Natalie & Nat King Cole Tribute

Randolph B. Eigenbrode | October 24, 2016

Natalie & Nat King Cole Tribute

Metropolitan Room, NYC, October 16, 2016

Reviewed by Randolph B. Eigenbrode for Cabaret Scenes

Natalie Cole
Nat King Cole

The newest edition of the Metropolitan Room’s Gone Too Soon series paid tribute to singing icon Nat King Cole and his chameleon-voiced daughter, Natalie. The series attempts to memorialize musical trailblazers yet, in the case of this installment, it was a sophomoric showcase of new talent.

It began with Javier Ignacio’s opener, “Orange Colored Sky” (Milton DeLugg/Willie Stein), a perfect choice to kick off the show, when it quickly became evident that most of the performers were not going to check in with the audience, much less look at them. Ignacio later would come to life with “Ansiedad” (José Enrique Sarabia), full of lilting, long lines and a shimmery vibrato, but that would be 45 minutes into the program.

Francesca Jannello, a jazz singer with a striking look and a voice reminiscent of ’40s MGM sopranos, was light on the personal connection to her material, but has a solid musicality, particularly in an ethereal “Tenderly” (Walter Gross/Jack Lawrence) and a period-appropriate scat break in “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” (Bobby Troup).

Joshua J. Bennett served up a fabulous “Gee, Baby, Ain’t I Good to You” (Andy Razaf/Don Redman), flashing a 1000-watt smile and engaging with the crowd in that charming old-school way. While his other numbers wouldn’t match the panache of his first selection, particularly the bizarre “Pink Cadillac” (Bruce Springsteen), Bennett seems to be the most promising of the bunch.

For a show paying tribute to two legends, disappointingly there were only a few Natalie Cole selections and, even then, none captured either her ’70s R&B or ’80s Adult Contemporary offerings. In fact, her biggest hit—the duet of “Unforgettable” sung with her father—was included, but only as a solo.

With a songbook that spans 75+ years, numerous styles and genres, and musical performances that inspired legions of artists and fans, this tribute was sadly not memorial-worthy.

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