Happy Monday! It's been another fun couple of weeks of show-going, starting with William Blake's tour-de-force CD Release concert at Birdland on Monday, May 2nd. Mr. Blake, a Texas native who has been making quite a name for himself with stellar performances at venues such as Carnegie Hall and Town Hall, blew the roof off the place with his incredible vocals, exciting song selection, and fantastic backing band (musical director Michael Thomas Murray on keyboard, Jakubu Griffin on drums, Lavondo Thomas on bass, Doug Mikula on guitar, Matt Polashek on sax, and Briana Davis & Shira Elias on backup vocals). The energy pulsing through the room was palpable as Mr. Blake dove into his program of soul and R&B music. From the opening number ("Try a Little Tenderness") to the encore ("Midnight Train to Georgia") each song was an exercise in vocal perfection. Each note, each word, and each riff seemed to be felt with his whole being, and the result was truly magical. The audience was enthralled from the get-go, and with good reason! Mr. Blake's voice is so remarkable, it nearly defies comprehension. I've had the pleasure of listening to him on a number of occasions, and just when I think he simply can't get any better, he somehow manages to top himself again! "Tenor" is an understatement; this young man's upper range is stronger than that of many females! Although he clearly has the talent to sing anything he puts his mind to, his heart is in R&B and it shows. He has such a unique and powerful instrument, and by singing soul and R&B, he truly allows it to shine. Each phrase is heartfelt and infused with emotion, and the freedom to play with the melody allows him to express himself in ways that other styles of music might not. The program was filled with crowd-pleasing numbers such as "Tell Me Something Good," "I Heard it Through the Grapevine," and "Mustang Sally" that had the entire crowd singing, swaying, and clapping along (and I'm pretty sure I saw some of the staff getting' down too!). The energy was infectious, and I'm fairly certain the audience would have stayed for another hour or two if they could have! A number of the selections performed can be heard on Mr. Blake's just-released CD, William Blake: Live from New York City, which was recorded last September at Birdland. It was a simply fantastic performance, and I, for one, am hoping he'll be back with another concert soon!
That Saturday, it was back to Birdland for another amazing concert, courtesy of sisters Ann Hampton Callaway and Liz Callaway in their show, BOOM (a nod to the "baby boomer generation in which they grew up). Featuring songs of the '60s, this was an absolute gem of a show that not only featured outstanding performances by both sisters, but a number of sweet childhood stories and shared memories which were made all the more poignant by the sight of their mother, sitting front and center and beaming with pride. I have long been a big fan of each of the sisters in their own right - Ann, with her rich, lush voice and jazzy sensibilities; and Liz, with her lovely, bright, Broadway ingénue-style vocals. Both have impeccable musicianship and are terrific actresses, yet each has their own distinct style. Interestingly enough, though, when they sang together in BOOM!, it was sometimes tricky to tell who was singing which part, so beautifully did their voices blend together. The show was full of outstanding song selections, including hits by The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, and more. It was truly enjoyable from start to finish, and although it's difficult to pick favorite songs, Ann's rendition of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'," Liz's "Downtown," and their duet of "These Boots Are Made For Walking" (complete with matching white go-go boots!) are definitely at the top of my list, along with the Stevie Wonder medley which included "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," "Sir Duke," "Living for the City," "My Cherie Amour," "For Once in My Life," and more! Fantastic accompaniment was provided by the sisters' backing trio, which included musical director Alex Rybeck on piano, Jered Egan on bass, and Ron Tierno on drums. Overall, a simply spectacular show!
On Monday, May 9th, it was back to Birdland (it's been a Birdland kind of month so far!) for another terrific edition of Jim Caruso's Cast Party, the weekly open mic hosted by the talented Jim Caruso. Cast Party is a haven for all types of incredible performers, and although one can never be sure quite what to expect on any given Monday, it's always a given that it's going to be wildly entertaining. This week was no different, with terrific performances turned in by the likes of violin virtuoso Aaron Weinstein, who treated the crowd to a terrific "This Can't Be Love"; the aforementioned William Blake, who brought the house down with his "Stormy Weather"; singer/guitarist David Goldman, who did a great "O Sole Mio"; and Italian acrobat/performance artist Rudi Macaggi, who wowed the crowd by doing a headstand on a basketball and somehow ingesting a ridiculously long balloon! As always, Jim Caruso was the host with the most, and the Cast Party Symphony Orchestra (Billy Stritch on piano, Steve Doyle on bass, and Daniel Glass on drums) provided outstanding accompaniment throughout the entire show.
