A Classic Night for Schmoozers

The Scene: One of the great parties of the year--Arista President Clive Davis’ annual Grammy Eve bash at the Beverly Hills Hotel. “This is the music industry equivalent of what Swifty Lazar’s Oscar party once was,” said Mercury’s Danny Goldberg. “It’s the definitive gathering of big shots in the record business.”

Who Was There: What Quincy Jones described as “the family, the whole spectrum.” Among the 710 guests were Whitney Houston and her fedora-wearing husband, Bobby Brown, Annie Lennox, Bonnie Raitt, Marvin and Barbara Davis, Natalie Cole, Bob Daly and Carole Bayer Sager, Tony Bennett, Ahmet Ertegun, Strauss Zelnick, Doug Morris, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, Toni Braxton, Russell Simmons, Sean “Puffy” Combs, Antonio “L.A.” Reid, Dick Clark, Phil Quartararo, Ted Field, Joan Osborne, David Foster, Kenny G, Paula Abdul, Suzanne de Passe, Dominick Dunne, Ron Shapiro, Coolio and Boyz II Men.

The Ambience: The hotel’s baroque ballroom had the feel of a classic Hollywood nightclub. Imagine the Cocoanut Grove but more glittery and opulent than it ever really was. Clive Davis as emcee is like Ed Sullivan hosting “Soul Train.” He introduces famous guests in the audience, exhorts the crowd to “Give it up for . . .” and brings on his divas, 15-year-old Monica, country star Pam Tillis, Faith Evans, Brandy and Mary J. Blige, the latter three belting out selections from the “Waiting to Exhale” soundtrack.

The Pace: The evening began at 7:30 with a packed reception that Raitt likened to a “swarm of bees.” It was around 10 before guests were ready to dine (half the room circulated through dinner) and 11 when the host made everyone sit down and started the 90-minute show. “These people were born to schmooze,” said one guest during dinner. “They can’t help themselves.”

High Point: Chaka Khan blowing the roof off with her rendition of “My Funny Valentine.” This earned the night’s most enthusiastic standing ovation. It was followed by Whitney Houston’s unscheduled performance of the “Waiting to Exhale” theme backed by fellow soundtrack singers, the movie’s producer, the songwriter, the book’s author and the president of 20th Century Fox.

Dress Mode: What could loosely be called black-tie. Formal gowns and tuxes formed the basis with variations including felt hats, black turtlenecks, gold pendants, baseball caps, shaved heads and tuxedos with leather sleeves.

Overheard: A bewildered woman as she examined the radically renovated ballroom: “I got married here. I’m trying to figure out where the scene of the crime was.”

Competing Party: MTV’s Rock the Vote benefit at the House of Blues where Hootie & the Blowfish and Chuck D were honored for “inspiring political awareness.” Kind of makes you proud to live in a country where people named Hootie, Blowfish and D are political inspirations.