Barbara Cook carries her heart in her voice.  It illuminates the highlights of her life and experiences.  In her new show, You Make Me Feel So Young, at Feinstein’s at Loews Regency, she offered 16 songs—13 that she says she has never performed before—all exploring ideas and emotions about love, loss, humor, anguish and lessons learned.

The show began ebulliently as two waiters escorted her on stage while she sang a tongue-in-cheek “I’ll Build a Stairway to Paradise,” a song written by George Gershwin with Ira Gershwin and B.G. DeSylva with special lyrics by Jim Luigs.  She whipped out her kazoo for some spirited jazzing of Joe Ricardel and Redd Evans’ frivolous “The Frim Fram Sauce.”  “Are You Having Any Fun?” (Sammy Fain/Jack Yellen) and the Gershwin brothers’ “I Got Rhythm” were uptempo jolts sprinkled throughout the show. “This Can’t Be Love” (Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart) soars with the flying fingers of pianist Lee Musiker and the show’s the title song could be sung by the audience right back to Barbara Cook.

“I’ve Grown Accustomed to His Face” (Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner) was a tender examination of the many sides of long-term relationships.  Jay Leonhart’s haunting bass boosted the poignancy of “When I Look in Your Eyes” (Leslie Bricusse).  Two scorching ballads included Cole Porter’s “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and the masochistic wrist-slasher, “I’m a Fool to Want You” (Jack Wolf/Joel Herron/Frank Sinatra).  “What Did I Have That I Don’t Have?” (Burton Lane/Alan Jay Lerner) was thoughtful without being demanding or bombastic.  Cook’s basic optimistic, upbeat personality was reflected in the hopeful message of her unmiked encore, “Imagine” by John Lennon.

The essence of this earthy, honest singing treasure today could be wrapped up in “Here’s to Life,” (Artie Butler and Phyllis Molinary) that she delivered with riveting thoughtfulness:

 “As long as I'm still in the game, I want to play
For laughs, for life, for love.”

Led by Musical Director Lee Musiker, Barbara Cook’s matchless backup included Warren Odze on percussion, bassist Jay Leonhart, and Steve Kenyon on woodwinds.

Elizabeth Ahlfors
Cabaret Scenes
June 7, 2011
www.cabaretscenes.org