New York Cabaret Convention: “Look to the Rainbow” – The Songs of Yip Harburg
Stalwartly and graciously hosted by Andrea Marcovicci, as her scheduled collaborator Jeff Harnar was, alas, out with COVID.
Here again, unbowed by the pandemic, politics, or economics, Mabel Mercer Foundation’s 33rd annual Cabaret Convention burst on stage at Rose Hall Wednesday for a night of indisputably fines songs by a wide roster of talent from a college student prize winner to esteemed veterans. Herein highlights:
Ann Kittredge; Karen Akers
Ann Kittredge’s authoritative, well honed soprano takes us to a 19th century drawing room for her classy art song rendition of “How Are Things in Gloca Mora?” (Christopher Denny-piano). The inimitable Karen Akers offers reflection upon her second favorite city with “Paris is a Lonely Town.” “The glamour’s gone/The shades are down/And Paris is only a lonely town…” Pristine blues still the hall with yearning. The actress takes us with her (Alex Rybeck – piano).
Ari Axelrod
Ari Axelrod’s “Silent Spring”/”Adrift on a Star,” a show-stopping highlight, calls out the anniversaries of Kristallnacht and Pittsburgh’s shooting at The Tree of Life Synagogue. E.Y. “Yip” Harburg (Isidore Hochberg) was a humanitarian and activist. “Were he alive today, what would he say!?” the performer (himself an advocate) asks. A remarkable dramatic as well as impressive musical turn, the first song emerges a hymn, the second a galvanizing reminder (Larry Yurman – piano).
As interpreted by Marta Sanders, “Brother Can You Spare a Dime,” is also outstanding. Beginning anthemic, segueing to melodic despair, the artist conjures dire historical circumstances with the power of a Bertolt Brecht or Kurt Weill performance. She never goes over the top, instead vocally and visually grabbing and holding us despite fisted hands. Other renditions now seem insubstantial.
Marta Sanders; Leanne Borghesi
Leanne Borghesi, in full out red-hot-mama-mode replete with feathers, deploys “Satan’s L’il Lamb” like a bordello Madame with lung power. The performer swings a gutsy vocal exercising superb control. A lot of oomph and considerable pah elicit rhythmic clapping during an a capella parentheses (Joey Lamb – trumpet, Danny Bacher – sax, Nicolas Perez – piano). Borghesi also pairs with Sanders in faaaabulous 1920s flapper costumes of their own devising to present the wry “Napoleon.” Much good time camp ensues (Alex Rybeck – piano).
Marta Sanders and Leanne Borghesi (Photo by Connor Weiss)
As rejiggered by Todd Murray, given lift-off by Steve Doyle’s cool bass, “Old Devil Moon” arrives a full scenario. “…Wanna cry, wanna croon/ Wanna laugh like a loon…” (he chuckles). The rendition swings, yet eschews lounge style, retaining lyric intention and credible exuberance. Smiles bloom in adjacent seats (Alex Rybeck – piano). Rarely on this shore, Christian Holder offers a quietly intense version of “Last Night When We Were Young,” a perfect example of strong emotion communicated without volume.
Todd Murray; Christian Holder
In my opinion, four performances, though vocally fine, seem in opposition to lyrics: Clearly Now: Lina Koutrakos, Sean Harkness, Marcus Simeone; Michael Denby-Cain; Andrew Walsh; and Those Girls: Eve Eaton, Rachel Hanser, Karen Mack, Wendy Russell.
Andrea Marcovicci presents Jeff Harnar (in absentia) with The Mabel Mercer Award. “I hope he has enough wall space,” she comments affectionately. The inscription notes in part, “whose eternal decades of cabaret supremacy have only been surpassed by accompanying and immeasurable heart, soul, love, expertise, and enthusiasm…”
Andrea Marcovicci and Jason Martin with Jeff Harnar’s Award
Also featuring: Tovah Feldshuh as Talulah Bankhead, glass in hand – “You know, I’ve had men and I’ve had women, There’s gotta be something better”- warbling “When the Idle Poor Become the Idle Rich”; Danny Bacher’s charming “If I Only Had a Brain”- and he dances!; Marisa Mulder’s (again) lovely “It’s Only a Paper Moon”; the promising Madalyn Matthews – winner of the Adela and Larry Elow American Songbook High School competition – who clearly has maturity and talent but needs to learn to take it down a notch – with the unpublished “It Might Have Been…”
Danny Bacher; Marissa Mulder
Maude Maggart’s unfussy “Look to the Rainbow” emitting a little yodel between octaves; “Right As the Rain” sung by Paula Dione Ingram whose opera background adds trill and patrician enunciation; Elena Bennett with a deadpan, torch “Thrill Me” that lacks seduction (Fred Barton – piano); Anna Bergman’s “What is There to Say” and ”Here’s to Your Illusions”, the latter a slow waltz, both songs suffused with heart (Alex Rybeck – piano); Andrea Marcovicci, draped over a chair, enacting frowsy Helen Morgan’s “What Wouldn’t I Do for That Man?” (she’s always excelled at this kind of material) beautifully accompanied by Danny Bacher on sax…
Josephine Sanges’ (again) “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead” is a swell performance of an imaginative arrangement by pianist John Cook. (Both Mulder and Sanges have performed these numbers at previous conventions!) When the company sings “Look to the Rainbow” much of the audience joins, no printed lyrics necessary. The evening runs smoothly despite adjustments. On to tomorrow!
Photos by Richard Termine
Opening: Jon Weber, Danny Bacher, Steve Doyle, Andrea Marcovicci
The 33rd New York Cabaret Convention: “Look to the Rainbow”
The Songs of Yip Harburg
MD/Piano – Jon Weber, Bass- Steve Doyle, Drums- Matt Gross
Rose Theater at Frederick P. Rose Hall
October 26, 2022
