By Marilyn Lester**** Sophie Tucker may have billed herself as “the last of the red hot mamas,” but she was wrong. Carole J. Bufford easily assumes the mantle with her razz ma tazz style, high energy and powerful voice. In Come Together: When The 1960s Met The 1970s, Bufford again proved herself a sure-fire crowd pleaser, struttin’ her stuff on tunes composed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, which she referred to as a sequel to her last show, You Don’t Own Me: The Fearless Females of the 1960s. The singer does well with modern selections, designed as they are for pop and rock arrangements. Bufford structured the set chronologically and was able to build a cohesive and interesting narrative that flowed with ease from A to Z. The back stories made the music that much more rich, being just enough to enlighten without being too talky.
The problem with a power voice is that too easily every song becomes an anthem, robbed of nuance and color. Bufford has tread into this territory before but happily has toned down her delivery considerably on many of the tunes that really demand it. Her opener, “The Letter” (Wayne Carson Thompson) caught our attention with bravada, but “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay” (Otis Redding/Steve Cropper) soon demonstrated Bufford was willing to add dynamics to her delivery, as was the case with “The Look Of Love” (Burt Bacharach/Hal David). Her most successful presentation on the softer side was “Killing Me Softly” (Charles Fox/Norman Gimbel). Bufford’s delivery on this tune was emotive, a place she sometimes goes to, and is very capable of reaching when she puts aside power and technique. The high energy package that she offers as a diva is thrilling, but can be overpowering too. Witnessing the softer, more vulnerable Bufford is a treat that should be more often dispensed.
That full glam package was most thoroughly on display with “Spinning Wheel” (David Clayton Thomas), “Honky Tonk Women” (Mick Jagger/Keith Richards) and the closing number, “Down On The Corner” (J. C Fogerty), which allowed each band member to showcase in solos. The band was as good as it gets. Music director/pianist Ian Herman created fresh, creative arrangements, including a nifty blues rock arrangement of “One Man’s Ceiling Is Another Man’s Floor” (Paul Simon) and a jazzy upbeat “Moondance” (Van Morrison). Herman also displayed his piano prowess as the sole accompanist on a soulful arrangement of “Help Me Make It Through The Night” (Kris Kristofferson). World-class guitarist, Peter Calo, and the versatile, agile drummer, Howie Gordon, both shone on “Come Together” (John Lennon/Paul McCartney), with Gordon inserting some creative riffs into the percussion. Holding the bass line was the superb Tom Hubbard playing mostly electric bass, but also the upright on “Moondance.”
Come Together: When The 1960s Met The 1970s, May 19 and June 9, 9:30 PM
Feinstein’s/54 Below, 254 West 54th Street, NYC 646-476-3551, www.54Below.com/Feinsteins
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