Cabaret Scenes CD Review

Not a spoiler alert, considering there’s a simple pine coffin on the CD cover and a glance at the song list shows—right below “You Gotta Die Sometime” (William Finn)— Cancer” (My Chemical Romance) in all its tumor essence: Life Is Wonderful purports to supposedly be about death. Here’s the spoiler alert: L’Chaim.

From the opening title song (Jason Mraz)— made the more involving by Ray Bailey’s musical direction, piano and smart arrangement and Dale Henderson’s strong, almost classical, dexterous execution (no pun) on cello—coupled with “Life Is...” (Kander & Ebb) this show about death has life. “New York Afternoon” (Christine Lavin), the metaphoric “Fred Jones, Part 2” (Ben Folds) and “My Dogs” (Finn, again), are examples of quiet, mortal, everyman every-day-a-little-death (how did you miss it, H.C.?) disappointments right to the end. And, Hector, part of the irony is that there are sometimes, for better or worse, encores. Remember Glenn Close popping up out of that bathtub? But only serious sincerity for pieces like “Every Day with You” (Brett Kristofferson) from Mr. Coris, who makes, what is, in most per-formers’ sets, pleasant patter, universal truths and feelings felt. Hector doesn’t merely talk, he hectors us about these sensations during and between numbers. His syllables speak sentences. All is so well realized, blending clean, clear, attractive vocals with precise lyric interpretation, that the songs are almost interludes illustrating the theme: so integrated is the whole timeless (tick-tock) story. Which is, claw at your chest as you may, the masochists may be on to something: the pain is party to the pleasure. The mess is the message.

Don’t be afraid of the spectre with the scythe. Listen to this generous hour of pseudo-cynicopated outrespection. Live a little.

Noah Tree
Cabaret Scenes
October 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org



	Hector Coris Life Is Wonderful
Not a spoiler alert, considering there’s a simple pine coffin on the CD cover and a glance at the song list shows—right below “You Gotta Die Sometime” (William Finn)— Cancer” (My Chemical Romance) in all its tumor essence: Life Is Wonderful purports to supposedly be about death. Here’s the spoiler alert: L’Chaim. From the opening title song (Jason Mraz)— made the more involving by Ray Bailey’s musical direction, piano and smart arrangement and Dale Henderson’s strong, almost classical, dexterous execution (no pun) on cello—coupled with “Life Is...” (Kander & Ebb) this show about death has life. “New York Afternoon” (Christine Lavin), the metaphoric “Fred Jones, Part 2” (Ben Folds) and “My Dogs” (Finn, again), are examples of quiet, mortal, everyman every-day-a-little-death (how did you miss it, H.C.?) disappointments right to the end. And, Hector, part of the irony is that there are sometimes, for better or worse, encores. Remember Glenn Close popping up out of that bathtub? But only serious sincerity for pieces like “Every Day with You” (Brett Kristofferson) from Mr. Coris, who makes, what is, in most per-formers’ sets, pleasant patter, universal truths and feelings felt. Hector doesn’t merely talk, he hectors us about these sensations during and between numbers. His syllables speak sentences. All is so well realized, blending clean, clear, attractive vocals with precise lyric interpretation, that the songs are almost interludes illustrating the theme: so integrated is the whole timeless (tick-tock) story. Which is, claw at your chest as you may, the masochists may be on to something: the pain is party to the pleasure. The mess is the message. Don’t be afraid of the spectre with the scythe. Listen to this generous hour of pseudo-cynicopated outrespection. Live a little. Noah Tree Cabaret Scenes October 2010 www.cabaretscenes.org

Hector Coris

Life Is Wonderful