Press Reviews

Gabe Russo says, It's Italian law: you have to love Sinatra, and if you sing, you must sing Sinatra. It was a lesson --- albeit a happy one---that was begun very early; Russo began performing on stage with his Father at the age of eight, I had a little tux and everything, he says.

Russo now wears the tuxedo he inherited from his Father --- the same tux his father wore while singing Sinatra’s music in Philadelphia. It is a mark of how important the era is to Russo.

Nowadays, Russo has teamed up with friend Jim Noe, and the duo performs not just Sinatra, but the music of the Rat Pack: Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr. But they are not aiming to impersonate; they aim to recreate an era. It’s a romantic era, complete with mafia goons and dark casinos, romantic; music to swing to … to slow dance.

And while the mafia is better left to the past, the music that Russo & Noe sing conjures up exactly that atmosphere, minus the danger: It’s a nostalgic look back.

The music is amazing … there were really talented song writers back then, Russo says. They sang songs with words, with real meaning. Where else can you find that?

Noe adds, It's music you can really dance to. There’s not really any better music for dancing.

Russo & Noe give a solid two hours during their performance with lots of classic swing & jazz, standards by Mercer, Porter, and other legends. They want people to enjoy the music, and get a taste of that romantic atmosphere.

Russo & Noe are a sort of straight man-funny man duo, as Russo constantly cracks jokes while Noe tries to rein him in. Whether they intend to or not they capture that sense of classy entertainment that defined the Rat Pack.

That sense of stage presence comes in part from the pair’s strong theatre background. They have worked together and separately on several productions at the Historic Holly Theater including Guys & Dolls, Camelot, and Red Hot & Cole. Both also have experience with other venues on the east coast.

They take their performance seriously … but not too seriously. We love doing what we’re doing. If people enjoy it, it’s even better. Noe says!

The rehearsal schedule is less stringent than that of the theater which allows for more family time, while they still do what they love.

Russo & Noe will perform at Dominique’s Bartini this Saturday at 8 p.m. Reservations are strongly suggested; the last performance was standing room only. Call 706-864-8452 for reservations.

Russo & Noe are also available for parties and other gatherings; call 770-530-8598 for bookings or visit their website at www.russoandnoe.com.