Music lovers of Motown Sound can’t help themselves from wanting to hear more and more of their favorite songs after an event like this. What a fantastic tribute to everyone who participated in the evening, those on the stage and off.
Jackson’s keenly personal anecdotes segued into music that defined moments of his life, with storytelling characterizing Broadway history.
She’s charming, self-deprecating, and pulled out all the stops tonight to celebrate and honor a career and life on stage. She proved she could both reminisce on her teenage stardom and deliver the American songbook to us.
Misrahi is a boyish, lovable character who is bawdy, irreverent, clever, and entertaining with repartee and humor as delightful as his singing. His selection of songs seems to spring from biographical sentiment, and while he can sing to be funny, he can also touch hearts with the intense pathos, sadness, and beauty he expresses in songs like Sondheim’s “One More Kiss” from Follies. The song ended with a whisper, silence, and thunderous applause.
Tonight was an entertaining concert by influential, gifted, and driven artists. We shall be hearing from them more and more as their sparkling careers continue to evolve. The band was solid, the sound balance was excellent, and the musicians seamlessly shifted through the demands and diverse styles of the songs.
Tony DeSare at Birdland introduced each song in an engaging and deeply personal way. His manner and charm in speaking were as crucial as his singing and playing. Audience members sighed when he spoke of his nine-year-old son and the romance and beauty of Paris. They nodded and smiled as he described the provenance of each musical gem.
Kate Baldwin and Aaron Lazar presented a sentimental, delightful journey through the American Songbook of the best of musical theater. Each song and setting was perfectly characterized, rapturously sung, and sparkling.
Recce is a prolific composer and lyricist who knows his audience. His banter, sarcasm, wit, and humor are well received. He’s fresh, relevant, irreverent, and quick to lampoon those whose actions he reproves. He is rebellious and reflects his views through an evolution of personal expressions through song. His abilities are diverse. He expresses himself in a mode of his choice best suited to empower his message.
Lozano’s songs are masterfully crafted, relevant, and successfully convey the intended stories, emotions, and passion. Lozano’s piano work is sophisticated, tasteful, and excellent, both as an ensemble player and as accompanist to his brother Martinez and guest artist Pimentel.
Make Them Hear You unfolded through an evening of storytelling through song and theater by a star-studded cast of theater luminaries.
