It seems impossible to conjure up any constructive criticism of Liz Callaway’s Passage of Time, a celebration of the release of her first CD in eight years.  The show’s excellence makes a performance review seem redundant except to proclaim, “See this while you can.”  Liz possesses a beautiful, crystal clear voice, also a very strong one. Her moving and captivating interpretation of lyrics was flawless. Eschewing glamour—a lot of make-up, an elaborate hair-do, an opulent dress—she revealed fresh-faced good looks that the passage of time has been good to. Her patter, which was in part about her patter, may have been more scripted than appeared, but she revealed a wit that was never overdone and seemed an extension of an upbeat, sparkling personality, which even her poignant songs did not diminish.

Part of Liz’s patter offered a striking counterpoint to her theme, time past and passing. She listed the many stores (Tower Records, the Virgin Megastore, a well-known branch of Barnes and Noble) that she once could visit incognito and proudly see her CDs displayed, but that have now closed.  The disappearance of such outlets for music (thank goodness for Amazon.com, she suggests) are a loss one can only mourn.  But her closing number, Sondheim’s “Being Alive,” heard in such a context, suggests that these to-be-regretted closings have not obliterated the joy of live music.  Her show itself celebrates the persistence of an art form that endures.

Like her CD of '60s songs, Liz favored in this show contemporary songwriters such as Sondheim, Maltby and Shire, James Taylor, the Beatles. A new song, “Nothing to Lose (But Your Heart)" by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens was lovely.  That Liz was never overshadowed by her four back-up musicians was a testament to the strength of her voice.  It was also a tribute to her musicians, who seemed to remember they were there to support, not compete, with her: Jered Egan on bass; Kevin Kuhn on guitar; Ray Marchica on drums; and her pianist and musical director, Alex Rybeck.  As usual, Rybeck’s arrangements are outstanding, and as Liz performed, as an encore, the song she sang for years on the Broadway stage, “Memory,” his accompaniment supplied a new way to hear this often-sung piece.  The show was directed by Dan Foster.

Those who missed opening night will be deprived of one of the evening’s highlights: a duet with sister Ann Hampton Callaway of Carly Simon’s and Jacob Brackman’s “That’s the Way I’ve Always Heard It Should Be.”  Performed by the Callaway sisters two weeks earlier at the Cabaret Convention, the song picked up even more beauty and poignancy in the intimacy of a small room, revealing cabaret’s unique strength. Those who did not give the Calloways a standing ovation seemed too hushed to move.  But Ann will not be able to perform at the remaining shows this week.  Never fear, however, the duet is on the CD.

Liz Callaway is at the Metropolitan Room Oct. 22-24 at 7:30 pm and Oct. 25 at 7 pm.

Barbara Leavy
Cabaret Scenes
October 20, 2009
www.cabaretscenes.org