By Marilyn Lester***Two millennia and more ago, the Greek philosopher-scientist, Pythagoras (c. 570 – c. 495 BC), put forth the concept of the “music of the spheres”—the notion that the movements of celestial bodies produce a 
unique cosmic hum imperceptible to the human ear but felt by the soul. So, what has vocalist Karen Mack got to do with this theory of musica universalis? Well, her recent performance at Birdland may be proof that she’s not only tapped into that cosmic source of inspiration, but has shared the benefits of its effect with a packed house of friends, fans and colleagues .
The energetic high began with opener, “The Very Thought of You,” one of those marvelous standards that’s part of the Great American Songbook, but not written by an American: in this case, Britisher Ray Noble. Delivered in a slow tempo, with a hint of a Latin beat, the singer at once demonstrated full-on Mack: a smooth vocal tone, superb phrasing, excellent storytelling and plenty of warmth, plus wit and humor. Her appearance at Birdland coincided with the annual over-the-top, paean to wretched excess known as The Met Gala, and her wily riffs on that event were clever and waggish but also characteristically kind. A couple of other GAS tunes dotted the show, including the Gershwin’s “Someone to Watch Over Me,” in which band member, tenor saxophone player Dave Mann, offered stat
ements that added accents of color to the piece.
Much of the program was dedicated to contemporary female songwriters, many of whom have produced worthy work that may not be so widely known. Val Hawk’s “Maybe We’re Getting’ Somewhere” was a case in point: a deftly-arranged tune with light swing, as was Mack’s own “Hurry Up and Wait,” written with Peter Eldridge. Eldridge also collaborated with Rosana Eckert and Gary Eckert on “Sailin’ Home,” similarly delivered by Mack. And from Nicole Zuraitis, now a multi-GRAMMY winner, who has very successfully stretched out from her vocalizing days, “20 Seconds,” a country-rock-funk; Mack swung it, proving she can go super-speed uptempo with the best of ‘em. Settling into a touch of swing, an “ooh” moment came with the revelation of Kansas City-born Betty Bryant, a 96-year-old singer-songwriter pianist, known for cool, laid-back swing, who’s still gigging. Bryant’s swingy 
“Thanks for You” had a creative, melodic bass feature by Matt Aronoff.
Special guest and frequent collaborator, singer-pianist Elliot Roth, took over the piano from Andy Ezrin for a duet with Mack of Judith Owen’s “That’s Why I Love My Baby,” a blues—and, yes, Mack aced that style too. And scat, well, of course, deftly applied to Dave Cantor’s “Ned’s Big Dutch Wife,” a surprising story song about a clueless husband and a wife with a double identity. Closer was a golden oldie, “Just You, Just Me” (Jesse Greer, Raymond Klages ) from the 1929 musical film Marianne, retooled with top-draw swing. This outro, which also featured guitarist Pete McCann and drummer Mark McLean in addition to the aforementioned players, was a wonder of synchronicity: the vibe between Mack and the quintet was so tight and in the pocket as to produce a unified energy of creative, elevated performance.
Back to Pythagoras: by the end of the set, the energy in the room was so high that happiness abounded. Camaraderie brimmed over. Love and good cheer were in the air. Karen Mack took us all to church, channeling the soul energy of the spheres and proving the healing power of music.
