Chrissy Gardner brings versatile and excellent musicality as singer, pianist, and guitarist to her solo show, which has a format more rock concert-like than traditional cabaret. Gardner has a strong voice with an expansive range and lets it travel smoothly from top to bottom. She moves like a rock star, often reminiscent of Tina Turner. This buff young woman looked beyond attractive in the stilettos and the black mini dress with the shimmy tabs. In a show mainly of original compositions, musical numbers reflect rock, jazz, folk, Dixieland, and more. While most of her songs are in quick rock/jazz tempi, her lyrics are reflective. “Where She Goes” is a particularly good journey about desire and pain that comes with an attraction to someone the admirer can’t have. “Citrine,” written about Gardner’s daughter, incorporates images from nature to explain the intense connection between mother and child. Guest Clara Reaves, becoming a better focused artist with each appearance, added clean harmonics to several of Gardner’s numbers. Accompanist and opening guest, Professor John, brought his unique jazz/blues sensibilities to the funny “Just an Average Guy” who is “overworked, underpaid, and overlaid.” He also joined excellent sidemen on guitar and trombone offering a musically rich experience.

Carla Gordon
Cabaret Scenes
August 1, 2009
www.cabaretscenes.org