Steven Reineke, the Musical Director of the New York Pops had the “aha!” inspiration to reproduce the legendary Judy Garland‘s Carnegie Hall career-reviving concert on its 50th anniversary.  Trying to re-create any mythical performance is risky.  That he and the New York Pops and the four singing guests succeeded to such a degree is a credit to all involved.

Using the original arrangements, the New York Pops performed the entire program sung by four beautiful Broadway veterans: Ashley Brown, Heather Headley and Karen Olivo.  But the piѐce de résistance was the performance of Garland’s daughter, Lorna Luft, who was eight when she witnessed her mother’s triumphant return to star status at Carnegie Hall.

From a program consisting of nothing but classics from the Great American Songbook, it’s difficult to choose highlights, but each singer had one moment when memories of Garland almost disappeared.

Karen Olivo kept pace with the lively, wind-heavy orchestration in “Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart” (James F. Hanley). Heather Headley had the difficult task of singing “Stormy Weather” (Harold Arlen/Ted Koehler), but took her place near Garland and Lena Horne.  Ashley Brown sang “Over the Rainbow” (Arlen/Harburg) with quiet authority, taking command of what might have been sacrilege in other hands.

But, it was Lorna Luft who provided the heft to the show.  Without exactly imitating her mom, she sang “The Man That Got Away” (Arlen/Gershwin), “Come Rain or Come Shine” (Arlen/Mercer) and “Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody” (Jean Schwartz/Sam M. Lewis/Joe Young) as if her life depended on it, doing herself—and her mother—proud.

This was a great way to end a very successful New York Pops season.

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