Fall in Love Again Ann Hampton Callaway Lets
A Valentine'southward Twenty-four hours treat was offered to all those who were lucky enough to nourish celebrated jazz and cabaret artist Ann Hampton Callaway's concert Let's Autumn in Love: Ann Hampton Callaway Sings Streisand, Songbook Classics, & Moreat last night at the Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater. The very prodigious Callaway's artistic output is phenomenal from being the only composer to have collaborated with Cole Porter, writing songs with Carole King, Rolf Lovland, and Barbara Carroll, writing and singing the theme song to the hit TV series The Nanny to touring the country with The Streisand Songbook.
Entering the stage in a beautifully tailored black pantsuit with assuming, red lapels on her evening jacket, Callaway covered songs that evoked romance, hurting, and wit. She hit all the right notes (pun intended!) and more as she displayed her vocal prowess from pristine clarity to scat singing to deeper, evocative and smoky tones. Callaway has an obvious inherent understanding and desire to foster an appreciation of the Groovy American Songbook and this show spotlighted her love for these beloved classic songs,just equally Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney– on her Concur jazz albums– and Michael Feinstein take promoted these treasured songs.
Callaway'southward vocalisation is a natural wonder of the earth and her voice should exist patented equally a musical instrument itself. Her voice blended like another musical instrument equally she presented herself every bit an equal with her very stellar jazz trio. So many artists give very brusque shrift to their musicians, but Callaway'due south approach was plain to blend right in for an ensemble feel and she gave artistic parity to the 3 supremely talented musicians on stage with her: Peter Washington on bass, Tim Horner on drums, and Ted Rosenthal at the pianoforte. Many instrumental interludes and solos were the order of the evening and the audience was courted with a veritable musical feast.
Opening with a relaxed and bouncy rendition of Harold Arlen's "Lets Autumn in Dear," she followed up with a smoky and sensuous cover of "But Beautiful," belongings out the heartrending lines with an unerring sense of cadence.
Callaway expressed her admiration of Audrey Hepburn and her fondness for her 1967 film Ii for the Road and, and so, she proceeded to chronicle how much she enjoyed traveling around the world with her partner.
These musings were an appropriate lead-in for her soulful rendition of Leslie Bricusse and Henry Mancini's theme song "Ii for the Road" from the pic of the same name. The poignant journey of two hearts against the world together was beautifully evoked and Peter Washington's expressive and pronounced withal sensitive interlude on Bass added immeasurably to the song's effect.
Next on her calendar of romantic songs, Callaway delivered a swinging and audaciously entrancing version of the Gershwin classic "The Human I Love". Eschewing the malaise-ridden versions of yore, she jolted the ear with a disarmingly ultra-rhythmic rendition that was total of boisterous verve and swing, and continued to build to a spine-tingling coda every bit she reiterated the closing line over and over, finally closing off with a rousing nevertheless sharp crescendo.
Callaway reminisced how music infiltrated her home by virtue of her mother playing the piano and her male parent bringing home records. She continued to regale the audition with interesting patter on the cusp of performing the oft-performed Rodgers and Hart standard "My Funny Valentine," describing how Lorenz Hart was a self-loathing homosexual and alcoholic —it was these somber realizations past Hart that inspired the writing of the famed lyrics. She interpreted this esteemed vocal with a resonant, plaintive quality and she held the concluding utterance of "stay" for ultimate event and power.
The Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein classic "All the Things You Are" was performed as a truthful ensemble combo piece with Callaway's gorgeous, lush tones blending beautifully with the pianoforte, bass and drums. The drums of Tim Horner were the standout hither.
Callaway mused well-nigh the joy she felt meeting ane of her musical idols, Carole Rex and writing togethe,, and launched into a cover of Rex'due south "Will You Dearest Me Tomorrow?" performing it with a measured yet yearning quality and with exceptional psychological acuity.
Ross and Adler's witty and sexy "Whatever Lola Wants (Lola Gets)" from Damn Yankeeswas performed with slap-up comedic appeal and sass as Calloway sauntered out into the audience and wooed an audience member named Bob.
Speaking of working with the iconic Barbra Streisand and, especially, virtually the circumstances that lead to her to write the lyrics to the song that was performed at Streisand's hymeneals, "I've Dreamed of You," Callaway sang the song in a style almost akin to singing an canticle –in this case, of course, an affirmation of allegiance and love.
Etta James' well-known standard "At Last" was performed to perfection with a sense of relieved still robust finality. Ted Rosenthal's piano solo was haunting.
Callaway conducted an agreeable and extremely creative improvisatory limerick of a spontaneous song with audience interest. With a few well-chosen phrases or words yelled out by the audience members, Callaway composed a beautiful song in tribute to Washington, DC.
For her encore, this astonishing artists performed a only stunning medley of Jules Styne's "People" and Sondheim's "Being Live".
Ann Hampton Callaway is a national treasure.
Running Fourth dimension: 80 minutes, with no intermission.
Ann Hampton Callaway performed last night Feb xiv, 2014 at the Kennedy Eye's Terrace Theater-– 2700 F St NW, in Washington, DC. For future Kennedy Center performances check their calendar of events.
LINK
Ann Hampton Callaway's website.
http://youtu.be/jYpcFHtxm60
Source: https://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2014/02/15/lets-fall-in-love-ann-hampton-callaway-sings-streisand-songbook-classics-more-at-the-kennedy-center-by-david-friscic/
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