Musical Director Fred Barton, who with director/choreographer Scott Thompson, is working on a new musical tribute to Harold Arlen called ONE FOR MY BABY, took over on piano to join Reed for a three-song tribute to the composer of classics like Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Reed showed off her still solid soprano chops on the character ballad I Wonder What Became of Me, and displayed her full vocal range on a powerful rendition of Blues In the Night (both songs with lyrics by Johnny Mercer). But those numbers seemed just a prelude to what came next. Guest singers Luba Mason and Anastasia Barzee joined Bertilla Baker and Reed on stage for what was one of the best four-singer arrangements Ive heard in cabaret on a mash-up of Arlens Stormy Weather (lyrics Ted Koehler) with The Man That Got Away (lyrics Ira Gershwin). Baker and Mason alternated on the familiar opening lines of each classic before Reed and Barzee joined the vocal party. Somewhere Lena Horne and Judy Garland (not to mention Arlen) were wildly applauding, as was the entire 54 Below crowd. Vivian Reed is one of the greatest performers in Broadway and nightclub history, and puts on a helluva show. I was honored and thrilled to be a part of her sell-out triumph. My Stormy Weather-Man That Got Away quartet from ONE FOR MY BABY, which Vivian recreated from our pre-Broadway workshop with original cast members Luba Mason, Anastasia Barzee, plus Bertilla Baker, brought 140 people straight to their feet as one.
Posted on: Thu, 03 Apr 2014 20:43:03 +0000
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