Cabaret Review by Andrew Poretz . . . .
This writer reviewed Karen Akers’ well-received Water Under the Bridge cabaret show at Birdland Jazz in September 2022 (read it HERE). Ms. Akers brought an updated edition to Birdland during Thanksgiving week. Such is the star’s skill that, even though the majority of the songs were in each production, the entire thing felt new, as if I were seeing this show for the first time. The show was produced under the superb direction of Sarah Louise Lazarus.
Ms. Akers was accompanied by her musical director/pianist Alex Rybeck, and bassist Tom Hubbard, delivered – and forgive the cliché – a masterclass in intimate storytelling that left the listener emotionally spent, in the best possible way.
The star again opened with a medley of “Among My Souvenirs” (Horatio Nichols/Edgar Leslie) and “Walking Among My Yesterdays” (John Kander/Fred Ebb) to establish the show’s premise, using songs to look back at her relationships. She is rather convincing, and at times she had to reassure her fans that the songs were not directly autobiographical.
On “Reynosa” (Amanda McBroom), a funny story song that paints a picture of some wild Saturday nights in a town near the Mexican border, Rybeck played the grand piano like a giant mariachi marimba, and the arrangement gave the tune a Jimmy Buffet vibe.
Ms. Akers reduced “Sometimes When We Touch” (Dan Hill) from its overplayed MOR 70s pop hit to a powerful, poignant declaration of the love she has for her first husband, Jim Akers, who came out of the closet after 20 years of marriage. Her exceptional diction and articulation of the lyric made each word have its own import. She ended the song with a big, sustained high note. (She later thanked her singing coach for helping with vocal challenges that could have sidelined her.) The star related that Mr. Akers once told their children, “You are nothing but a byproduct of my affection for your mother.,” before launching into “The Greatest Discovery” (Elton John/Bernie Taupin), a song she has always wanted to sing.
Some of Ms. Akers’ new song choices for this version of the show were even more tied to her real-life stories. She related the bouncy “Live Alone and Like It” (Stephen Sondheim, from Dick Tracy) to her time between husbands. Similarly, “Ready to Begin Again” marked her openness to finding love again with her second husband. (She’s since married a third time.) The star’s rubato, dramatic verse was very “Piaf” in feel.
Ms. Akers approached “Both Sides Now” (Joni Mitchell) slowly and deliberately, while Rybeck provided a delicate accompaniment that evoked a music box. Ms. Akers is a master of dynamics in her singing, which added much to the dramatic tension of this piece.
The star also displayed a flair for comedic timing, as she seemingly launched into a story that turned out to be a sleight-of-hand, as it was actually the verse to “Now” (Brad Ross and Joe Keenan), a clever musical-theater song whose protagonist looks back on her career.
Her finale was a waltz, “Time and Love and You,” which Lew Spence gave her. Before waltzing off the Birdland stage, she spoke of the state of the world, and gave a lovely encore with “If I Ruled the World” (Cyril Ornadel and Leslie Bricuse.)
Ms. Akers has a way of bringing each audience in, as if she were somehow sharing her story privately., even with a full house at Birdland. The statuesque, ageless star is funny, sometimes self-deprecating, and revelatory in her patter. She showed great vulnerability as she shared herself with an enraptured audience. Brava!
Karen Akers: Water Under the Bridge took place November 20 at Birdland Jazz Club (315 West 44th Street, between Eighth and Ninth Avenues). www.birdlandjazz.com
Photos: Jeff Harnar
