Tim Hockenberry used to jokingly introduce himself as the finest singer in his price range. I’ll go further and say that he’s probably one of the most underappreciated vocalists I’ve had the happy assignment of reviewing. Tim’s not a sit-back-in-your-seat, easy-listening cabaret performer. He’s a get-your-groove-on, move-your-body, let’s-have-fun guy. And when he and his band easily find that groove, watch out. The evening’s only cabaret standards, “Fly Me to the Moon” and “It Had to Be You,” are hipped out with Tim’s jazz and blues take. Asking the audience if they’ve “ever heard a white guy sing the blues?” he launches into legendary bluesman John Mayall’s “Have You Heard” and, later, Bob Dylan/Jude Johnstone’s “Howlin’ at Your Window.”

Hockenberry can also compose as well as arrange. “This Time by Me,” from his remarkable solo CD, Back In Your Arms is a timeless love song. His newest original, “Carrying You,” is a sweet story written for his daughter Lola. It has an infectious hook that sucks you in to the simple lyrics and melody. “Make Me Understand,” written by collaborator Richard Leiter, may be the saddest love song of recent times, and Hockenberry wrings the emotion out of it with his gruff, gravelly vocals.

His penchant for selecting material from the greatest songwriters of our generation (Cohen, Dylan, McCartney/Lennon, Waits and Springsteen) is Tim’s bread and butter. His covers are much anticipated and always exceed your expectations. Recognizable pop/rock hits from the masters like Steely Dan’s quirky “Any Major Dude Will Tell You,” The Turtles’ smash “Happy Together” and Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild” are instantly recognizable, but filtered and re-invented through Hockenberry’s musical palate. Ace guitarist Tal Morris and drummer Vince Littleton, who had never played together with Tim, fleshed out the sound with extraordinary licks and accents.

Tom Waits’s tender yet gritty “Jersey Girl” is a perfect example of Hockenberry’s genius — making the most of the beautiful lyric, layering it between the piano melody and Morris’s lovely guitar work and making us feel the romantic longing we’ve all experienced.  Tim lays it all out there during a set and his fans certainly appreciate his genuine effort, talent and humor.

Steve Murray
Cabaret Scenes
April 27, 2011
www.cabaretscenes.org