi Shankar,
who will read from their work at
6:30 p.m. Free, seating is limited.
Call for reservations.
The Armory Show 2008. Pier
94 (12 Avenue at 55th Street),
New York. (212) 645-6440. The
Armory Show features new art by
over 2,000 living artists from 160
of the world's leading galleries.
Through March 30.
Pulse Contemporary Art Fair.
Pier 40, West Side Highway at
West Houston Street, New York.
(212) 255-2327. PULSE Contem-
porary Art Fair's third New York
edition will be held through Mach
30 and will feature contemporary
works by 95 international gal-
leries.
Y M
C K
THE HOUR • THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2008 • B11
ald skit on his stand-up film
“Raw.”
But others outside of come-
dy have respected Cosby’s
reluctance to engage in what
some would call “lowbrow”
humor. Red Auerbach, the
famous coach of the Washing-
ton Capitols, praised Cosby in
one of his autobiographies for
achieving “greatness without
every having to say a dirty
word.”
However, the veteran funny-
man has found, especially in
recent years, ways to incorpo-
rate his social criticisms along
with his comedy. At the 2003
Emmy Awards, co-host and
comedian Wanda Sykes asked
Cosby about what the secret
was to his and other early black
comedians’ success.
“We spoke English,” he said.
Bill Cosby will be performing two
shows at the Palace Theatre on
March 30. The first will be a
matinee at 3 p.m., followed by
an evening show at 8 p.m. Tickets
for the event range between
$45 and $55.
Contributed photo
BIG APPLE EVENTS
March 30 at 3 p.m. Tickets $25, dam Ave. at 112th Street, New
Friday, March 28
Late Night Dance Party: One
$35, $15 students. York. (212) 932-7347. Celebrate
Women’s History Month by
Step Beyond. American Museum of Sunday, March 30 observing the Cathedral from a
female perspective and learning
Natural History, Central Park West at
Sisters and Saints: Spotlight how women have contributed to
79th Street, New York. (212) 769-
on Women. Cathedral of St. the history of the Cathedral. $10
5200. Flavorpill brings the party to
John the Divine, 1047 Amster- per person. 2 p.m.
the American Museum of Natural
History with One Step Beyond, a
monthly event featuring the biggest
names in techno, electronica, indie-
rock, and hip-hop; $20
Mozart's Requiem. Avery Fish-
er Hall, Lincoln Center, New York.
(212) 333-5333. Mozart's great
Requiem paired with an American
classic, Irving Fine's The Hour
Glass poems. Performed by The
National Chorale. $28-105.
Saturday, March 29
American Spirituals Concert.
Church of St. Paul the Apostle,
Columbus Avenue at 60th Street,
New York. (917) 326-1422. New
York City Master Chorale's Ameri-
can Spirituals concert at 8 pm and