October 9, 2018: The Cabaret Convention Convenes Brightly at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall

43562219_2186097794966522_613485157101338624_o — KT Sullivan by Natasha Castillo

By Marilyn Lester****The first night of the four-night Mabel Mercer Foundation Cabaret Convention began auspiciously at 6 pm in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall. The 29th annual event, subtitled Cabaret Today! was just that—a reflection of what the art form of cabaret has evolved into. With overall culture changes (i.e. no longer are there TV variety shows) and with changes in the music business, the definition of cabaret has expanded. And so it was that night one of the Convention featured jazz, gospel, opera (by way of Broadway) and popular music with songs both old and new.

Host KT Sullivan entered gloriously, as is her wont, and exited almost as quickly with the words (we paraphrase) “What better way to start a convention than with Bill Charlap.” Indeed. Charlap is one of the best jazz pianists in the world today, and his variations on “‘S Wonderful” were truly wonderful— and beyond. It then fell to Charlap to introduce the next performer, who just happened to be his mother, the unparalleled Sandy Stewart. Her renditions of Peggy Lee’s “Remind Me” and “After You, Who?” (dedicated to her late friend, Barbara Cook) were a sublime master class in vocalizing from, dynamics to interpretation—and entirely transporting.

Jazz was further represented by the vocal powerhouse Gregory Generet who offered a hard-driving, intense version of the jazz standard, “Angel Eyes.” Seventeen-year-old Joie Bianco also shifted to the jazz side with a medley of “day” tunes: “Day by Day”/”Day In, Day Out”/”What a Difference a Day Made,” sounding as if she stepped out of the big band era of swing. Ace soprano saxophone player, Danny Bacher, who also sings as he swings, delivered a jazzy version of “Hooray for Hollywood,” respectfully displacing some of the Johnny Mercer lyrics with clever modern references (completely sanctioned by the estate of composer Richard Whiting).

In the operatic vein, Corinna Sowers Adler executed a startling, humorous and accomplished “Glitter and Be Gay” (no mean feat) with comedic bits of business. A singer of great range and excellent cross-over chops, Dawn Derow, moved into her operatic range for a truly stunning and stirring “(There’ll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover” from her acclaimed recent show, My Ship. The powerful voice of gospel was heard from Paula Dione Ingram with a rousing “There’s a Light,” while a young new discovery from the Cayman Islands, Jaedyn Hanna, sang the penultimate song of the night, Jekyll and Hyde’s “Someone Like You.” Unknown to this audience, 17-year-old Hanna knocked socks, and blew the roof off with her rich, robust voice and interpretive skills.

Newbies to the Convention also included the young: the earnest Gustavo Palma (“You Don’t Know Me”) and the mature: the charming and smooth-voiced Dorian Woodruff (“There’s a Small Hotel/Moonglow”), David Baida (with a lyrical twist on “So in Love”), an intensely focused Meg Flather (“My Best Girl”/”Another Winter in a Summer Town”) and the Act One closer, the theatrically energetic and tour de force entertainer par excellence, Marcus Lovett (“They Couldn’t Compare to You”/”One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)”). On the other side of the appearance coin were Convention stalwarts: Nancy McGraw (“Until the Real Thing Comes Along”, Anna Bergman (with Todd Murray–“So in Love”), Karen Oberlin in exquisitely top form (“No More”) and crooner Todd Murray acing a gorgeous medley (“Some Enchanted Evening/”I Have Dreamed”).

Finally, a trio of young established cabaret performers easily demonstrated why they’ve risen in stature in the performing world and why cabaret is in good hands, indeed. Eric Yves Garcia at the piano sang a multi-song tribute to the late “saloon singer,” Bobby Short, and also sang a medley with Carole J. Bufford, who, on her own sang “All By Myself.” Marissa Mulder paid tribute to John Lennon on what would have been his 78th birthday with an impassioned “Love.” Last but not least, KT Sullivan, accepting the 2018 Mabel Mercer Award on behalf of an ailing Carol Woods, closed the evening with “All the Things You Are,” dedicated to the absent diva.

The “house band” for the evening was Jon Weber on piano, Steve Doyle on bass and Rob Garcia on drums. Other musicians who made appearances were pianists Alex Rybeck, Ian Herman, James Horan and Mark Nadler, plus bassist Ritt Henn and guitarist Mike Rosengarten.

All photos by Natasha Castillo