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Reviews (Last Updated: November 26, 2009) http://nowplayingaustin.wordpress.com/ Songbird Natalie Douglas wowed the adoring audience at the Kodosky Lounge (Long Center) on Sat. night. Me, too! She took fans new and old on a musical & emotional roller coaster ride in her moving tribute to Nina Simone, “To Nina.” Simone was the American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger and civil right activist who died five years ago, having made a strong and lasting impact on culture and numerous other artists. Natalie and Nina, both African-Americans, both mesmerizing performers, but I find another interesting connection: Dr. Simone, in concert, album and real life, fluctuated between exuberant happiness and tragic melancholy, due to a bipolar disorder (undisclosed to the public until her death 40 years later). Douglas, ironically, holds a Magna Cum Laude B.A. degree in psychology from USC and a Master’s Degree in Psych from UCLA. Coincidence? Douglas, seven-time MAC Award Winner, took the audience from a Work Song, with a criminal dripping with remorseful sweat to a Halloween timely gem, “I Put a Spell on You.” If you’re not familiar with Natalie Douglas, then, like me, you are unfortunately distracted and out of touch. (www.nataliedouglas.com) She’s just about everywhere. Actress (film and TV, network to PBS). Performer (Birdland Jazz Club and touring). Recording Artist (CD’s “To Nina, Live at Birdland” and “Not that Different.” And “everywhere” is here. For two magical, musical nights, she was in Austin, thanks to Austin Cabaret Theatre. (www.AustinCabaret.org) Natalie, joyfully making her first trip to Texas, was ACT’s second offering in its “Guilty Free” season. Next up . . . wait for it . . . is a one-night stand, “Jim Bailey is Judy Garland Live!” on Jan. 8. And it, too, should be worth the wait. ACT gave Natalie two backdrops from which to work. A simple gold curtain, and the glassed-in view of the spectacular Austin night-time skyline. Add the single spotlight, and a few changeable colorful light hues and voila! A cabaret, complete with nibbles, great drinks, including the “Nina-tini,” but sans the loud drunks and choking smoke. Credit Stuart Moulton, Producing Artistic Director, for adroitly pulling it off once again. But back to Natalie – smooth, silky, sexy, raucous, throaty at times and practically touching the audience with her “mike patter,” infectious high laughter, and marital anecdotes. Simply delightful. One of those indelible evenings that end too soon with one wanting more. It was hard to believe Ms. Douglas had gone through 15 songs, from the Gershwins-Heyward’s “Summertime/I Love You Porgy” and “House of the Rising Sun” to the audience-participation “Forbidden Fruit” and Simone’s own “Why? The King of Love Is Dead,” Nina’s tribute to MLK. And did I tag Natalie as generous? Oh yeah, she gave nice time to her long-time musical director and talented pianist Mark Hartman and musicians Kris Afflerbaugh on bass and Phil Bass on drums. (Yeah! You read that right). The combination of the four made the entertainment go down as easy as those “Nina-tinis.” Preston Kirk, Spicewood TX
Natalie Douglas Douglas
has a light voice and skittery patter that often obscures the intelligent
approach of this lady. It is when she goes into her song that her
rich, flexible alto displays the colors of emotion and intent. She
does not have to say too much about Janis Ian's "At Seventeen;"
the musical rendition is reflective and communicative, as heartbreaking
as most adolescent problems. Douglas says she likes the song, "Mona
Lisa," because she once heard Pearl Bailey sing it at the home
of composer Jay Livingston. While Bailey never recorded "Mona
Lisa," perhaps Douglas will, because her long lyrical lines
illustrate why it was such a popular tune. It is one of those songs
when the meditative words and melodic tune just sound right together,
and Natalie Douglas brings out the pure pleasure of the music. Musical director/accompanist Mark Hartman on piano lends vigorous band support with Michael Blanco on bass, drummer Joe Choroszewski and Dan Davine on guitar. Elizabeth Ahlfors You'd never find complete agreement on what's cabaret and what's not, but as the Justice said, you know it when you see it. Our own definition would be that while the repertoire may include pop, jazz, and just about anything else, the great American songbook and Broadway are going to figure prominently. Here's a sampling of veteran and newbies who will go down well with a martini. The
Veterans For
listings, reviews, and CD info, start here:
On March 11th the Mabel Mercer Foundation presented the 3rd night of the 3rd Chicago Cabaret Convention at Park West in Chicago. The event featured 34 performers, mostly from New York, with a dozen on hand Saturday. The host, executive producer Donald Smith, seemed to forget that he was in Chicago, despite saying how happy he was to be here. Numerous references to New York, punctuated by an especially painful bit of shtick where he referred to the late Gene Siskel as Gene Sickle, betrayed his lack of real enthusiasm for and knowledge of, once again, THE SECOND CITY. We still can’t get no respect. However, the real purpose of the event was to showcase the performers. It was a mixed bag, talent wise. Few of the singers rose above the level of advanced mediocrity. Yes, they sang well technically, but lacked any real passion or electricity. It was kind of like watching tryouts for a really good college production, or being at Caeser’s waiting for the rat pack to show up. The banter with the audience also seemed somewhat forced and very rehearsed. 15 minutes is not a lot of time to establish a rapport with the crowd, but when that’s all you have, you better make the most of it. It just felt like they were trying too hard, despite being seasoned performers. A few, thankfully, did rise to the occasion. Natalie Douglas was the standout of the night. Her rendition of “I’ve got a spell on you” did just that, almost from the first note. “The first time ever I saw your face” brought a tear, mainly because it’s “our” song, my wife and myself, from waaaay back in the 70’s. She took her 15 minutes and brought it to life. Stephanie Browning, one of the few Chicago singers, also engaged the crowd, with her 40’s femme fatale look and smoldering vocals. She’s at the Peninsula Hotel ongoing and sort of embodies the whole idea of a lounge torch singer. Sidney Myer was the Henny Youngman of the night. His version of “Bad, bad man” was a good comic counterpoint to the earnest efforts of the other singers. He also announced, proudly, that he did not have a CD for sale in the lobby. The accompanists were very good in their largely unrewarding job of backing up the singers. Beckie Menzie, pianist for Robert Whorton- another local- was outstanding. Great style and rhythmic drive- she had, ahem, you know. Mr. Whorton also acquitted himself quite nicely. Both can be seen at Gentry on State every second Monday. If the foundation wants to bring this convention back to Chicago in the future, they have some homework to do. More local singers and a better understanding of Chicago culture would be a big help. The talent is here; just seek it out. And leave Gene Sickle alone. This review is written by Alan Carter. Park West: 322 W Armitage, (773)929-5959 Gentry: 440 N State St, (312)836-0933 The Peninsula Hotel: 108 E Superior, (312)337-2888
There is a murder in the plot but it has happened before our story begins-as the play actually begins before the play begins: the cast informally dribbles in while the lights are up and starts mingling in the bar set. The set is extended into the auditorium with posters and decorations on the walls around the audience. It establishes that here’s a cozy bar-with-music hangout in a friendly place where everybody knows your name in this Georgia town. That’s Tippo, y’all, population 8,000 (now 7,999 after the murder). Let me lay out the reasons you should reach a fair, considered verdict of, "Damn! I wanna see this!!" Exhibit A: It’s irreverent, wild, very goofy fun...... The point is there is no point to be made except to make you wildly entertained in a non-brainy way. It’s a murder mystery as most of it is the trial itself as you try to figure out who shot the rat, knowing that the one on trial is Mona, the woman who married him earlier that day. She is the lady who runs the saloon with tunes (called the The Frog Pad, thus the funny sign Frog Parking Only-All Others Will Be Toad). The play breaks the fourth wall and brings the audience in (that’s breaking and entering, so please add that charge) like when the narrator-of-sorts tells us of the action and says there is an audible gasp in the court and asks us to provide a collective gasp. Likewise, when the judge enters, the audience is asked to "please rise" and the audience indeed rises to the occasion. There is Southern fried corn in the humor and wacky situations like the defense lawyer who’s never won a case facing the prosecutor who is also running for mayor and who also happens to be his fiancee. It’s spirited but not mean-spirited; it’s rowdy and loopy. The script is by Patricia Miller and Jim Wann. In real life, they have been accused of being husband and wife, a legal technicality. Exhibit B: The songs provide plenty of laughs as well. And they’re zippy. Jim Wann wrote music and lyrics. It has the exuberant, high-energy, no-frills cheer of his most well-known show, the grinning Pump Boys And Dinettes. This has a bit more sarcasm and if it doesn’t boast memorably clever lyrics and rhymes at every turn, it isn’t trying to be deep or moving. But the songs keep the story moving and having courtroom proceedings set to super-lively music is hilarious in itself. There’s variety in style: a blues about being incarcerated, gospel, country of course, and uptempo numbers galore. The band is onstage and the players are worked into action cutely, with Robert Mikulski as musical director-bravo to him and the trio, if it please the court. And I sure hope there will be a cast album or DVD. Exhibit C: Regarding the performers All do satisfying, crisp work, as individuals and as an ensemble. All are game for the silliness and playing strong, clear types in strong, clear ways. Especially impressive is multi-tasking, multi-talented Omri Schein playing a few roles including the weary bailiff, and two of the witnesses: one who is smugly condescending and the other contrastingly bright-eyed and cheery with an Indian accent. His facial expressions and go-for-broke characterizations (including feline dance movements in a song called The Big Meow) are priceless. Solid is Richard Binder as the hapless but good guy lawyer who also tells the tale, a likeably burdened sad sack; he anchors things well. Mariand Torres is our accused and she can’t be accused of overdoing anything. Her singing is vibrant and she’s engaging, sort of the normal one in the group of extremes, but I sort of wish she were just a bit quirky, too. I liked the bright work by David Jon Wilson as the wide-eyed cop who does musical theatre and would have liked more with him. Natalie Douglas as the judge must be judged to be a delight: especially with her early ode to her own power, ordered to be reinforced and restated in a bow-to-the-emperor moment called Who Wears The Robe. She doubles as Reverend Purify leading the showstopper You Done Forgot Your Bible . If talent were a crime, a judge would throw the Book at her. But the only thing she’s actually "booked" for is a solo show at the jazz club Birdland immediately following the show’s scheduled closing. She’s there August 5 and 6. There’s also good playing by by Karen Culp as the very confident prosecutor, and Marcie Henderson as first witness Tish and a gender bender switcheroo to be Blind Willy. Valued pianist Dan Bailey and guitarist Jason Chimonides comprise the trio with Ritt Henn, bass player and assistant musical director. He has one of the best bits in the whole show and aces it: he sings the obligatory swearing in of a witness with super-perkiness as if it’s a celebration, with his face lighting up and whistling between phrases. An early indication that this would be a longer running joke is not fulfilled: I think it could have been milked. Though some moments could be tweaked and reactions occasionally sharpened or pushed a notch, the work is top-notch. Director Kate Middleton knows how to make her actors a team and how t make a farcical situation NOT be exhausting. She puts just enough spice in the recipe and keeps those onstage on the same page. Exhibit D: I’m still laughing at this exchange: --Lawyer: Tell the court HOW MANY autopsies you have performed on dead people. --Witness: ALL my autopsies have been performed on dead people. Exhibit E: You get a free paper fan advertising the local funeral home whose motto is that they put the "fun" back in funerals. Exhibit F: Tickets are only twenty bucks. The show has lots of life. That’s twenty to life. With time off for good behavior and good acting, I hope there will be a repeat offense as this show should run longer. It would a crime if it doesn’t. I rest my case. At
the Abingdon Theatre-- 312 W. 36 St., the building with a bunch
of theatres. Near Eighth Avenue. Just make sure you take the rear
elevator, not the front one. Evenings at 8:30 except Monday and
Sundays, but there’s a Sunday matinee at 2:30. Thru August
4. $20 tickets. www.SmartTix.com or 212-868-4444 Presented by Ground
UP Productions www.Groundupproductions.com
HONKY-TONK
KILLIN' GETS A RIGHT TUNEFUL TRIAL
The
People vs. Mona
By STEVEN SUSKIN The plot revolves around the fate of Mona Mae Katt (played by the stunning Mariand Torres), former majorette and current proprietor of The Frog Pad, the "musical heart of Tippo," Georgia, where according to the locals nothing important ever really happens. The fiery Mona is accused of killing her husband C.C. Katt on their wedding night—and since she readily admits she's happy to see him dead, her fate looks rather grim. It doesn't help that she's being defended by local small-time attorney Jim Summerford (played by an earnest Richard Binder), who has never won a case against the ambitious prosecutor and mayoral candidate Mavis Frye (Karen Culp). . .who also happens to be Jim's fiancée. Throw in a host of odd characters, from the local blind musician Blind Willy (energetically rendered by Marcie Henderson) to the off-putting Dr. Bloodweather (Omri Schein in one of his four equally memorable roles) and you have a plot which is, well, ridiculous. But of course the point isn't to get bogged down in analyzing the narrative, but to go along with the ride—and to this end, both direction and performance succeed admirably. Director Kate Middleton understands that a show this superficial only works if its energy and pace never flags, and accordingly scene transitions, musical numbers and even the intermission proceed at a brisk clip. And the audience itself is included in the performance in more ways than one—beyond the set (designed by Travis McHale), which extends the local watering hole feel on stage (with appropriate frog paraphernalia, of course) into the entire theater with vintage guitars, records and signs on the wall, the actors periodically speak directly to the audience—presumably a pool of potential Tippo tourists. But this interactivity, like the music, never gets obtrusive enough to be annoying. Though clever, there certainly aren't many songs likely to be remembered very long after the conclusion of the performance. Yet, this too doesn't seem to trouble anyone performing it, even the three excellent musicians who serve as musical accompaniment and resident blues band (The McGnats) at The Frog Pad. Still, charm and cleverness only go so far, and what makes this production work is its performers. The show is exceptionally well cast, its characters so accurate that it's hard to believe that it wasn't written for this particular set of actors. Officer Bell (David Jon Wilson), the musically ambitious parking ticket distributor of Tippo, and Rev. Rosetta Purify (played by Natalie Douglas, who also ably handles the role of Judge Ella Jordan) both deliver convincing performances, and the rest of the cast holds up equally well (though Culp's voice is noticeably weaker than the others, despite her spot-on rendition of Mavis). And in particular, Schein and Torres are excellent, the former for his almost-but-not-quite-over-the-top characters and the latter for her mix of fieriness and fun which is critical to building Mona's appeal. Most important, everyone here seems to genuinely enjoy the show, which goes a long way towards convincing the audience to do the same. Nothing
about this production is stunningly original or particularly memorable,
and there are times where the show veers perilously close to amateurish
obviousness. But somehow Middleton and her cast never let it cross
the line—and the result is a lighthearted and fun musical
experience. If you feel like kicking back and relaxing with some
Southern hospitality and a lot of laughs, you could do a lot worse
than The People Vs. Mona. Songwriter Jim Wann came up with a winning recipe in the early 1980s with Pump Boys and Dinettes, a tasty slice of country pie that Broadway audiences enjoyed for many helpings. That slight, plotless revue — which Wann co-conceived, co-composed, and co-wrote — was a charming collection of country-western ditties performed by a small cast in an intimate setting, a highway diner. Now he's cooking a different, fuller meal, intended to be served with just as much down-home sweetness and extra helpings of story line. Like Pump Boys, The People vs. Mona has several infectious tunes with ingratiating lyrics, but the book, by Wann and his wife, Patricia Miller, stretches a thin idea beyond the breaking point. The title legal case refers to a murder in the tiny town of Tippo, Ga. Mona (Mariand Torres) is the owner of the Frog Pad, the oldest juke joint in the state and the community's social center. She's accused of offing her husband of 10 hours, C.C. Katt, a local music entrepreneur who was stepping out on their wedding night. In the tradition of every mystery ever seen on stage, screen, or television, big-hearted Mona didn't do it, and there's a cast of colorful zanies who may have. There are moments of outrageous parody, as when the clerk, judge, and bailiff serve as backup singers for various witnesses, including an obsessive-compulsive coroner who's really a dentist, and a blind street singer who can identify the killer by smell. But Wann's mildly amusing score isn't enough to sustain an entire evening, and the book tries too hard for guffaws. The leads — Torres, Richard Binder as her lawyer, and Karen Culp as a Hillary Clinton-like prosecutor — have style and fine voices, but the show is stolen by two supporting players, Omri Schein and Marcie Henderson. Both play multiple roles and make each one pop out. Schein makes the bailiff a sort of good-ol'-boy Peter Lorre with a wicked leer and shifty eyes. He's also that dentist-coroner, a lecherous lawyer, and an Indian hotel clerk with a passion for football. As the sightless street singer, Henderson gets the audience to clap along to a rousing blues number in which she lists the smells she encounters. In a different spot, she sexily struts through a jazzy, Fosse-style specialty. Natalie Douglas and David Jon Wilson complete the cast, along with onstage musicians Ritt Henn, Jason Chimonides, and Dan Bailey. Kate
Middleton dexterously stages the action within Travis McHale's single
set, which transforms the Abingdon Theatre into a funky roadhouse.
Mona is a pleasant enough treat, but its flavor doesn't last long
after you've left the theatre. "Why
did Mona Mae Katt kill her husband C.C. only 10 hours after they
were married?" is the question pressing on the residents of
Tippo, Ga., and particularly on the court convened in the Frog Pad,
the local juke joint, superbly designed by Travis McHale. Vinyl
records and album covers dot the walls of the stage and auditorium;
there's a jukebox in one corner; and various indicators of the sultry
climate—a fly swatter, a "Honk If You Love Jesus"
sticker—are interspersed among them. As
the trial progresses, the plot encompasses the future of the Frog
Pad, the oldest juke joint in Georgia. Developers in town want to
tear it down and clear the waterway for riverboat gambling, and
Mavis may be in league with them. But would she go so far as to
put Mona behind bars to help developers get hold of the property?
And is something blossoming between the defendant and her attorney? Mariand Torres as Mona (née Ramona) is a sensational singer and brings a lot of likability to the part of the Latina defendant. (Nonetheless, occasional dialogue in Spanish is still distracting, even though it's a crucial point of Wann's story that he's talking about the New South—multicultural and forward-looking.) But she and Binder don't have much romantic chemistry. Wann's music encompasses folk, twanging country, blues, and even a school song. The score is almost a musical résumé. The songs are tuneful and the lyrics pretty smart, and they're played with outstanding musicianship by the McGnats, the joint's resident band (Ritt Henn, Jason Chimonides, and Dan Bailey). Each of the performers gets a chance—some more than one—to shine in the numbers, which include "Lockdown Blues" (with a yodel) and "You Done Forgot Your Bible," a gospel number that shakes the rafters, thanks to Natalie Douglas. Director
Kate Middleton moves everything along briskly, and choreographer
Jill Gorrie makes the most of the limited space, particularly in
"A Real Defense," a late number in which the suspects
echo their earlier words in flashback to sort out the guilty parties.
Fluff this may be, but it's of such a high caliber that it easily
meets the goal of sending the audience out with a sunny disposition. Barbara and Scott
Siegel - September 7, 2006
Douglas is a smart and witty performer who is as comfortable talking on stage as she is singing. Her patter is never forced nor does it ever seem written. She just talks to us and we laugh. When a performer has a one-night-only cabaret/concert event, however, there is a tendency to try to either say or do too much. In this particular instance, Douglas was sailing along fine until late in her show when she began digressing into politics and started talking too long between songs. Her passion was clear and real but it hurt the flow of her show. No doubt she'll rein that in when she continues to perform this show in New York and around the country. As is always the case in show business, there are relatively few performers who come up through the ranks to establish viable careers. In cabaret, Natalie Douglas is one of those entertainers who does the work and gets the gigs. She played to a full and enthusiastic house at Birdland and it's clear that she is not complacent or satisfied; she is still growing as an artist and that's an exciting thing to watch.
Forget the conventional wisdom that successful theater is the product of belabored rewrites and long gestation periods for writers, performers and directors. theAtrainplays mini-musicals are written in the time it takes to ride the length of a New York City subway route. And the next night is opening night. This theatrical equivalent of microwave popcorn bursts with energy. If not all the kernels fully pop, that's understandable - it's well worth coming aboard for the ride. The evening consists of six 15-minute vignettes with songs, each taking place on a subway car and most having something to do with random strangers meeting. On Monday, September 12, at the 207th Street subway station at Manhattan's northern tip, playwrights (each writing separately) began with blank pages and hope. They reached into a bag to pick a card with a number indicating how many characters would be in the plot, then pulled out that many actor headshots from another bag. Each writer had to have a script done by the end of the line, Far Rockaway. There they were matched, in another blind drawing, from a pool of waiting directors and choreographers, plus songwriters who would add a couple of appropriate instant songs before the train got back to its starting point. After a stop at the copy shop, rehearsals began for the next night's debut. I caught up with the show a week later. The program calls each tale "an Atrainplay" and likewise songs and characters are not named. The band, on a platform above the playing area, includes keyboardist Rick Hip Flores, who also wrote music and lyrics for one of the pieces, about a food writer who tentatively strikes up a conversation with a mime. ("It's OK. I'm off-duty," he says and they chat.) Librettist Arlene Hutton is one of the veterans of these rushed writings and tries to show a simple meeting of the minds, resisting any temptation to get too preachy. Things are kept light under Mariana Carreno's direction and Tricia Brouk's choreography. The two passengers are likably portrayed by Darcie Siciliano and Lawrence Feeney (who, under the white face paint, is also the producer of the whole Atrainplays extravaganza). Though all of the playlets are humorous, a couple offer more food for thought. Oddly compelling, with emotion that sneaks in between laughs, are two especially effective pieces. One is the tale of three dispirited men who are unhappy with their current lives and are seeking understanding and change. Persuaded to stay and talk to each other rather than get off at their planned stops, they forego their subway connections and make a human connection instead. Altar Boyz fans will happily note that original and current Juan, Ryan Duncan, provides a nicely shaded performance in this piece. Kevin Townley and Paul Romanello skillfully round out the mismatched trio who elect to give up their lives and live on the subway, planning to make it homey. Collaborating on both music and lyrics are Sean Williams and Jordana Williams (who recently got attention at the Fringe Festival for their Fleet Week). The song cues here are too sudden, not smoothly integrated into P. Seth Bauer's sensitive moments; the emotions are more successfully illuminated in the dialogue, with quirky humor well-sprinkled at unexpected moments. One politically relevant piece resonated for me. Three strangers read the current news, outraged by our nation's present crises and politics. Enter a fourth subway rider, deeply absorbed in the news she is reading - a movie star gossip magazine. Her world begins and ends there, and she is chided by the others, forced to confront reality and the photos of tragedy victims until she freaks out. The play has something to say about how we choose to process current events or live in denial. Natalie Douglas, best known as a cabaret singer, is sensational as the ostrich with her head in the Hollywood sand. She is both giddy and gaudy as she sings and struts a knockout number about celebrities ("The Jennifers never have bad hair/ Never look flabby in their underwear"). Talented Brandon Patton wrote the witty songs. Though royally entertaining, there is some disappointment as repeated lyrics end the vignette. Another story involves two people escaping the clutches of Scientology by going underground (literally - to the subway, of course) and it is a good skewering. Yet another depicts the tension among people more equipped to relate to pets rather than other human beings. The latter has a standout Gaby Alter song for Erica Ash, whose portrayal and singing are highlights. Some of the songs in the evening's collection would benefit from the luxury of time, as they don't always flesh out the characters or get them from point A to point B as well as the train trips do. There is repetition in lyrics and many are in more of a pop style than traditional Broadway. But for devotees of the beleaguered musical form, there is a grand guilty pleasure at evening's end. Taking a cue from The Twilight Zone, characters from Broadway flops are thrown together in a kind of subway hell, and it is a hoot and a half. Beach bunnies from the sunburned Good Vibrations and other banished characters, including blood-drenched Carrie herself, welcome the newest tenant, John Lennon (Lennon will close on the day this limited-run show shutters). With a cast of 11, this finale happily brings back many of the actors seen earlier in the evening. Each adventure has a healthy share of zinger lines, and performers are polished and focused. A fair number of the participants have been involved in earlier outings in this ongoing series, great training for any creative artist. the Atrainplays is recommended viewing, and costs considerably less than a weekly MetroCard. But buy your tickets now or else, like the subway, you may find yourself without a seat.
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Featured Artist: Natalie Douglas CD Title: To Nina... Live at Birdland Year: 2004(sic) Record Label: WGB Records Style: Jazz Vocals Musicians: Piano: Mark Hartman, Tenor Saxophone: Patience Higgins, Percussion: Sean McDaniel, Bass: Steve Doyle Review:
The music of Nina Simone conjures up deep emotions creating a mood and reaction through both sounds and lyrics. Passion, Anger, Love, just scratching the surface here. This is more than a tribute recording. Ms. Douglas holds Nina Simone in high regard both as an artist and as a person.
Offering a tribute to anyone’s music is difficult. But choosing a person who has strongly influenced your development musically and personally presents an even higher challenge. How do you frame a tribute, get to the root of what you want to say without getting sappy and losing the audience? How do you get deep enough to communicate the passion you feel?
Natalie Douglas tackles this challenge perfectly. First, she lets the emotion and passion come from the music. She decided to: Just Sing It!!! Second, she cracks the door to her feelings for Nina and her music by giving the audience personal stories that make the evening “real”.
The rest of her ensemble supports her wonderfully whether with the tune is jazz, blues, or gospel.
This project comes from the heart and provides great music and personal insight to the artist. Check it out.
Thanks Natalie!
Tracks: I Wish I Knew How It Would Be To Be Free, Summertime/I Loves You Porgy, Work Song, House of The Rising Sun, I Put A Spell On You, Forbidden Fruit, My Baby Just Cares For ME, You Can Have Him, Four Women, Intro to Why, Why (The King Of Love Is Dead), Children Go Where I Send You, Natalie Tells a Story, His Eye Is On The Sparrow Artist's Website: http://www.nataliedouglas.com Reviewed by: Bruce Pulver
NATALIE
DOUGLAS One singer singing another singer's songs in tribute can be a no-win situation. If you slavishly copy, you're criticized for being an unoriginal, pale imitation, and if you change interpretations a lot, you're blasphemously disrespectful. Happily, Natalie Douglas falls into neither trap and emerges unscathed and undiminished in her loving salute to Nina Simone. Simone, the legendary "high priestess of soul," died two years ago this month at the age of 70. Actively involved in the civil rights struggle, she was unwilling to compromise how she expressed her views in spoken comments at concerts and the words of the songs she wrote or sang, even when this cost her work and visibility. Most active in the 1960s and 1970s, she eventually left the US to live overseas. Her often raw and powerful performances deeply affected many, including Natalie Douglas, who grew up hearing the material, and it stuck with her. She wears it well. Although lighter in voice and persona, in some moments Natalie seems to channel her idol and shows flashes of her intensity and vocal colors. To the good, Natalie's sunny spirits shine through enough without watering down the material or glossing over the drama. Many of the late lady's trademark songs are here ("I Loves You, Porgy", "My Baby Just Cares For Me") though there's only one of her own compositions ("Four Women"). All will be appreciated by those who know the legacy, but it must be said that no prior familiarity is required to "get it." The songs and the younger singer's versions will reach you either way. A few comments before certain key songs put them in context. Those who know how Natalie Douglas can raise the roof and pull out the stops will find some of this a bit held back until the encore of the spiritual "His Eye Is On the Sparrow." As he was on her previous (first) solo CD, talented Mark Hartman is musical director and hooray for that. One of the highlights is "I Put A Spell On You," and she does: this is a vocalist who is especially powerful in live performance. It's a happy job to report that this works well as a CD, too. If you want to be put under the spell in person, the tribute will be reprised next month in New York City and at the Plush Room in San Francisco. The singer's website, www.nataliedouglas.com, will give you details on this. She's still young, so I hope she has room on the mantle for more awards.
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magazine CDreviews Issue 12.40 NATALIE
DOUGLAS
nytheatre.com review theAtrain(re)plays review For nearly four years now, the folks behind the Atrainplays have been putting together delightfully entertaining evenings of new short plays and musicals, all created more or less on the fly in a single day's time, starting with a journey along the full length of the New York subway's A line, from 207th Street to Far Rockaway. That's where the playwright does his or her thing, armed only with a bundle of headshots (of the actors who will be in their play) and the knowledge that their show must take place on the same A train they're riding on. 90 minutes later, the writer meets the director, and then these randomly selected collaborators get back on the subway and ride as far as 59th Street to meet up with the designated actors. The next night, about 20 hours after the ink is dry, the play gets its premiere. Consistency suggests more than luck is at work here: Lawrence Feeney (who had the original idea), Michael Pemberton, Andrew Donovan, Craig Pospisil, and David Riedy—the five "founders" of the Atrainplays—clearly have noses for the rare combination of talent, nerve, imagination, humility, and adrenalin that makes this process come together so successfully. And perhaps a touch of alchemy, as well. They certainly deserve to pat themselves on the backs as they do in the two-week Atrain(re)plays, a retrospective/compendium of the best of some 96 original plays and musicals produced since the project started in May 2002. That's because their best is very, very good: never less than merrily diverting, often terrific, and sometimes downright miraculous. The nature of the process means that nothing here is deep, subtle, or richly nuanced; but for sheer high-spirited, high-energy hijinks, there are few short play anthology shows—few shows period—that can touch this one. I caught Program 1, which runs March 1 - 6 (an entirely different bill, the aptly named Program 2, runs the following week). The pieces run the gamut from "Surfin Turf," a cheerfully tasteless, darkly comic musical about subway surfing (written by Shawn Nacol with lyrics by Simone Wells and music by Lanny Meyers), to "A Short Distance Correctly," a sweet, zany fantasy by Michael Rhodes in which a middle-aged man's musings about the pretty young woman he always holds the car door open for take on a surprising life of their own, to David Riedy's thoughtful, comic parable about communication, loneliness, and connection, "Everything You Want." Renee Flemings and Jeremy Schonfeld's collaboration, "Heart & Home," features a bickering young couple—he's a street entertainer, she's recovering from same, trying to make a living and find a decent apartment within the boundaries of the system—who are taught a refreshing life lesson by an older couple, a magician and a down-on-her-luck actress who are working the same subway car. Another musical, "The Light in Me," by Erica Silberman and Cornell Womack, starts with a trio of frustrated yoga students and then takes a slightly surreal turn with the arrival of their crazy Irish instructor Niall. Yet another, Craig Pospisil and Joanna Parsons's "Wedding Train," puts a runaway bride on the train, where she bumps into—of all people—her former boyfriend. My favorites among the nine items on the agenda—yours may well be different, of course—are "Howard Hopped the A-Train" by Anthony P. Pennino, a very funny and surprisingly insightful comedy in which a construction worker who has just been laid off meets up with someone who very much appears to be Jesus Christ; "Free," another Pospisil piece, in which a young man in the throes of a panic attack gets a sudden inspiration to take off all his clothes on an empty subway car; and "City of Freaks," by Riedy, Marcy Heisler & Zina Goldrich, far and away the most well-realized work here, a musical about a tourist from Minnesota and the three typically nutty New Yorkers he meets on his first ride on the A train—a miracle of brilliant construction whose witty book and toe-tapping tunes are better than just about anything currently showing on Broadway. The nine shows are directed and choreographed by a host of talented folks, with the most impressive work coming from Mark Lonergan ("Free"), Edie Cowan ("Surfin Turf" and "City of Freaks"), and Christopher Windom (the choreography for "City of Freaks"). Some 21 actors bring the plays to life, many in multiple roles: all are terrific, but permit me to single out, as especially effective and memorable, Christine Pedi (as the homeless ex-actress in "Heart & Home"), Scott Wood (as the panicky young man in "Free"), Natalie Douglas (as one of the kooky New Yorkers in "City of Freaks" and one of the yoga students in "The Light in Me"), Pierre-Marc Diennet and Ron Stetson (as Jesus and Howard in "Howard Hopped the A-Train"), Donovan Patton (as the exuberant tourist in "City of Freaks"), and David Hilder (as one of the oddball surfers in "Surfin' Turf"). Nine is probably one or two more shows than strictly necessary; the evening felt a little long by its end. But that is in no way a reflection on the astonishing excellence of all the work on view here. With the Atrainplays, Feeney and his colleagues have found a formula for sheer joyous fun. This celebration of the best of their inspiration is worth the trip, whatever subway line you take to get to it.
"TO NINA..." Review |
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Jazz trumpet giant, Sonny Rollins, claimed that Nina Simone was not a jazz singer. Simone agreed. Says Natalie Douglas, she was a story-teller, delivering tales of frustration, fury, and conviction. Douglas dives into this mix and emerges with a portrait of an intelligent headstrong musician with a strong spirit. She evokes the theatrical depth and phrasing in Simone’s vocals, her own resonant voice affective with the fury of, I Put A Spell On You. Her pairing of Summertime with Simone’s only Top 40 hit, I Loves You Porgy is tender before its eruption into desperation. Work Song is a swinging metronome crying for justice, and Four Women dramatically stylized with Simone’s spirit. Douglas forcefully strikes home with the tribute, Why? (The King of Love is Dead), written by Simone just after the assassination of Martin Luther King. It is the show’s most intense moment, with Mark Hartman’s arrangements building behind Douglas with a wail of pain. Other than the cries of protest, Douglas includes Simone’s second hit, My Baby Just Cares for Me, her voice floating over a classic rock ‘n roll beat. Irving Berlin’s, You Can Have Him, is a story song of love and heartbreak, Douglas biting out the words with clear and bitter diction. With the gospel tunes, including a rollicking, Children Go Where I Send You and explosive, His Eye Is On the Sparrow, Douglas releases a freedom perhaps denied Nina Simone. In this soulful salute, Natalie Douglas is supported by the creative Mark Hartman on piano, Tony LaVorgna on alto sax, Steve Doyle on bass, and percussionist Sean McDaniel. She performs To Nina -- a tribute to Nina Simone at the King Kong Room every Monday night in an open run. Elizabeth Ahlfors
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Named Best One-Woman Show — Cabaret 2003 by Show Business Weekly!!!
"Natalie
Douglas’ return to The Duplex signaled a major new step in this
accomplished singer’s career. With an increased confidence and a
newly found freedom in her vocal range, she seems poised to break-through
to a larger audience with a distinctive style and sound that recalls icons
like Nancy Wilson, Nina Simone and Abbey Lincoln. But Douglas’ sound
is distinctly her own and she knows it. She’s fierce, she’s
soulful and she’s on a roll."
-David Hurst, Show Business Weekly 11/5/03
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SHOW BUSINESS WEEKLY Slimmed down and glowing, Natalie Douglas is back and better than ever in a new show that’s just completed a month-long, encore engagement at The Duplex following a run in April. Long considered a first-rate singer, Douglas has won a fistful of awards and a devoted cabaret following even though she’s yet to break-through to a wider audience and a higher echelon of acclaim. However, based on her recent appearances, all that will be changing soon. Douglas has never been in better voice, singing with a new found confidence and style that signals a bright, new chapter in this talented performer’s career. Perhaps the greatest compliment that can be paid Douglas at this juncture is that her voice and ‘sound’ are distinctly her own. Like Nancy Wilson, Nina Simone and Abbey Lincoln before her, all singers who have influenced her and to whom she can variously be compared, Douglas’ tone and timbre are unmistakable. It’s a resonant, darkly-shaded cry that defies technical logic by being placed in the back of her throat, only to roll forward like thunder when she opens up to testify. She’s an instinctive blues singer who filters her sound through a cool jazz sensibility with exciting and original results. Backed by Mark Hartman (piano), Tony LaVorgna (alto sax) and Steve Doyle (bass), Douglas’ relaxed voice was a pleasure to hear sounded as she essayed a plethora of song styles ranging from "Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans" to "the Circle Game" to "His Eye Is One The Sparrow." She’s expanded her vocal range dramatically and cuts loose dynamically with more gusto and less calculation than in the past. Additionally, her phrasing consisted of long, uninterrupted vocal lines cleanly supported and evenly delineated by solid breathing throughout. What all that means is Douglas now sings with more power, support and–most importantly–unbridled joy than ever before. Her ‘good’ voice is now a ‘great’ one. It’s thrilling to imagine what she’ll sound like as age and experience mature her instrument like a fine wine. Personally, I can’t wait until her second CD is released–if it’s anything like her recent show it will be amazing! 93.5 WRTN/1460 WVOX LESLEY ALEXANDER'S This is Lesley Alexander with
today's Concert Review.
For WRTN/WVOX this is Lesley Alexander. BACKSTAGE
CABARET SCENES Natalie Douglas has titled her new show The First Time - yet each new time seeing her perform reveals an ever richer, ever growing, warm and centered singer. In her December run at The Duplex, she moves effortlessly among a variety of styles and sources, interlaced with humorous tales from her own colorful life. Song highlights include traditional pieces (Children Go Where I Send Thee), standards (Irving Berlin's Harlem on My Mind and Cole Porter's It's All Right With Me), gutsy blues (Leonard Feather's Evil Woman Blues), tender (Skip Ewing's tale of Jesus and Joseph, It Wasn't His Child), folk style (The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, by Ewan MacColl), and powerfully life-affirming, Bring On The Rain, by Billy Montana and Helen Darling. Supported by expert musical arrangements and piano accompaniment by Mark Hartman and imaginative jazz harmonies and interludes by saxophonist Tony LaVornga, Natalie delivers an endearing holiday-oriented gift you'll be pleased you gave yourself. She offers a rare combination: loving personality, delicious voice, songs prepared and delivered artfully and honestly, all woven into a well paced show, never lagging, never rushed. With Natalie Douglas, what you see is what you get - and what you get keeps getting better and better. Peter Haas Gay City News
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Someday
very soon, a critic with more influence—and hopefully
as much taste and intelligence!—is going to discover
Natalie Douglas, and then it’s going to be all over.Home | Reviews | Concert Venues | Awards | CD info & Sounds | Upcoming gigs
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