Club Review: James Jackson, Jr. Celebrates a Debut Album Release, “Birth”

Gerry Geddes
Some may know singer-actor and Obie-winner James Jackson, Jr. from his acclaimed theatre work, including the Pulitzer- and Tony-winning A Strange Loop, or most recently White Girl in Danger which played at the Vineyard Theatre. While he has been extending his exemplary theatrical career, he has also steadily developed into a first-rate cabaret performer, culminating in...

Stephanie Nakasian—“Two Shows in One: June in June & Tenor Gladness”

Penelope Thomas
Stephanie Nakasian, jazz educator and Jon Hendricks alum, performed as if we were invited into her home to share their family legacy. Spontaneously calling vocalists in the audience to step up as surprise guests, mentioning her many students and colleagues in the crowd, and referencing her life in jazz; it’s an entire community that welcomed...

Matthew Brookshire Sings The Wedding Album

Gerry Geddes
Singer/songwriter/pianist Matthew Brookshire opened the new singer-songwriter series at Pangea with Matthew Brookshire Sings The Wedding Album, a show filled with memorable originals, smartly chosen covers, and loads of charm and surprising emotional depth. It recounted the adventures of a gay man facilitating the weddings of heterosexual couples.  Matthew Brookshire (Photo: Erika Capin) Brookshire had...

Clint Holmes— “Icons Reimagined”

Mark Dundas Wood
It’s the real thing. Coca Cola made that slogan (and an accompanying jingle) widespread at the beginning of the 1970s, although the phrase has been part of American culture at least as far back as 1892, when it was the title of a short story by Henry James.  How, exactly, can we be sure we’ve...

“Josh Johnson’s Garden Variety Show”

Gerry Geddes
Josh Johnson, one of the freshest, funniest young comics around, is familiar to many from his regular contributions to The Daily Show and his frequent on-line posts, including weekly full-length concerts. When I first came across a hilarious clip on YouTube, I subscribed immediately and have been following him (and laughing) ever since. I recently got...

“I Wish You Love: The French Songbook with David Marino”

Gerry Geddes
I Wish You Love: The French Songbook with David Marino is a beautifully crafted, wonderfully performed showcase for a remarkable young singer from Canada named David Marino. His youth and his homeland and his song choices might lead the uninformed to place Marino in the Michael Bublé school of new residents in the world of the...

The Randy Andys’ “Spring Swing”

Penelope Thomas
The Randy Andys are a saucy, toe-tapping trio. The premise of tackling adult(ish) pop tunes with a vintage approach has charmingly worked its way through the internet and late-night talk shows and back into live performance: Jimmy Fallon’s barbershop quintet hip hop covers, and Postmodern Jukebox have primed us for this. Jocelyn Lonquist Klein, Alison...

Joanne Halev’s “Sailing On”

Penelope Thomas
Joanne Halev’s elegance as a performer filled a packed room upstairs at Birdland. She was queen of the thoughtful pause, allowing reflective spaces in her phrasing, and connecting with her very engaged audience. Joanne Halev (Photo: Helane Blumfield) Directed by Sara Louise Lazarus, Sailing On was a loose set of reflections about Halev’s life and...

Meeting the Challenges of the New Year’s Changes: Club Offerings from Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jeannette Miller, Sarah Anne Fernandez, and William Ryall

Mark Dundas Wood
We’re back! And in the first month of this new year, we saw a diverse group of offerings at local clubs: some quite inspiring. So, let’s get right to them! Dee Dee Bridgewater: Rallying for Courage To say that 2025, so far, has been a challenge for many of us is putting it mildly. Anticipation...

Bistro Bits: Winter Rhythms 2024 Features Beats of Different Drums

Mark Dundas Wood
This year’s “Winter Rhythms” series at Urban Stages (the 16th annual edition) was a mix of old and new, playful and profound, polished and loosey-goosey. Some shows focused on the winter holidays, Others referred to them very little, if at all. The best of them had those elements of innovation and surprise that I've been...