Before I start this
review, I have to get something out there…
Hello, my name is Ligia and I am a self-professed jazz pinhead – as in
"everything I know about jazz could fit on the head of a pin." Please don’t
expect any informed opinions about jazz or jazz vocalists and we should get
along just fine.
Glad I got that out of the way.
Jazz vocalist Laurie Krautz's latest project, TAPESTRY REWOVEN, is a jazz
re-imagining of one of the biggest selling albums of the 1970s – Carole King’s
TAPESTRY. And re-imagined it has been.
First of all kudos to Laurie and her musical director Daryl Kojak for even
attempting to take on this project. As a female who came of age in the 1970s, I
was completely obsessed with TAPESTRY. I wore out two vinyl versions during the
70s and have a CD copy sitting on my shelves today. So when I heard about
TAPESTRY REWOVEN, I’ll admit to a moment of "why tamper with a classic" outrage.
But I decided to keep an open mind. After all, musicians in many genres tinker
with classics constantly and often turn out something that surpasses the
original.
On August 7, 2008, TAPESTRY REWOVEN had its first public performance at NYC’s
Metropolitan Room before a sold-out crowd. From the moment show began, the
audience completely came on board for the ride. And what a ride it was.
Laurie, backed by The Daryl Kojak Quintet and a trio of female vocalists
called "The Natural Women," began the show with SO FAR AWAY. The arrangement
didn’t stray too far from King’s smooth, wistful original. It’s as if Laurie &
Co. were trying to ease us slowly into the "reweaving." Very wise decision.
Throughout the rest of the evening, the reinterpretations became bolder and
more obvious. Unfortunately, not always successfully. SMACKWATER JACK was
probably the weakest tune of the night in my opinion. The arrangement for
SMACKWATER was just too slow and dull for a song about a rootin’-tootin’ outlaw.
Better and extremely original interpretations were the Latin-flavored TOO
LATE BABY and WHERE YOU LEAD, the mellow R&B mood of HOME AGAIN and the gospel
do-wop vibe of YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE A NATURAL WOMAN.
But apart from the music are Laurie’s considerable talents as an entertainer
and a vocalist. She tackled all the various musical styles effortlessly and the
between-song patter didn’t seem rehearsed or unnatural. The mark of a true
cabaret pro.
A repeat performance of TAPESTRY REWOVEN is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 26th,
7pm, at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in NYC (407 W. 42nd St.). There’s
a $20 cover and $15 food/drink minimum. If the Metro Room show is any
indication, this show is sure to sell-out fast. For reservations, call
212-695-6909.
NOTE: Laurie is also looking for individuals willing to contribute funds to
get a TAPESTRY REWOVEN CD recorded and released. Thanks to a sponsorship from
the New York Foundation for the Arts, your contribution is tax-deductible. Plus,
there are several participation levels with some wonderful gifts associated with
each level. Click HERE
if you’d like to learn more about THE TAPESTRY REWOVEN PROJECT.
FYI: Go to
THIS PAGE for my Q&A with Laurie Krauz posted a few days before the
TAPESTRY REWOVEN show.
