The composer John Kander, 96, will be honored for Lifetime Achievement this evening. And no wonder: He has written the score for 16 Broadway musicals, from “A Family Affair” in 1962 to “New York, New York,” which opened in April. (It’s up for nine Tonys.)
His catalog includes more than 2,000 songs, almost all of them with lyrics by Fred Ebb, who died in 2004. The most famous are surely the ones Ebb called “screamers”: exuberant, belty anthems of survival like “Maybe This Time,” “All That Jazz” and the ubiquitous title song from the new show (and the movie it’s based on). They are musts for a Kander playlist, as are some of his more character-driven comedy numbers — a few quite risqué. But he’s also written many quieter, more personal songs that round out a portrait of this exceptional musician.
Here are 10 essential songs from the Kander catalog.
“A Quiet Thing” from “Flora, the Red Menace” (1965)
Introduced by the 19-year-old Liza Minnelli, this song about the understated nature of true happiness is something of a Kander mission statement. (Listen on YouTube.)
“What Would You Do?” from “Cabaret” (1966)
A style chameleon, Kander channels Kurt Weill in a song of scathing defiance performed by Weill’s widow, Lotte Lenya. (Listen on YouTube.)
“Only Love” from “Zorba” (1968)
Kander’s gift for mining huge emotion from the simplest materials shines in this song sung by Maria Karnilova, which is then echoed, in a different register, by the company. (Listen on YouTube.)
“Maybe This Time,” from the movie of “Cabaret” (1972)
Their muse Minnelli, now in full diva mode, melds pathos and bravado in a classic Kander and Ebb “screamer” with a classic Kander vamp. (Listen on YouTube.)
“All That Jazz” from “Chicago” (1975)
Kander sets his style dial to Prohibition-era honky-tonk, and Chita Rivera, another Kander and Ebb muse, sets the joint on fire. (Listen on YouTube.)
“Theme from ‘New York, New York’” from “New York, New York” (1977)
What to say about this world-famous anthem, sung by Minnelli in top form, except that it was written to replace an earlier version in 45 minutes? (Listen on YouTube.)
“The Apple Doesn’t Fall” from “The Rink” (1984)
The two muses meet: Rivera and Minnelli as an estranged mother and daughter share a raucous comedy moment that’s also an earworm. (Listen on YouTube.)
“Everybody’s Girl” from “Steel Pier” (1997)
Triple rhymes set to music that sells every joke are at the heart of this prime example of Kander and Ebb filth, sung by Debra Monk. (Listen on YouTube.)
“Go Back Home” from “The Scottsboro Boys” (2010)
Ebb said he wished the team could write a show with no ballads; Kander dreamed of a show with nothing but. This beautiful one, sung by Brandon Victor Dixon, weighs in on Kander’s side. (Listen on YouTube.)
“Love and Love Alone” from “The Visit” (2015)
Rivera seethes a song about the sting of lost love that’s as fresh and pungent as “What Would You Do?” almost 50 years earlier. Only now it’s quieter. (Listen on YouTube.)
