It's always a Winter Wonderland with Susan Winter, and what a vocal sleigh ride she has with the songs of composer Jimmy Van Heusen, who provided some unforgettable hits for Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. Even though this is not his centennary, Susan deftly tips her hat to the "Chester Babcock" (his real name) collection because, as acclaimed as he was, there are just not that many celebrations for Van Heusen.  Directed by Lina Koutrakos, here is one to savor.

A Van Heusen tune can be counted on for variety and also for that irresistible undercurrent of rhythm that band and jazz singers loved.  With a vibrato that warms the ends of her melody lines, Winter distinctly shapes the lyrics to give shading and interest to the song.  It is very infective in ballads like "I Thought About You" (written with Johnny Mercer). "I Could Have Told You" (with Carl Sigman) mixes the heart-searching Sinatra nuance with Eydie Gorme power.  With palpable tenderness, she delivers the lyrics of "Nancy (With the Laughing Face)" and is effective with the complexity of "Darn That Dream" (lyrics by Edgar DeLange).  It is one of Van Heusen's few theater standouts.  It is easy to see why the song has lasted through the decades even though Swingin' the Dream, the Broadway show that featured the tune, is long forgotten.  Winter gave the song additional substance by pairing it with the gravitas of "Here's That Rainy Day" (with Johnny Burke).  This came from another failed Van Heusen Broadway show, Carnival in Flanders, which lasted six performances.

Her duet with Musical Director/pianist Tedd Firth, "How D'ya Talk to a Girl?" from Walking Happy (with Sammy Cahn), was breezy and amusing.  If theater did not work out so well for Van Heusen, Winter proved why popular songs and films were his beat.  She is as perkin' as Betty Hutton belting the boisterous, "His Rocking Horse Ran Away" (Johnny Burke) from the film And the Angels Sing.

Susan Winter salutes the composer's versatility with a keen sense of time, charm, and interpretive sophistication.  Joining her in a first-class crowd-pleaser are Firth, Tom Hubbard on bass and Tony Jefferson on drums.

Elizabeth Ahlfors
Cabaret Scenes
December 15, 2009
www.cabaretscenes.org