Leslie Orofino’s show, Red, Hot and Blues, promised songs of “sophisticated ladies, red hot mamas, heartbreakers, man-takers, and the girl next door.” A dramatic singer, Orofino pulled out most of the stops when delivering the various numbers, coming across as a tease, a seductress, a vamp, a jilted lover. Her sultry voice, at its best in her lower registers, was well suited to the songs she had chosen.

Orofino highlighted many earlier performers who tailored such songs to their own very distinctive styles, among them Sophie Tucker, Eartha Kitt, Alberta Hunter, Edith Piaf, Ethel Waters and Peggy Lee. Orofino’s renditions recaptured much of the original vocalists’ signature stylings, occasionally to such a degree that her emulation unintentionally teetered dangerously close to the edge of parody. It wasn’t necessary; Orofino’s an attractive vocalist in this sexy, suggestive genre and, while her mirroring the previous vocalists was effective, the shift to Orofino as Orofino was even more satisfying.

Musical Director and pianist Daryl Kojak, and bassist John Loehrke were as masterly a pair of accompanists to Orofino as she could want. The instrumental breaks during several of the songs were artistic and delightful interludes. Louis Pietig directed. Joey Pier was technical director.

Peter Leavy
Cabaret Scenes
January 14, 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org