By Marilyn Lester***Broadway and television star James Barbour is one of those performers who’s popularity has, for one thing, manifested a seriously dedicated fan club—the kind that not only attends his performances but are willing to travel to do so. The fans were out in force at Birdland Jazz Club for Barbour’s 15th annual Christmas concert, billed as “A night of music, friends, family and the warmth of the 
Holiday Season.” All goals were achieved from the opener, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” (Edward Pola, George Wyle) to the closer, a respectful and traditional “Silent Night,” with long-time music director Rachel Kaufman at the keys.
Barbour has not only a remarkable, resonant baritone with range, but steps out of the strict concert format to inhabit other sides of his persona—all hugely interactive with his fan-base audience. There’s no such thing as a fourth wall for Barbour, and in reaching out to the assembled he frequently addresses them with the casual and somewhat intimate term, “you guys”—and they love it. There’s also plenty of chat in the show, almost as much as song. This is a man who at Hofstra University covered a lot of bas
es by majoring in English and Theater, with minors in Philosophy and Physics. The philosopher in him was compelled to hit home with variations on the themes that he “finds something good in everything with which I am surrounded” and that he works to “spread that same spirit of Christmas even after the holiday passes.” He announces that in memory of a close friend that a portion of all ticket purchases will be donated to The Hoag Foundation for Cancer Research. There was also a give-away deal for a free copy of his book The Artist’s Survival Guide, written during the pandemic lockdown. The motivations: “My true passion is to see artists thrive. Art changes the world, art heals.”
When it came to song, with a few bars of “White Christmas” (Irving Berlin), and a spontaneous audience sing-along, Barbour moves deftly into “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” (Walter Kent, Kim Gannon) and later 
amused with a twist on the traditional “Jingle Bells,” a pseudo-jazz version a la Barbra Streisand. Two guests, Tony winner Dale Badway and Tony nominee Phillip Boykin, with whom Barbour works in their Broadway Our Way concerts, each delivered a few tunes. Badway sang a straightforward “The Christmas Song” (Robert Wells, Mel Tormé) and a comic Elvis Presley interpretation of “Blue Christmas” (Billy Hayes, Jay W. Johnson). The impressive bass-baritone Boykin had one number to offer, but it was impactful, being the hymn-like “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” based on the 1863 poem “Christmas Bells” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, set to music by Johnny Marks.
A highlight of the evening was the much-anticipated interactive singing of the traditional carol, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Lyric sheets are handed out to eleven sections of tables in Birdland (where the Barbour performs annually). Under Barbour’s direction, who begins with the first “partridge in a pear tree” chorus, each group adds the next one. As the choruses accrue, chaos reigns—and that’s part of the fun. Part concert, part carnival, part revival meeting and part hootenanny, Barbour pleases; he knows what his fans want and he delivers this Christmas/Holiday package wrapped with all the bells and whistles.
Photos by Maryann Lopinto
