Jazz vocalist Stevie Holland, opened her Metrolpolitan Room show with an jumping "Day by Day" followed by an equally upbeat "Pure Imagination." Not surprisingly, most of her songs were jazz numbers, but the attractive blond vocalist competently handled other genres as well. Sondheim's "Not While I'm Around" and Otto Harbach and Jerome Kern's "Yesterdays" were presented with warmth and understanding. And Holland's rendition of Jobim's "Desafinado," with its Brazilian beat, was infectious.

Her accompanists, Kris Davis on piano, bassist Edward Perez and an occasionally overly energetic Jeff Davis on drums, were effective, if initially a shade and a half too loud to let Holland's vocalizing shine. Their decibel level dropped as the show progressed, and most of the later arrangements did her proper honor.

It was a toss-up which of two well-received numbers was the audience's favorite. Holland offered a bouncing, effervescent rendition of "The Trolley Song." But perhaps top honors had to go to a memorable moment for Holland, the on-the-spot achievement of a childhood dream. From the first time she heard a recording of Mel Torme's "Route 66," she declared, she'd longed to get up on stage and sing it with him. Opening night, for all to relish, Holland achieved her ambition, joyously singing a duet with a spirited recording of Torme and "Route 66."

Holland also revealed an additional side of her musicianship. She introduced two songs she wrote with composer Gary William Friedman, "Evening Song," a ballad in honor of her father, and her final song of the evening, "More Than Words Can Say."

Peter Leavy
Cabaret Scenes
January 17, 2007
www.cabaretscenes.org