Martha Lorin
Martha Lorin
Pangea, NYC, June 19, 2016
Reviewed by Joel Benjamin for Cabaret Scenes
Photo: Maryann Lopinto
Vocalist Martha Lorin, guitarist Sean Harkness, and bassist Jay Leonhart are experienced musical artists who played an entertaining program of classic numbers. Considering that basically only the order of the songs was known, the three gave exciting renditions of some classic and little-known gems with only a minor hitch or two.
Lorin is a gently fearless jazz artist. Even in this somewhat under-rehearsed set, her cleverness with melody and rhythm was evident as her two colleagues backed and challenged her.
Leonhart is most particularly associated with the peerless Barbara Carroll, whose coolly elegant and intricate interpretations of the American Songbook couldn’t be more different than Lorin’s. His ability to adapt is formidable.
Harkness, too, has performed with many varied singers and musicians. His wit and sense of humor were clearly evident in this set.
The atmosphere in the intimate Pangea room was casual and the singing was cool, yet rich, beginning with “You Stepped Out of a Dream” (Herb Nacio Brown/Gus Kahn) and Bart Howard’s “Fly Me to the Moon” (“In Other Words”).
A sultry “Close Your Eyes” (Bernice Petkere), a torchy “Here’s That Rainy Day” (Jimmy Van Heusen/Johnny Burke) and a wistful “Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most” (Tommy Wolf/Fran Landesman) were wonderfully evocative of late nights in smoke-filled cabaret rooms of yore.
The three somehow made “Moon River” (Henry Mancini/Johnny Mercer) fresh, and turned “A Song for You” (Leon Russell) into a solemn personal anthem.
Their final number was “Yesterdays” (Jerome Kern/Otto Harbach) which became a solemn meditation, emotional overtones that seemed to surprise the three performers.
Altogether, this was a satisfying and rich evening of jazz-inflected singing and playing.
Category: Cabaret Reviews, New York City, New York City Cabaret Reviews, Regional
