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 travels, with the image of the Maine seaside serving as an anchor for tales of romance, children, gratitude, and grandmothers. Music director and pianist Alex Rybeck’s very tasteful arrangement of Charles Trenet’s “La Mer” bookended the evening—first sung in English, then later, briefly in French (English lyrics, Jack Lawrence). Song choices, although lovely, leaned heavily toward ballads. Even a driving song such as “Show Me” (Lerner & Lowe) was slowed down and smoothed out. With a long setlist and many song excerpts interspersed with patter, the show would have been well served with some judicious editing.
Comic turns were welcome contrasts in the calm performance, and delightfully executed. “Nesting Time in Flatbush” (Jerome Kern, P.G. Wodehouse) was a joy, featuring a note-perfect, broad, Brooklyn accent inspired by Halev’s grandmother. “Out of Practice” (Dillie Keane) was also very funny; Halev was vulnerable and suitably off-kilter as she told the story of the awkwardness of dating after divorce. Vocally, Halev found a strong moment in the nautical medley of “Blow the Wind Southerly” (Traditional) and “Ship in a Bottle” (Amanda McBroom), with her higher range opening up and her lower range showing depth and texture.
“Nobody’s Heart Belongs to Me” (Rodgers & Hart) was one of my favorites of the evening, with Tom Hubbard’s walking bassline supporting Halev, who sang the carefree lyrics with attentive rhythm. “The Lies of Handsome Men” (Francesca Blumenthal) was where we heard her in an especially heartfelt command of her craft, with a measured tempo, and uninterrupted by patter. The encore, which featured a 6/8 arrangement of “I Got the Sun in the Morning and the Moon at Night,” (Irving Berlin) was a good button on the evening: the meter gave it a new, gentle sway and underlined the running theme of appreciation for the simpler things.
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Presented at Birdland, 315 W. 44th St., NYC, April 21, 2025.
Penelope Thomas is a performer, writer, and communications consultant. Credits include lead vocals for two albums with prog rock band FauveMuseum; background vocals with Shellen Lubin, and US & UK tours of Mikel Rouse’s 'The End of Cinematics.' She’s read poet Anne Carson’s work at The Whitney Museum and played leads in HBO Women in Comedy Festival-selected film Pretty Dead and the upcoming indie film, "The Interview." She studied voice with Norma Garbo, music theory with bassist Mark Wade, LoVetri Somatic Voicework through Baldwin Wallace University, and acting with Deena Levy. She taught in the New School’s Sweat musical theatre intensive. With a degree in Cultural Studies & Anthropology and a background in contemporary dance, Penelope loves thinking and writing about performance—connecting the dots between styles and genres and supporting the connection between artists and audiences.
