A tribute to touch Mandel’s heart

L.A.’s entertainment world is a hotbed of celebrations, tributes and awards. Some are grandiose, some intimate; most are quickly forgotten. Not the marvelously entertaining tribute to Johnny Mandel on Sunday at the Jazz Bakery.

With Mandel as host, talented vocalists took the stage, each bringing an intriguing take to his far-ranging catalog. Between numbers, Mandel offered comments and recollections. After the instrumental ensemble (pianists Mike Melvoin and Bill Cantos, guitarist John Chiodini, saxophonist-clarinetist Don Shelton, bassist Chuck Berghofer and drummer Steve Schaeffer) played Mandel’s “M*A*S*H” theme, “Suicide Is Painless,” he whimsically referred to the value of writing music for a hit movie and TV series.

Mandel’s best-known songs were high points of the program. Lyricist Alan Bergman’s reading of “Where Do You Start?” touched the heart of a song in which words and music come together with irresistible poignancy. (This, despite the fact that -- as Mandel noted -- the music had been originally composed for subsequently abandoned lyrics by a different lyricist.) “Emily,” written with Johnny Mercer, has always been considered a song for a male singer. But Tierney Sutton, singing a brief verse by Alan and Marilyn Bergman that completely recasts the tune’s orientation, delivered a blend of shimmering musicality and lyrical authenticity. Sutton also duetted with pianist-singer Cantos in a lovely rendering of “Close Enough for Love.”

Some of the evening’s more intriguing passages traced to lesser-known Mandel numbers. Sue Raney’s “Cinnamon and Clove” (another collaboration with the Bergmans) was appropriately delicate and well crafted. Cantos found the wit and humor in Dave Frishberg’s lyrics for “El Cajon.” Bill Henderson nearly stole the show with a wildly idiosyncratic version of “Vacation From the Blues.” Lorraine Feather brought the right period touch for “Rainy Afternoon.” And the vocal group Inner Voices blended lush harmonies in “Little Did I Dream” and “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

Other singers participating in this engaging event included Pinky Winters, Shelby Flint and Morgan Ames. Each deserves credit for helping to transform what might have been simply another L.A. tribute into a musical evening to remember.