Pop Reviews : Bacharach-David Salute

The National Academy of Songwriters’ sixth annual “Salute to the American Songwriter” at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre Thursday night was the kind of carefully produced, well-paced, talent-packed show that the Emmy and Oscar and Grammy extravaganzas promise but too often fail to deliver.

Even more importantly, the Paul Williams-hosted presentation--which featured Lifetime Achievement Awards to Burt Bacharach and Hal David--had a warm and comfortable feeling. Songwriters are, for the most part, anonymous characters in today’s entertainment scene, and much of the evening reflected the significance of their support and affection for each other.

The cast of talent ranged from Vince Gill and Syreeta Wright to Peter Allen and James Ingram--performing one or two (sometimes more) of their most-successful works. Allen was, as always, flamboyantly energetic, a remarkable combination of sensitive songwriter and outgoing show-stopper.

Climaxing the program, Dionne Warwick sang her familiar Bacharach-David hits with at least as much verve and enthusiasm as she sank into the original versions.

The most understated attention-getter of the event, however--especially for these listeners--was songwriter-comedian Marie Cain’s hilarious take on what makes a hit song, appropriately titled “The Chorus.” And the best news of the evening was the announcement that Bacharach and David, their differences of the last few years resolved, are once again writing songs together.