Monday, September 9, 2019

Review of Jackie Evancho's Guest Performance with Michael Feinstein at Fenstein's/54 Below, New York City, August 23, 2019


Review of Jackie Evancho’s Guest Performance with Michael Feinstein at Feinstein’s/54 Below, New York City (Manhattan)
August 23, 2019



  
         Riding from Boston to New York City on the Greyhound bus, to attend a cabaret show where Jackie, a guest performer, would sing at most 3 or 4 songs, I wondered if I had finally lost my mind. This would be my 14th time since 2013 watching Jackie perform live. I had already seen her perform twice this year, including her performance in April at this same venue, and I had tickets for two more of her concerts later this year.

         Well, the logical left side of my brain tried to tell me that I had indeed lost my mind, but the emotional right side of my brain just as quickly dismissed that notion. I once flew from Boston to Pittsburgh, and stayed overnight in a hotel, in order to watch Jackie perform three songs at a private appearance in the WQED television studio. Was that worth it? Well, you be the judge – I sat in the front row, about 4 feet from Jackie. She sang “Take Me There,” “Your Love” and “Je t’aime” and then stayed around for a very nice long meet and greet. Enough said.

         The bus ride from Boston was pleasant enough, but we arrived in Manhattan very late – already an hour behind schedule – and due to Friday afternoon rush hour traffic, the driver advised us that it would take another hour just to get to the Port Authority Bus Station. In short, it looked like I was going to miss dinner, and as much as the first 20 minutes of the show. Fortunately, the driver let me get off the bus before we got to the station, within easy walking distance of the club. I arrived about 15 minutes before the show started – just enough time for a quick dinner.

         The club has “cabaret style” seating, so I knew solo guests like me would be sharing a table with three other people. I had paid for a “good” table, but exactly where you sit is up to the maître d’, and I was so late, I was afraid that the “best” good tables would already be full. I stuck a couple of 20’s in my fist, and was prepared to pony up a nice tip to the maître d’ if that was going to make the difference.

         Fortunately, no tip was necessary. I was promptly seated front and center at the exact same table where I sat for Jackie’s solo show last April. How close was I to the stage? Well, I could have rested my elbow on the stage during dinner.

         My three table mates were all Jackie Evancho “first-timers” – two of them – a very nice mother-daughter duo from Alabama - had taken the time earlier that day to watch the YouTube video of Jackie’s first appearance on America’s Got Talent. My third table mate – an older gentleman from Connecticut who came specifically to see Michael Feinstein – had no prior exposure to Jackie’s music. Needless to say, it was fun to watch their reaction.
        
         Speaking of “first-timers,” I had no prior exposure to Michael Feinstein’s music. During my previous visit to the club for Jackie’s show last April, I learned that the club’s owners, four Broadway producers, thought highly enough of Michael’s talent to enter into a “creative alliance” with him and to add his name to the name of the club. Accordingly, I assumed that I would be, well, pleasantly entertained. Boy, was I surprised… 

         In a word, Michael’s show was fabulous. Being the official archivist for the so-called “Great American Song Book,” his knowledge of this body of work is unmatched. Some of the songs he chose were iconic, with nods to Ira Gershwin and of course, the late great Bobby Short, who played piano at the legendary Café Carlyle for 35 years. Some of the songs were lesser-known, but Michael performed them flawlessly with the casual sophistication perfectly suited to a small New York City cabaret/supper Club.

         In preparing for my review, I came across a review of Michael’s show written for DC /Metro by Deb Miller. She attended one of his performances the week before I was there. After reading her review, I despaired of ever being able to describe Michael’s performance anywhere near as well as Ms. Miller did, so I’m going to cop out and reproduce much of her review here. I have omitted her comments about Melissa Manchester, Michael’s special guest performer for that show.

Review: ‘Michael Feinstein: I Happen to Like New York’ at Feinstein’s/54 Below
          “For his annual summer engagement at Feinstein’s/54 Below, the eponymous multi-platinum Grammy-nominated artist celebrates the songs, entertainers, and musical history of our city in Michael Feinstein: I Happen To Like New York. And what a celebration it is! Joined by a series of special guests throughout the month (beginning with Marilyn Maye, followed by Melissa Manchester, who appeared on the date I attended, and closing with Jackie Evancho), the golden-throated and ever-charming Feinstein shares not only his encyclopedic knowledge of New York’s classics, but also his personal reminiscences of the iconic numbers, people, and moments that made him a lifelong fan and advocate.
         
          The mood of the evening was upbeat, warm, and personable, as the enthusiastic Feinstein introduced his selection of songs to the audience with fascinating tidbits about their creation, the significance of their lyrics, the stars who made them popular, and his own experiences and thoughts on performing them.”

          (Here, Ms. Miller discusses some of the specific songs that Michael sang that night. I’m going to omit this section of her review, because I’m not sure if Michael sang the same songs the night I saw the show).

          Her review continues: “In a heartfelt segment in between [these songs], Feinstein paid special tribute to the acclaimed cabaret singer and pianist Bobby Short, whose rendition of Cole Porter’s “I Happen To Like New York” (1930) inspired the name of the present show…. Short became a fixture at Manhattan’s Café Carlyle, performing and preserving “The Great American Song” of the first half of the 20th century, inspiring Feinstein to continue his mission and to honor him on the cabaret stage with blockbuster versions of “I’m Confessin’” and “From This Moment On…”

          A natural entertainer, Feinstein never failed to impress with his engaging style and masterful voice – flawlessly melodic, smooth, and refined, with an outstanding richness, range, and capacity to hit, and to hold, the big notes. He also brought bits of comic relief to his performance, presenting a hilarious parody of Kander and Ebb’s wildly popular “New York, New York” of 1977, with revised lyrics begging us not to make him sing it again (for the millionth time!), and sharing funny anecdotes… [which] served to immerse the audience in the unforgettable memories, music, and spirit of old New York.

          If you’ve ever wondered why one of Manhattan’s premiere nightclubs, Feinstein’s/54 Below, was named in his honor, be sure to catch “Michael Feinstein: I Happen to Like New York” there and you’ll have your answer. He is the consummate cabaret performer, dedicated champion of “The Great American Songbook,” and enthusiastic devotee of the city and its musical legacy. And if that weren’t enough, he also has great taste in guest stars. Melissa Manchester appears with Feinstein through August 20, and Jackie Evancho joins him from August 21-23.” - Deb Miller, August 17, 2019’

          You can find Ms. Miller’s complete review online at: 

          With apologies to Ms. Miller, and many thanks for her well-written review, I do have a few comments of my own to add about Michael’s performance. He wrapped up his solo performances with exquisite, intimately emotional renditions of two very surprising yet inspired song choices: “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight,” written and recorded by James Taylor (1972); and “One Less Bell to Answer,” written in 1967 by Burt Bachrach and Hal David and recorded most famously in 1970 by The Fifth Dimension, featuring the fabulous Marilyn McCoo.

Apart from his obvious musical talents, my own over-arching impression of Michael was that he is a genuinely nice person. It was not surprising then, that there was great chemistry between him and that other genuinely nice person on the stage, namely, Jackie Evancho.

Their duets were reminiscent of Jackie’s duet of “Say Something” with another Broadway fixture, Cheyenne Jackson. Interestingly enough, back in 2009, Michael and Cheyenne performed a highly-acclaimed two-man cabaret show in New York City, entitled “The Power of Two”. It’s a small world indeed.

Incidentally, there is a CD available for Michael and Cheyenne’s show. Oh, and if you like that CD, and want to hear more of Michael’s music, be prepared to dig deep into your cookie jar. Michael has released an astounding total of 32 CD’s: 28 in the studio, 3 live performances and 1 compilation CD. And somehow he still has time to perform about 150 times a year.

After Michael performed a few songs, Jackie took the stage, looking absolutely stunning in an impossibly short, intensely sparkly, uh…  thing. It was the same thing she wore in April for her encore.  I’ve since been told that it was a “blazer dress” – I’d say mostly blazer, not much dress. It was spectacular. There are plenty of pictures online if you want to check it out.

 For her solos, Jackie sang two songs from her new CD “Debut:” “Burn” from “Hamilton” and “She Used to Be Mine” from “Waitress.” The latter, fast becoming my favorite, was also a clear crowd favorite. I suspect many people in the audience who had never seen Jackie perform were nonetheless familiar with this song.

         Jackie’s renditions of these two songs were wonderful -quintessentially “Jackie” - at times heartbreakingly soft and delicate, at times soaring and powerful. Just as I recalled from her two shows I attended earlier this year (Cabot Theatre, Beverly, Massachusetts, in February, and Feinstein's/54 Below, New York City, in April), every move, every expression, every vocal nuance was musically honest and emotionally authentic, in perfect service to the song. As before, Jackie was in total command of her art.        

         Jackie’s other two songs for the evening were duets with Michael. I thought the song choices – “When You Wish Upon a Star,” from “Pinocchio” (1940) and “Somewhere,” from “West Side Story” (1961), were predictable and a bit weak. 

         However, I think these songs gave Michael and Jackie the opportunity to “connect” with each other, by truly singing “together,” for each other, as opposed to merely singing simultaneously at the audience.  They clearly respected each other’s talent - neither tried to musically overpower the other. Jackie has always been instinctively very good at adjusting her voice to blend well with her duet partner, and Michael was obviously very adept at this as well. 

         I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the trio of musicians who backed up Michael and Jackie – drums, guitar, and piano. They were excellent, especially the piano player – hey, if you’re going to cover Ira Gershwin and Bobby Short, you’d better be awfully good. By the way, Michael took a few very impressive turns himself on the piano. Bobby Short is surely smiling down on him from piano heaven.

         Jackie has planted herself smack in the middle of the rarefied atmosphere of the Broadway theater scene, and has connected with some very influential people. My opinion? It’s just a matter of time before she’ll get the opportunity to star in a Broadway show. Dare we hope for “The Phantom?” 

-Steve Fischer, September 8, 2019

P.S. Happy Birthday wishes are due to Michael. He turned 63 yesterday - though he could easily pass for mid-forties.


Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Review of Jackie Evancho Concert, Cabot Theatre, Beverly, MA February 22, 2019



 Last night, in the splendor of the newly-restored Cabot Theatre in Beverly, Massachusetts, Jackie Evancho – now almost 19 years old - dazzled the near-sellout audience with a performance that almost defies description. I’ll try, but I’m gonna need the Thesaurus for this one, because none of the adjectives that come immediately to mind come anywhere close to doing the trick.

Let’s see:

“Awesome?” No – this word has been so over-used that it has lost any impact that it might have once had.

“Incredible?” Maybe for some of the audience members who were seeing her perform for the first time, but this word doesn’t work for me any more, because I truly believe that Jackie is capable of taking any song and turning it into a memorable masterpiece.

“Astounding?” Closer, but not quite right, because this word conveys an element of surprise – “suprisingly impressive” is a typical definition – same goes for “stunning” or “shocking” - but frankly, I would only have been surprised if her performance had been ordinary, or lackluster.

“Tour de force?” Yes, but this description is usually applied to an impressive achievement accomplished with great skill.  Apt in this instance, I suppose, but if you just focus on Jackie’s skills - on the technical aspects of her performances – you risk missing out on the most important factor – the emotional impact she has on the audience. Her performances pack a powerful emotional “wallop” that few other vocalists can deliver. And of course, Jackie serves up these emotions with one of the most beautiful voices on the planet, shaped by interpretative skills second to none.

           “Phenomenal?”  Better…

           “Breathtaking?” Now we’re getting closer.

          “Magnificent?”  “Transcendent?”  “Glorious?” Yes, yes, and yes!

Jackie started the evening strong with “Lovers,” and finished her performance even stronger with that almost impossibly high note at the end of “Nessun Dorma,” without so much as a glimmer of fatigue anywhere along the way. Jackie’s voice was crystal clear throughout the evening, and ranged from powerful to tenderly exquisite, and so many points in between, however and whenever called-for by the songs.

I was especially struck by Jackie’s command of every aspect of her performance. Every note, every move, every expression, every modulation of her voice – all were in perfect (and authentic) service to the songs. She was in complete control of her art.  And through it all – clearly evident between songs – Jackie remains one of the most charming, humble, and down-to-earth performers ever to have graced a concert stage.

           I thought it was interesting that Jackie started and ended the evening’s performance with two songs that dated back nearly 8 years to her “Dream With Me” Concerts and CD, namely, “Lovers” and “Nessun Dorma.” In a recent online post, Jackie stated that she wants the world to know that she is no longer 9 years old, but with the inclusion of “Lovers” and Nessun Dorma in this and other recent performances, I believe she is also saying that she hasn’t forgotten her roots - and neither should we.

I was disappointed that there weren’t more songs from her CD scheduled for release on April 12 (“The Debut”), but whatever disappointment I felt was more than made up for by the wonderful set list that included many of her best-known songs from the last several years:

Lovers
The Way We Were
Think of Me
Medley:
       O Mio Babbino Caro
       Con Te Partiro (Time to Say Goodbye)
       Somewhere
       When You Wish Upon a Star
       The Prayer

Say Something (Duet with vocalist from special guest performers “Sons of Serendip”)
Once Upon a December
The Impossible Dream

Intermission

Burn
Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)
Over the Rainbow
Your Love
Hallelujah (Duet with vocalist  from “Sons of Serendip”)
How Great Thou Art
Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again
Music of the Night
Nessun Dorma (Encore)

               I was tempted to say that Jackie was “at the top of her game” last night, but that might imply that she could go no further. This was the 12th Jackie Evancho concert that I have attended over the last 6 years, and she has consistently “raised the bar.” I’m beginning to think that there is no upper limit to what Jackie can accomplish.

               If you’ve never seen Jackie perform live, you owe it to yourself to get to one of her concerts. You will not be disappointed. You can find her tour dates posted at
www.jackieevancho.com

-Stephen K. Fischer
February 23, 2019