Lyrics & Lyricists: Battle for the Airwaves: The Songbook Meets Rock and Country
Lyrics & Lyricists
Battle for the Airwaves: The Songbook Meets Rock and Country
92nd St. Y, NYC, February 28, 2016
Review by Marilyn Lester for Cabaret Scenes
In the years following World War II, dynamic cultural shifts were beginning to take place. Musically, the fading Swing sound was being replaced by several genres—country, rhythm and blues, pop and rock—all vying to claim the attention of the American public. James Naughton, debuting as a Lyrics and Lyricists artistic director, wrote, produced and hosted a tremendously fascinating history of the era, with songs such as “Glow Worm,” “Johnny B. Goode,” and “Don’t Be Cruel” illustrating the narrative. Technically, however, the program was neither about lyrics nor lyricists, the point of this long-running series.
Naughton, a baritone with a flexible and magnificent range, sang with four talented individuals: Everett Bradley, Kevin Osborne, Solange Prat and Vaneese Thomas, who individually and together produced some lovely sounds. A high point in the show was the bass medley (“Imagination,” “The Book of Love,” “Little Darlin’,” “Get a Job”) which allowed Naughton to shine. Another medley (“It’s All in the Game,” “Why Do Fools Fall in Love,” “Little Darlin’,” “Mr. Lee,” “At the Hop”) was a rousing closer that brought out the best in the ensemble. Other highlights were “Only You (and You Alone)” (Osborne), “Please Send Me Somebody to Love” (Bradley), “Great Balls of Fire” (Prat and Thomas) and “Let It Be Me” (Naughton and Osborne).
Yet, this edition of the series was a miss, despite top talent, including Musical Director John Oddo at the piano, David Finck (bass), James Saporito (drums), Brian Pareschi (trumpet), Aaron Heick (tenor and alto sax), Ron Jannelli (baritone sax) and Bob Mann playing a mean guitar. The overall product was lackluster; it just didn’t gel. The difficulty wasn’t in the co-directing of Naughton and Keira Naughton, but in uninspired arrangements with sluggish tempos that failed to measure up to Oddo’s usually formidable abilities. We’d love to see redemption with the return of Naughton. If he would turn his attention to a lyricist or two, his impeccable sensibilities, steered in the right L&L direction, should be a treat.
Category: Cabaret Reviews, New York City, New York City Cabaret Reviews
