Allan Harris at the Metropolitan Room gave his listeners a night to remember.  He’s a magnetic jazz singer, but more than that, a forceful communicator and striking guitarist to boot. Harris and his ensemble — Dan Kaufman on piano, Paul Beaudry on bass guitar, Bruce Cox on drums and Jesse Jones Jr. on sax — were an aficionado’s dream team. In true jazz form, each of them had frequent featured moments to shine, and made the most of them. Harris made that electric guitar sing, and Jones — who often provided the focus around which the others musically grouped — effectively made his instrument talk.

As they say in the film industry, the night provided a few added attractions. Harris enticed some recognized performers among the audience to join him on stage. Singer Michelle Walker delivered a powerhouse rendition of “You Can Have My Husband (But Don't Mess with My Man).”  Vocalist Gregory Generet, who'll have his own show at the Metropolitan Room in July, joined Harris and saxophonist Jones for “Black Coffee Blues,” a flight of jazz fancy with each one scatting in turn. With guest pianist Lafayette Harris, it seemed a joyous get-together of four old friends hitting the club for a night on the town.

Harris glistens like a multi-faceted diamond. Putting aside his jazz chops and guitar, he told of seeing a uniformed, one-armed soldier in a subway. The soldier, stroking a prosthetic arm, said to Harris, “You know, I used to play the guitar.” Harris segued into a moving and deeply emotional rendition of “Bring Him Home,” from Les Miserables. It affected Harris as much as the audience, as he declared, “That song took a lot out of me.”

If there was any doubt about the veracity of Harris's sincerity, it had to be swept away with his own song, “I Do Believe,” an anthem to America, a heart-warming appreciation of “America, our home.”

With a somewhat different ensemble, Allan Harris returns to The Metropolitan Room Wednesday, June 23.

Peter Leavy
Cabaret Scenes
June16, 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org