A star emerged this summer at Feinstein’s! Not a new face, but a familiar friend who debuted in cabaret some nine years ago, strumming her guitar and singing folk and pop songs. Now, many awards later, she has blossomed into a leading lady of song: Julie Reyburn. With increased confidence, presence and strength, surpassing those of her Feinstein’s debut last winter, Julie returned to play a one-night packed-house program as part of Feinstein’s informal summer series. Looking beautiful in a simple black dress, Julie quickly took easy-going, warm-hearted command of the stage, and held it through a dozen-plus numbers. Her performance, often displaying a new, especially attractive lower register, included mostly standards – for example, “Do I Hear a Waltz?,” “Sing Happy,” “Days of Wine and Roses.” “Let Yourself Go,” “Taking a Chance on Love” – as well as two new songs, “Speak of the Devil,” by Ritt Henn and Mary Liz McNamara, and “Come Home,” from a new musical, Pinocchio, written by Mark Janas and Peter Napolitano. Janas served as the evening’s top-form pianist and musical director, backed by Henn on bass and Walter Usiatynski on drums. The show was recorded live, and will be appearing this fall on Naked Voice Records.

Peter Haas
Cabaret Scenes
July 21, 2009
www.cabaretscenes.org