Cabaret Scenes CD Review - Barbara Porteus

In baseball, they tell you to keep your eye on the ball. In theater, they tell you to trust the material. I don’t know if Barbara Porteus has baseball experience but I know she has musical theater on her résumé. In the lyric-driven world of cabaret singing, the ball to keep your eye on is the story of the song you’re telling (and, hopefully, trusting). You’re an actor who shouldn’t be “caught acting,” making things gimmicky or “all about the voice.” The Porteus voice has some attractive qualities—elegant, floating Morgana King-like head tones and an appealing vibrato—and the singer has interpretive skills displayed on some tracks. Others, like the opener, “Too Close for Comfort,” are too assaultive, cluttered and seem to scream “look at me!” with the singer biting into the song, chewing it up and spitting it out. It’s not always smooth sailing when some compass-challenged musical journeys change course a few times. For some who prefer the brash and the splash, these may be exciting, free-spirited romps. And certainly she’s got exciting expert musicians such as percussionist Mayra Casales and pianist/arranger/CD producer Barry Levitt who can go ably whichever way the busy musical pendulum swings: swing, swaying or sweet, subtle and sensitive.

The refreshing choice of “A Whole Lotta Sunlight” from Raisin, the Broadway musical version of A Raisin in the Sun, brings out Barbara at her best: thoughtful interpretation and gossamer, glittering vocals. The lyric speaking of loving encouragement comes through. Melancholy, bittersweet numbers also successfully draw upon her well of acting skills. “Too Late Now” (Burton Lane/Alan Jay Lerner, from Royal Wedding) ends the CD on a reflective note. When she pulls back, she pulls us in.

Rob Lester
Cabaret Scenes
March 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org



	Barbara Porteus
In baseball, they tell you to keep your eye on the ball. In theater, they tell you to trust the material. I don’t know if Barbara Porteus has baseball experience but I know she has musical theater on her résumé. In the lyric-driven world of cabaret singing, the ball to keep your eye on is the story of the song you’re telling (and, hopefully, trusting). You’re an actor who shouldn’t be “caught acting,” making things gimmicky or “all about the voice.” The Porteus voice has some attractive qualities—elegant, floating Morgana King-like head tones and an appealing vibrato—and the singer has interpretive skills displayed on some tracks. Others, like the opener, “Too Close for Comfort,” are too assaultive, cluttered and seem to scream “look at me!” with the singer biting into the song, chewing it up and spitting it out. It’s not always smooth sailing when some compass-challenged musical journeys change course a few times. For some who prefer the brash and the splash, these may be exciting, free-spirited romps. And certainly she’s got exciting expert musicians such as percussionist Mayra Casales and pianist/arranger/CD producer Barry Levitt who can go ably whichever way the busy musical pendulum swings: swing, swaying or sweet, subtle and sensitive. The refreshing choice of “A Whole Lotta Sunlight” from Raisin, the Broadway musical version of A Raisin in the Sun, brings out Barbara at her best: thoughtful interpretation and gossamer, glittering vocals. The lyric speaking of loving encouragement comes through. Melancholy, bittersweet numbers also successfully draw upon her well of acting skills. “Too Late Now” (Burton Lane/Alan Jay Lerner, from Royal Wedding) ends the CD on a reflective note. When she pulls back, she pulls us in. Rob Lester Cabaret Scenes March 2010 www.cabaretscenes.org