Opening Jane Birkin’s program at The Town Hall was the uniquely talented Joey Arias, singing avant-garde versions of several classics, who threw things a bit out of kilter with his eccentricities. The producers of Jane Birkin Sings Gainsbourg certainly couldn’t have brought two such diametrically different singers together if they had drawn the names arbitrarily out of a hat.  Ms. Birkin, whose fans filled Town Hall, was clearly unflustered—in fact, complimented Arias—and went her stylish, quiet way with an extremely generous program of songs by her paramour, Serge Gainsbourg, with whom she shared love, artistic achievement and their lovely daughter Charlotte Gainsbourg.

Joey Arias, the divine drag diva, with three of the wittiest and far-out musicians around—bassist Ben Allison, guitarist Brandon Seabury and drummer Michael Sarin—screeched, moaned, crooned and chirped his way through “Why Don’t You Do Right” (Joe McCoy), “Something” (George Harrison) and “God Bless the Child” (Arthur Herzog, Jr./Billie Holiday).  In his perfectly tailored, black form-fitting dress and signature mile-high heels, Arias interacted with his band, bantered with the audience and was dazzling.

Jane Birkin, in a splendidly simple outfit—man’s white shirt and black slacks—sauntered on as if she were entertaining a few friends at dinner, not a full house of Francophiles.  Her rich program honoring Gainsbourg’s songs, included: several from her first album; “Mon amour baiser” and the sweet “Di doo dah”; and the full range of Gainsbourg’s genius, from his moody contemplation of death and loss of love (“Amour des feintes”) to the charming, witty wordplay of “Haine pour aime,” on to the episodic “Ballade de Johnny Jane.”  She even walked through the audience basking in their admiration.  She sang all the songs in her sweet, dry voice, emphasizing Gainsbourg’s lyrics over the melodies.

Her band was imported from Japan as Birkin’s contribution to that country’s disaster recovery, in honor of their bravery.  They were Asuka Maret, an angelic violinist, Tsutomu Kurihara, the drummer, Shuishiro Sakaguchi on horns and the Musical Director/pianist Hiroshi Murayama, who did all the wonderful arrangements, taking full advantage of this combination of instruments.

Ms. Birkin, generosity aside, might have served Gainsbourg more effectively if she had introduced the songs in English with, perhaps, tiny explications of their subjects.  Clearly, most of the audience were French speakers, but, let’s face it, she was appearing in New York City, not Paris.

But any chance to hear his songs, especially for those who appetites were whetted by Joan Sfar’s recent film Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life, is to be cherished.

Joel Benjamin
Cabaret Scenes
December 11, 2011
www.cabaretscenes.org