Cabaret Review by Ron Fassler . . . .
On a freezing cold January evening, the Songbook Sundays series, part of Jazz at Lincoln Center, paid tribute to composer and lyricist Frank Loesser in two shows at 5:00 PM and 7:30 PM. Curated and hosted by Deborah Grace Winer, these performances at Dizzy’s Club, a charming spot situated on the sixth floor of the Barclay’s Center at Columbus Circle, are always fun and always well attended (the 5:00 PM show I attended was sold out). Utilizing three singers, backed by a fantastic quartet of musicians, the breadth and depth of Loesser’s singularly sensational work was fully on display over the course of little more than an hour. Aided throughout by biographical information provided by Winer’s off-the-cuff remarks, the audience left feeling “warm all over,” to borrow one of his song titles, even if that Most Happy Fella ballad wasn’t on the setlist. Honestly, any of the Golden Age songwriters, of which Loesser was an integral part, need a two-hour evening to even scratch the surface of their talents.
Loesser’s “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve” kicked off the night, sung by Emily Skinner, who many will remember as one of the original twin sisters in 1997’s Side Show, for which she received a Tony nomination. A wonderful singer and actress, Skinner also offered well-polished renditions of “Junk Man,” a little-known Loesser lyric, to a tune by Joseph Meyer; and a deeply moving “Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year,” written for a Deanna Durbin screen musical Christmas Holiday (1944). When an actress can sing as well as Skinner, that’s my idea of happiness. And it was an eye-opener to be introduced to the song stylings of Ekep Knwelle, a recent Juilliard graduate with a voice built for jazz. She brought to mind legendary singers like Mildred Bailey, Sarah Vaugh, and especially Carmen McRae. We’ll be hearing from this young singer as she heads towards what should be a fulfilling career as a recording artist. The freedom with which she sang “I’ve Never Been in Love Before” (Guys & Dolls) and “Never Will I Marry” (Greenwillow) were fresh and exciting and real audience favorites.
The sole male performer was Matthew Scott, heretofore unknown to me, but with solid credits in a number of Broadway shows such as Jersey Boys and An American in Paris. His first number, “Let’s Get Lost,” for which Loesser wrote lyrics to music by Jimmy McHugh, was first introduced by Mary Martin in the movie Happy Go Lucky (1943). Of course, it’s far more famous as one of jazz trumpeter Chet Baker’s most iconic recordings. Scott also did a lovely jazz-flavored combo of two great Guys and Dolls songs, its title tune and “Luck Be a Lady.” I also found his “Somebody, Somewhere,” another Most Happy Fella song, a standout. Usually sung by a woman, Scott found ways to make it his own that balanced well with Loesser’s heartfelt lyrics. Funny story: When the great Abe Burrows, who had written and directed Guys and Dolls, saw Most Happy Fella, Loesser wanted his honest opinion. Burrows began going over all the songs in the score one by one Loesser cut him off: “Abe, the hell with that! We both know I can do that kinda stuff. Tell me where I made you cry.”
The band was terrific, led by Joe Davidian on piano, who also served as musical director; and Mark Lewandowski (bass) and Maria Marmarou (drums) provided fine backup. A standout was Daniel Cohen on saxophone, who was given a good many solos and played with focus and splendid musicianship.
Next up in the Songbook Sundays series will be a Rodgers and Hammerstein salute in April. For further information, check in at the Jazz at Lincoln Center’s website soon: www.jazz.org
Photos: Ron Fassler
Cover photo: Emily Skinner, Matthew Scott and Ekep Knwelle
