Jazz Advisor Dick Hyman has long viewed opening night as the perfect opportunity to lay out the year's theme and this year's gala will be no exception! What we propose to explore over the next 10 days, as Dick put it some months back, are "the many faces of Cole Porter"…his elegance, his sophistication, his wit…and how well his music and lyrics carry into a variety of contexts, from the cabaret and music hall, to jazz (that form he so did not understand!) to the legitimate stage and almost classic form. Tonight, Dick takes on this theme in earnest with an overview of Porter's legendary catalog of songs featuring Tony-nominated vocalist Ann Hampton Callaway (in her first of 2 appearances), New York song & dance man Ty Stephens , and the Emerald City Jazz Kings' inimitable trio Shirley Andress, Julie Alsin and Vicki Brabham–all backed by his all-star Big Band! Also featured will be vibraphonist Peter Appleyard, trumpeter Randy Sandke, the great Frank Capp on drums sharing their own takes on classic Porter favorites. This superb company will cover it all, from "It's De-Lovely" and (of course!) "All of You" to "Too Darn Hot" and "Let's Misbehave", with such classics as "I've Got You Under My Skin", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", and "From This Moment On" filling in along the way!