You know you’re in the presence of something very special when all of San Francisco’s female vocalists flock to see the master. And indeed, the two nights I saw Marlena Shaw were arguably among the finest vocal performances the Rrazz Room has seen. Shaw is the penultimate song stylist who makes “old school” fresh and vibrant. They can’t teach her easy freestyle vocalizing which infuses classic jazz, R&B, swing and blues with long opening verses and tantalizing mid-song “raps.” Her spoken word intro to “Go Away, Little Boy” is a classic monologue in itself and is priceless.

She’s charming, comfortable and relaxed, and astutely professional. Her husky alto always in control, she can work ballads like “New York State of Mind” and “Here’s to Life” with some bite, like her peer, the late Lena Horne. The hauntingly beautiful “Blackberry Winter” and “You’ve Changed” breathe with Shaw’s innate rhythms. A fan shouts out a request and she launches in to a perfect improvisation of “The Nearness of You.”

Raised on gospel and jazz, she is at home with R&B, soul and swing and digs her chops into pop, rock, and disco. Labeled a national treasure by music critics, Shaw continues the legacy of Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson and Dinah Washington with her own distinctive touch and adaptation of every song she touches. In her fifth decade of performing, Shaw is as vibrant and engaging as ever and it’s easy to fall in love with her sass and joy of singing.

Steve Murray
Cabaret Scenes
August 6, 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org