Sometimes good things come in vocally small packages. Nancy Stearns ain’t no belter. Though she’ll seldom sustain a note, her presentation rarely fails to sustain interest. Just a note on those notes: the note she’ll occasionally hold out indicates she’s maybe holding out on us. I wish she’d use more voice more often. She uses less, but nevertheless, she connects with lyrics and audiences. Her delight in well-crafted, intelligent songs is infectious. Lyricist E.Y. (“Yip”) Harburg is a good match for her: his delicious word play (“The Begat”) and sweet romanticism (“What Is There to Say?”) thrive in the spotlight provided by her careful and caring approach, faultless diction, and warm phrasing. As a lawyer who dedicated her career to progressive causes and equal rights, she’s a kindred spirit to the pacifist writer of similar bent, illustrated in “Leave the Atom Alone,” “Same Boat, Brother” and others. Nancy has an admirable grasp of tricky lyrics and rhythms in patter songs. As usual, her musical partners here (and on the resultant CD) are sterling pianist Gregory Toroian and bassist David Finck, supplying rich, surprising, welcome textures. Director Helen Baldassare honed a crisp, tight show including Harburg’s light verse and relevant biographical facts. This reviewer caught her dancing along smilingly in the back, still enjoying its energy: a good sign the singer and lyrics are in good hands—and the music, too.
Rob Lester
Cabaret Scenes
November 15, 2009
www.cabaretscenes.org
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