Justin Gamble lived the life of a child actor in his native state of Vermont, mostly making commercials. Although there's nothing especially humorous about that, as described by Gamble, it seemed to be riotously funny. He's not only a singer, actor and comedian, but, by his own admission, is at present a 34-year-old runaway. He mixed all of his skills to produce his cabaret debut, and judging by the response, he succeeded.

Backed by Musical Director John Daniels and percussionist Dustin Levasseur, he won over the audience immediately through his friendly and likable presence. Gamble has a delightful, low-key sense of humor, a trained voice and an ability to deliver a song. After beginning with the hilarious “Barbie Girl,” a huge hit by the Scandinavian pop group Aqua, fans may have been expecting a musical Comedy Central. But, following the spirited 1950s bubble gum sound of “Barbie Girl,” the program was broad enough to please almost everyone.

Gamble included two recognizable tunes from the Great American Songbook: “Cry Me a River” and “Birth of the Blues,” performed as the songwriters intended, and more recent popular songs which could well be standards in the making, such as those of John Bucchino and Matt Alber. Arthur Hamilton's “Cry Me a River” was an interesting choice since it is Julie London—the first of many to record it—whom we remember, although well-known male singers have also addressed it: Joe Cocker, Aaron Neville and Justin Timberlake among them. Gamble's resonant voice expressed the desperate sense of perhaps the ultimate torch song.

His performances of Bucchino's “Unexpressed,” recorded by both Alan Cumming and composer Adam Guettel, and “It Feels Like Home,” sung by Nancy LaMott on her CD Listen to My Heart, were positively bursting with feeling. Harry Connick, Jr.'s “Recipe for Love,” a fun, lighthearted song, became even cheerier when Gamble invited a young woman (who turned out to be a longtime friend) to join him as a “straight man” and singing partner.

Two of the most significant highlights of the evening were “End of the World,” a beautifully melodic song written by Matt Alber, the lyrics conveyed poignantly, “Don't you want to fall, don't you want to fly/Don't you want to be dangled over...like it's the end of the world” and “Birth of the Blues,” a 1926 vintage classic sung with distinctive style.

The terrific show had one small shortcoming – there was no encore! It may be that the final song, “Birth of the Blues,” was intended as the encore, although nothing was said in that regard. Clearly the audience wanted more and might have been satisfied with another chorus of “Birth of the Blues” or “Barbie Girl.” But such a minor flaw didn't negate the fact that Justin Gamble presented a wonderful show that may prove to be a boost to his career.

Jerry Osterberg
Cabaret Scenes
April 11, 2011
www.cabaretscenes.org