Thanks to the revival of the swing movement in the late '90s, audiences get to see the lady credited with inventing the modern lounge act—the incomparable Keely Smith. Now 81, Smith hasn't lost an iota of her sass and charm as she worked the audience with her trademark wit and sensational arrangements of pop and jazz standards. Comfortable in front of a big band sound, Smith pieced together a small "big" band including her son-in-law/musical director/arranger Dennis Michaels on piano and vocals, a local horn section of Dave Scott on trumpet and Tony Malfati on sax and flute, Kelly Park on drums and George Cole on guitar. Smith let the band rip on the swing numbers (''Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" and her Grammy Award winning rendition of Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen's "That Old Black Magic") and caress her voice on the slower ballads (a lovely "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning" and "Everytime We Say Goodbye").

Smith knows how to work the room, engaging in small talk with anyone willing to engage. She's the Mae West of the cabaret scene, lording over her larger-than-life persona with magnetism and style. She can hold her own as a balladeer as evidenced by the closing number, "I Have Dreamed," or swing with the best ("Jump, Jive"). With newcomers like Terese Genecco taking up the big band sound, it's great to see the true original working the stage.

Steve Murray
Cabaret Scenes
March 24, 2009
www.cabaretscenes.org