And gentlemen in England now a-bed shall think themselves cursed that they were not here (Hank Cinq).
The quotation from The Bard is apt - to have missed this gig is almost akin to the life incomplete.
So I was standing in the bleachers? So what? Perfect for sound and vision and, with the help of my new Italian socks, thanks Liz, and the mesmeric appeal of the two superstars, my feet didn't hurt a bit! Plus the cash I saved allowed me to buy a CD without feeling guilty - as if!
The first set was devoted to the songs of Cy Coleman and, although I have to admit my lack of familiarity with many of them, I found this voyage of discovery enhanced rather than detracted from their charm.
Claire can handle just about any kind of lyric whilst Sir Richard provides more than mere support. This was a meeting of equals reminiscent of those other great couplings such as Ella and Ellis Larkins, Sinatra and Bill Miller, Tony Bennett and Bill Evans - that kind of empathy shone through. As an afterthought - add Becky Kilgore and Dave Frishberg.
Sir Richard's own vocal chops suggest the subtle, insinuating, appeal of Chet Baker; at times almost whispering the lyric.
The second set saw our girl excel on "Can't We Be Friends" - cleverly allowing the tune to temporarily segue into "Just Friends". A breathtakingly poignant vocal duet blended Claire's take on "The Very Thought of You" with Sir Rich.'s "I Thought About You"; the lyric's, I almost said sentences, ran concurrently, with the emphasis swinging from one tune to the other.
So many songs I'm running out of space and superlatives to mention them all save to say that as well as lesser known gems from the gasbook there were also nods in the direction of Dusty Springfield, Elvis Costello and Curtis Stigers.
The final "Some Cats Know" - a number I first heard Peggy Lee sing in maybe the '80s - also gelled. So much so I wondered if the composers, Leiber and Stoller, shouldn't have been Leider and Stoller for that's what the evening was all about - Leider.
Perhaps I, or rather they, have invented a new genré Leider Jazz.
Lance
Excellent review Lance, you led us though the programme with your usual expertise. There should be more of our type of music at the Sage. Whenever I get the new brochure it always seems to be obscure stuff, leading me to wonder how well attended some of these events are.
ReplyDeleteThank you - Liz
This was reasonably well-attended without being the sell-out it should have been. However, Claire did say that they'd sold more CDs at the Sage than anywhere else on the tour. So I guess it was a quality audience.
ReplyDelete