Bio of Lynne Jackson and Mike Palter

Lynne Jackson & Mike Palter
The Unusual Bio of An Unusual Couple

Lynne and Mike

Perhaps the renowned musician and composer Dave Frishberg said it best when he exclaimed, "I can't exactly describe what Lynne and Mike do, but whatever it is they do it better than anyone else on earth!" Of course, what they DO is play and sing the songs of "the great American songbook." And the uniqueness of their performances reflects their disparate backgrounds.

Introduced by their fathers who were golf partners, Lynne and Mike seemed a mismatched pair. Lynne had studied at both the Longy Conservatory and the Berklee College of Jazz in Boston. Her musical interests ran from Bob Dylan and Joan Baez to Nina Simone. Mike, who had no formal musical training, taught English composition at the University of Massachusetts. Mike's musical tastes ran from Nat Cole to Frank Sinatra and the great jazz pianist, Bill Evans. In a sense, Lynne and Mike were, musically, worlds apart.

On the heels of a favorable review by the Boston Globe, the pair relocated to Los Angeles, eventually establishing themselves as the most successful cabaret duo in that city. Interestingly, although presenting standards and show tunes as cabaret performers, the duo attracted a faithful following of a diverse group of outstanding musicians including Frishberg, Roger Williams and cabaret artist Michael Feinstein.

While still in Boston, the pair had been given the first Encore Cabaret Humanitarian Award for their efforts on behalf of children, the hungry and the homeless. After moving to Los Angeles, they co-composed the "We Dream A Brighter Day" anthem for UNICEF which helped to bring awareness of the Ethiopian famine to the world. The song, performed by Lynne and Mike at the United Nations and by choral groups around the world, has subsequently been used to raise funds for countless humanitarian endeavors ranging from AIDS hospices to the Duke Children's Hospital At this writing, their "Song Of Peace," written in English, Arabic and Hebrew, has been forwarded to important cultural and political figures in the Middle East.. Their performances in Normandy, sponsored by the family of General George Patton to commemorate the 51st anniversary of the Liberation of France earned the personal congratulations of President Jacques Chirac. In the wake of September 11th, jazz legend Blossom Dearie recorded a CD single of their "It's All Right To Be Afraid," co-written by their frequent collaborator, Academy Award nominee Arthur Hamilton.

Whether at the United Nations or Carnegie Hall, in churches, synagogues, universities or in the studio, Lynne & Mike continue to present what many critics have described as "magical" performances of "the great American songbook," celebrating the sublime melodies, the wit, the wisdom and the lyrical genius of our greatest songs. As the distinguished music critic, R.C. Smith, has written:

"Lynne and Mike are an American resource."

The Cabaret Consortium