CATCH-UP ON CABARET- JUMPING INTO JUNE

I have what is literally an “inside joke” with the friendly staff at The Metropolitan Room about how I’m there so often really because there’s a secret room downstairs where reviewers sleep after a late show when they’ll probably be back the next night for more cabaret pleasures and pizzazz and polished performers (and pies).  Well, the truth is they just have a lot of terrific shows and this month is no exception.

So, this column is dedicated to that two-year-old venue, and next time I’ll catch up on the others.  June is full of acts I’ve seen and can recommend that are worth the round trip from the other side of town.  But now that I think of it, with June being so warm, do they really need that coat room?  I’m sure a cot would fit in, and if the next day brings rain again, there is probably a leftover umbrella.  And maybe a leftover pie for a midnight snack.  But meanwhile, let’s look at the entertainment schedule.  It includes a couple of groups I’ve enjoyed who make me smile for two reasons: they’re very funny and very musical with harmonies that can’t be beat.  I’m speaking of The Bobs and also The Pink Flamingos.  Quirky and goofy and smart and outrageous…that’s usually enough to draw me in, but add the great musicality and interaction off the “group effort” and it’s no effort to smile.  Both also have recent recordings out. Now for those who like alliteration, we’ll talk about singers Suzanne and Susan, then Julie, Jeanne and Jamie in June.

Titled The Friendliest Thing after a 1960s show tune done early on, she uses the suggestive teaser-pleaser to suggest her theme.  On opening night, its writer, Ervin Drake was in the audience to hear her do his song from the 1960s musical, What Makes Sammy Run?  And she did him proud, with a sinuous, affectionate rendition.  Two standards that touch on touching and make making out an out-and-out subject, live in Gershwinland and seem inevitable: “Do It Again” and “Embraceable You.”  More surprising and rewarding choices included “I Will Be Loved Tonight” by Jimmy Roberts and Joe DiPietro from I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.  It gave her a chance (that she grabbed and ran with) to be torchy and real, showing real acting chops, too, as she showed specificity in moments with pauses and strong reactions to the moments in the story of the song.   A couple of numbers in the cute/comic/quirky field showed that she wasn’t taking herself or her subject overly seriously.  This was welcome, but I don’t think she’s found the ideal comedy number piece for herself yet.  But Suzanne is game.  It’s tricky to play the frustrated lover or wannabe lover—one can come off as petulant and pouting, which isn’t as endearing as confused and befuddled.

Later she turned to the emotional music of Harold Arlen for a few numbers that let her get intense, such as “I Had Myself a True Love,” with the Johnny Mercer lyric that allowed her to let down her guard and impressively play regret and struggle.  Directed by that classy singer and researcher of the Great American Songbook, Mary Cleere Haran, Suzanne has her mentor’s priorities of respecting and seemingly loving the material and showcasing it rather than twisting it out of shape.  Sometimes it seems to be more about the song—presenting it more than fully owning it and living it.  Still a developing cabaret singer, she hasn’t crystallized a trademark style or infused all the songs with the kind of personal  energy that makes her performances fully commanding and pulls one deep into her experience.  She’s not walking through anything by any means—there is commitment—she may just be treading a little lightly at times.

Though Suzanne may be singing about frustration regarding the lack of the perfect partner for a personal relationship, she (and the audience) can’t complain a whit about the ideal musical partners she has.  As they’ve proved time and again with cabaret and jazz singers, pianist/musical director Tedd Firth and bass player Steve Doyle are top drawer and at the top of their game.  They enrich material, making the music more present and involving.  Their work here is more subtle and restrained that it is with an improvising  jazz singer in full romp mode, but in the ballads a tender side comes out that adds class but eschews the corn potential and they bring that sense of hipness to the room.

“Like a Lover” would have benefitted from more drama via genuine longing as it seemed too placid, perhaps because it was combined with the dreamy and conflict-free “The Island.”  (Both are love songs with lyrics by master writers Marilyn and Alan Bergman.  However, Tedd Firth’s piano solo was superb; it would be wise to find another opportunity like this for him.)  Catch Suzanne and her songs of grown-up relationships at The Metropolitan Room tonight – Monday – before she puts her libido on hold.    She’s delightful and darling company.

Also at The Metropolitan Room this month is another MAC nominee for Debut, Susan Winter.  Her show last year featuring songs from the movies she has loved for years was excellent.  Susan Winter is a woman who was busy raising a couple of kids for a couple of decades and now has gotten around to cabaret.  She brings a warm wisdom and perspective that come from experience to her material.  Her enthusiasm, rich voice, and personality, however, are brimming with a kind of youthful optimism.   I’m looking forward to her themeless new group of “just songs I love to sing” by some of the great classic writers.  She has taste and an open heart and a cozy, friendly, unpretentious way that make her good company for audiences and the songs she chooses to grace.  See her Tuesdays, June 3 and 10 at 7 pm.

Julie Reyburn has a couple more dates at the club on June 5 and 12.   A singer who made a strong and immediate impact several years ago, she hasn’t been seen with a solo show in quite a while.  Having a child was the main reason (thank goodness she only waited til the days of crayons and cartoons rather than college).  Besides Play-Do, the Velveteen Rabbit, and Disney videos, Julie’s home shelves include her own MAC Awards for Debut and Female Vocalist, and her BackStage Bistro and Nightlife Awards.  Her latest show is a winner, too!  Julie is back and it feels like a happy reunion with an appreciative audience on her first night a few weeks ago as she bit into a wide variety of material (I liked almost all of it, though I have a strong preference for the material that lets her use her acting muscles and interpretive skills on story-like lyrics rather than just grooving on the more generalized pop material, though some of that is cool and she has won her funky stripes).

Highlights ranged from the clear-eyed, grown-up bittersweetness of “Blackberry Winter” to the wide-eyed ultra-exuberant confidence of “That’s How You Know” a choice from the new Disney movie Enchanted.  We have offspring Layla to thank for that exposure, and for some of the amusing anecdotes about life with a toddler.  In a similar way, two special nods of thanks to Pinocchio.  Yes, Pinocchio—for both the classic “When You Wish Upon a Star” (reprised from Julie’s highly recommended CD Fate Is Kind) and the very moving and riveting “Come Home” from a new musical that makes the character a teenager in a modern urban setting.   It’s Pinocchio of Chelsea with book and lyrics by Peter Napolitano and music composed by Mark Janas, who is—happily---also back as Julie’s musical director.  Thor Fields is the super guitarist who doubles as Julie’s husband, doubling the impact of the family stories and allowing for some good-natured teasing.  (Thor to Julie mid-song: “You’re referring yourself in the third person again.”)   The show I saw had deep-voiced Devin Richards doing a guest spot; his mostly solemn-then-suddenly-jazzed-up performance didn’t mesh with the tone of the rest of the show, and if there is a personal connection, it wasn’t clear.  He’s not on tap in June, so I won’t belabor the odd mix.    Ritt Henn, the bassist on the gig is listed as featured for the June shows, so presumedly more choices from his quirky and clever songbag will be in store.  His singing, playing, and observational and wryly humorous songwriting is on full and versatile display on his latest CD, Timber.

This year’s MAC winner for Female Vocalist is Jeanne MacDonald (she also has a Bistro Award, the Hanson Award from MAC, and the Julie Wilson Award from the Mabel Mercer Foundation).   Her show these days revolves around the songs and career of the great Peggy Lee.  She’s bringing it back to the Metropolitan Room on Saturday nights at 10 pm on June 14, 21, and 28.   Peggy/Jeanne is maybe not the obvious match, but if you know both ladies’ work, think again.  The word “subtle” is key to both their styles.  Neither gushes or is histrionic, wallowing and thrashing in the deep end of the emotion-drenched pool.  They communicate feelings, but with discretion and taste and with no bellowing or grandstand belting.  It’s a nice reminder that less is more, more or less.  Projecting a keen intelligence and a gracious way with a song, with thoughtful phrasing, Jeanne also more than just suggests a kind human spirit.  She doesn’t try to be a pedantic, pompous Peggy professor, but we learn some things about the icon and her music.

Where to begin with a lady’s cataglogue when she had such a long career and recorded many, many albums?  Fortunately, it doesn’t just feel like a Greatest Hits list of only obvious choices.  Several of the signature tunes and commercial hits are placed in a major medley so that there is time for others.   The ones that were most satisfying when I caught the act on its earlier go-round (late last year) were often those co-written by Peggy Lee, such as “The Shining Sea” and “Johnny Guitar.”  Songs allowing for vulnerability were often successful, and balance was found with some swingers.  Percussionist Mayra Casales was a featured player, appropriate for a salute to a singer known for her sense of rhythm and time, and this musician also takes the spotlight for an extended tour de force.  (A way should be found easily enough for Jeanne to step aside rather than just stand there during the conga solo as it goes on for a while!)  Bassist Jennifer Vincent is another plus, and Jeanne’s usual musical director, Rick Jensen, was at the piano, for another chapter in their obviously respectful and comfortable musical partnership.  (The aforementioned Tedd Firth subs on June 28.)

An affectionate salute, part of the secret to its success is simply that Peggy Lee san and co-wrote) an whole lot of wonderful and classic songs over her long career.  So, they’re good to hear anytime, with enough of them just in the standard, still-sung category so that the show has appeal to more than just the Peggy Lee fan club.  Try Jeanne in June!

June 11 is the next date for the popular, pleasureable, packed variety show series, Jamie deRoy & Friends.  The show in May was its typical mix of bright talent, reviewed on this website positively by Jay Jeffries.   The June edition at The Metropolitan Room has the Tony Awards as its theme, not surprisingly, since Broadway theatre performers are often on the bill for these shows hosted by the amusing singing hostess who has credits as a Broadway producer and is an enthusiastic theatre appreciator.  She’s also a multiple winner of Bistro Awards and MAC Awards, as well being past President of MAC.

Songs from Tony-winning shows will be featured in the show.  The guest list has recently been updated:  Scheduled performers include Tony winners Len Cariou, Debbie Gravitte, Avenue Q Tony nominee Stephanie D'Abruzzo, former Evita Loni Ackerman, KT Sullivan, Amy Wolk, jazz pianist Jon Weber and cabaret singers Tanya Holt and Josh Scheer, as well as the award-winning composer Charles Strouse!  To quote a song from a Charles Strouse musical (Applause):  “When you’ve got ‘Good Friends,’ you’ve got a good life: Think about that!”  Jamie deRoy has good Friends, so it should be a good show deserving of its own applause, applause.

Hmmm… Speaking of theatre performers, I see Martin Vidnovic is returning too and I’ve also heard good things about the monthly “Metro-Jam” that is open to singers for an open-mic jazz June jamboree and that comes up Friday.  Maybe I should ask about that little room downstairs for real.  I’d prefer a night with a Metro-Jam than a night using a Metro-Card.

-- Special praise relevant to these reviews and other shows seen at the club to Michael Barbieri and JP Perreaux for the excellent work on lights and sounds for such varied productions.

The Metropolitan Room is at 34 West 22nd Street.  The phone number for reservations is 212-206-0440.  Their website for more details and a full calendar is www.metropolitanroom.com.  Cover charge varies. Minimum applies.