By Brian Scott Lipton . . .
More than once during her Monday night performance of California Dreamin’: Jessica Vosk Sings the Songs of Laurel Canyon, the singer joked that she was treating this three-show stint at 92NY like an eight-show Broadway run. Perhaps, she’s manifesting something, because I have no doubt the Baby Boomers and Gen Xers who flock to shows like A Beautiful Noise would literally run to hear Vosk perform this inimitable catalog of songs (mostly from the 1960s and 1970s) on the Great White Way.
More importantly, they would also leave this show far more satisfied. A powerhouse singer (considered by some to be the finest Elphaba that Wicked ever had), Vosk possesses the kind of extraordinary vocal control and flexibility that allowed her to do full justice to songs by Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Carole King, Stevie Nicks and Cass Elliott—a feat I doubt any other current singer could accomplish this well.
Moreover, while Vosk never truly imitates these icons, she easily captures their essence, whether on an almost eerily perfect re-creation of Mitchell’s gorgeous “California,” Ronstadt’s haunting “Blue Bayou,” and, especially, a slowed-down version of Nicks’ “Gypsy,” which was positively breathtaking. She often performed as if in a trance, waking up only after a song’s final note had been played.
Unsurprisingly, she handled songs written and sung by men with equal dexterity, including a forceful “Hotel California,” a dreamy “Don’t Worry Baby” and a slightly melancholy yet defiant “Boys of Summer.” And I loved her brief duet with Bryan Perri on Graham Nash’s “Our House,” which was a daring undertaking as Vosk had just played the audience the original demo of the tune, recorded by Nash and Mitchell, his then-paramour (and housemate).
Indeed, the Main Stem might also be a better fit for the show, which didn’t totally conform to the standard “Lyrics & Lyricists” model. In its storied history, L&L has never hosted just one performer (even one who was backed up by a kick-ass six-piece band, led by music director Bryan Perri, two superb background vocalists, and even a rotating special guest star; on Monday night, the extraordinary Eden Espinosa joined Vosk for a remarkable duet on Heart’s “All I Want to Do Is Make Love to You.” )
Perhaps more importantly, the show was a little lighter than usual on stories, and—purists will gasp—Vosk actually never mentioned the names of some the songs’ actual lyricists, among which were Glenn Frey, Roy Orbison, Toni Stern (who reportedly wrote Carole King’s “It’s Too Late” about her own break-up with James Taylor), Brian Wilson, and especially, Cynthia Weil—who died just last Friday and penned the show’s final song, “Make Your Own Kind of Music,” with her husband Barry Mann.
Still, when Vosk’s voice filled Kaufmann Concert Hall, it was impossible not to be completely enveloped in its rich sound while thoughts of anything but the song being performed vanished from one’s head. To paraphrase Joni Mitchell, Jessica, I could drink a case of you and still stay in my seat.
California Dreamin’: Jessica Vosk Sings the Songs of Laurel Canyon played 92NY (1395 Lexington Avenue at East 92nd Street) on June 2, 4 and 5. www.92ny.org
Photos: Joseph Sinnott
