Patina Miller: An Evening with Patina

Steve Murray | October 24, 2016

Patina Miller

An Evening with Patina

Feinstein’s at the Nikko, San Francisco, CA, October 16, 2016

Reviewed by Steve Murray for Cabaret Scenes

Patina Miller

Tony Award winner Patina Miller opened her Feinstein’s debut with Kander and Ebb’s ebullient “Sing Happy” full of abundant panache and joy. The song made Liza Minnelli a star and won her a Tony for Flora, The Red Menace way back in 1965, but Miller owns the tune now, and the parallels are easy to see. She is on the fast track to super stardom with a meteoric ascension that is every talented young hopefull’s dream. Her sizzling vocals and youthful charm make this show of her “best of” to this point a resounding success.

Backed by Musical Director James Sampliner, Miller effortlessly worked her way through her material, like a heartfelt R&B tribute to her supportive grandmother in Bill Withers’ “Grandma’s Hands,” “Orange Colored Sky” (Milton DeLugg/Willie Stein) and Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog Jr.’s “God Bless the Child,” showing off her R&B, soul and gospel upbringing. Drummer Deszon Clairborne and bassist Tommy Folen provided the rhythm and emotional undercurrents.

Miller honored her idol Nina Simone with a swing version of “My Baby Just Cares for Me,” the 1930 Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn jazz standard. A love note to her husband, who was in attendance, was delivered with India.Arie’s “Beautiful Surprise.” Sharing personal anecdotes of faith, family and influences, Miller is at ease on the stage just as she is on the TV screen playing Press Coordinator Daisy Green on Madam Secretary or Commander Paylor in the popular Hunger Games: Mockingjay films.

Medleys from Pippin (for which she won the many accolades including the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical) and Hair illustrated her gifted Broadway chops. The highlight for me was a sensational interpretation of Sondheim’s “No One Is Alone” from Into the Woods. Singing about taking responsibility of our actions, Miller is an old soul in a stunningly gorgeous new package. She closed with John Lennon’s hopeful “Imagine,” blending both youth and wisdom. All in all, a superb Feinstein’s debut.

Tags: American Songbook, An Evening with Patina, Arthur Herzog Jr., Beautiful Surprise, Bill Wither, Billie Holiday, Broadway, Broadway Musicals, Cabaret, Cabaret Reviews, Cabaret Scenes, CD, Clubs, Composers, Deszon Clairborn, Feinstein's at the Nikko, Flora the Red Menace, God Bless the Child, Grandma’s Hands, Great American Songbook, Gus Kahn, Hair, Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Imagine, India.Arie, Into the Woods, James Sampliner, Jazz, Jazz Singers, Jazz Vocalists, John Lennon, Kander and Ebb, Liza Minnelli, lyricists, Madam Secretary, Milton DeLugg, Musicals, Musicians, My Baby Just Cares for Me, Nightclubs, Nina Simone, No One Is Alone, Orange Colored Sky, Patina Miller, Pippin, Popular Song, Revues, San Francisco, Show Tunes, Sing Happy, Singers, Sondheim, Songbook, Standards, Steve Murray, Supper Clubs, Tommy Folen, Tony Award, Venues, Vocalists, Walter Donaldson, Willie Stein