Samantha Sidley

Samantha Sidley

Tom Rolla’s Gardenia, West Hollywood, CA, May 26, 2016

Reviewed by Les Traub for Cabaret Scenes

Some singers have a voice so enchanting that one can listen for song after song and not long for some patter. Samantha Sidley falls into that category. A few brief remarks, a humorous comment or two was all that was offered and all that was needed. She sang about a dozen songs, giving each one the time needed to explore it lyrically and musically. Heavily influenced by jazz singers, her manner comes across as a unique cabaret stylist, rather than a pure cabaret artist. Unlike many jazz singers, her attention to the lyrics was front and center. Taking many of the songs at an ultra-slow pace that could be described as Shirley Horn Standard Time, she circled over and around many of the notes in a brilliant vocal display before coming in for a perfect landing on pitch.

Opening with “Just in Time,” taken at that favored leisurely tempo, Sidley challenged the audience to pay attention. This wasn’t going to be a sit back and twirl that cocktail glass occasion, but a lean forward and listen for every vocal nuance that was there to be captured and enjoyed. While every song was a delight, a highlight among highlights was her pairing of “Que Sera, Sera” and “C’est Magnifique.” Her slow treatment of “Que Sera, Sera” gave it an emotional punch not usually felt with that song. The longing for answers to the questions raised was followed by a bright, sensual “C’est Magnifique” that resolved those questions with a definitive answer.

Looking stunning in a beautiful ivory-colored gown, she was the picture of the 1930s and ’40s singer that one would find in the classiest of clubs of the era. The intimate partnership she had with her musicians Dan Reckard (piano) and Vikram Devasthali (guitar and trombone) was extraordinary. This was not a singer with accompanists, but a singer and instrumentalists who played as one.

Tags: American Songbook, Broadway, Broadway Musicals, C’est Magnifique, Cabaret, Cabaret Reviews, Cabaret Scenes, CD, Claire Marie Vogel, Clubs, Composers, Dan Reckard, Great American Songbook, Jazz, Jazz Singers, Jazz Vocalists, Just in Time, Les Traub, lyricists, Musicals, Musicians, Nightclubs, Popular Song, Que Será Sera, Revues, Samantha Sidley, Show Tunes, Singers, Songbook, Standards, Supper Clubs, Tom Rolla’s Gardenia, Venues, Vikram Devasthali, Vocalists, west hollywood

Category: Cabaret Reviews, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Cabaret Reviews, Regional