Rick Jensen, who has a fine reputation as a musical director and accompanist for a who’s who of vocalists, presented a program of his own songs at the Metropolitan Room, called Tonight New York City. He opened the show with the title song—a wistful, image-filled look at the city from the point of view of a “naturalized” citizen. Joining him for the evening were three terrific singers—Tanya Holt, Marissa Mulder and Justin Ritchie—who all gave thoughtful interpretations of his material, the kind any songwriter should prize.

Many of the songs had a yearning quality, such as “Can’t Find Love,” about exactly that subject, and “Amanda Sang,” about a girl who loves to sing—both performed by Mulder—and “Coney Island,” about walking the Boardwalk contemplating life (Ritchie) and his closing, “In Passing Years,” a tribute to friendship. Holt did justice to “Justice,” about a woman wanting a little revenge for an affair gone wrong.

This was a beautifully-sung tribute to Jensen, whose songwriting talents are many, including incisive evocations of emotions and places. He should, however, reconsider constantly repeating the song titles in his lyrics, a quirk that goes beyond giving form to his work to being kind of obsessive after the initial point is made.

Rick Jensen returns to the Metropolitan Room July 28 and plans to reprise the show in the fall.

Joel Benjamin
Cabaret Scenes
July 14, 2012
www.cabaretscenes.org