Perhaps if the trustees of the Kennedy Center had caught Jason Graae's show, Perfect Hermony, it would not have taken them nearly 35 years to award Jerry Herman a Kennedy Center Honor. Jason displayed Herman's mastery of not only the romantic ballad and the showstopper, but also just about everything in between. He opened with special lyrics added to “Just Leave Everything to Me” and his confident delivery left no doubt that we could do just that.

The romantic side was highlighted in a touching medley of “It Only Takes a Moment” and “Loving You.” Not content with just his usual oboe performance during his show, he added a stint at the piano as he honored his mom, who was in the audience, with a beautiful rendition of “My Best Girl.”

There will be always be madcap numbers in Jason's shows and this one found him bringing out a tap board, changing to tap shoes and then barely moving his feet as he sang “Tap Your Troubles Away.”

He introduced “I Am What I Am” by saying that Herman certainly didn't realize that, at the time he wrote it, he would be writing an anthem. He conveyed the emotional impact of the song, not by treating it as an anthem, though, but by singing it simply and softly. The show-stopping reaction was a tribute to both the power of the song and the heartfelt rendition of it.

John Boswell, as Musical Director, was a terrific partner for Jason.

Les Traub
Cabaret Scenes
January 23, 2011
www.cabaretscenes.org