Betty Buckley: Ghostlight

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Betty Buckley

Ghostlight

Joe’s Pub, NYC, October 10, 2014

Reviewed by Candace Leeds for Cabaret Scenes

 

Betty-Buckley-Ghostlight-Cabaret-Scenes-Magazine_212Betty Buckley’s fans were out in force at Joe’s Pub for an engagement timed to the release of her new album, Ghostlight, produced by her long-time friend, T Bone Burnett. On the album, the eclectic blend of show tunes, standards and rock was beautifully produced, showcasing her dreamy, haunting, lovely vocal quality. However, at Joe’s Pub, the musical accompaniment often seemed to obscure some of the beauty of her sound, which is so appealing on the recording. Yet Buckley’s intensity and emotional power still carried the show. Her interpretative skills were in full force in “If You Go Away,” as she captured the fear and hope of a woman in love. She presented a lovely evocation of melodic, blissful rumination with “Lazy Afternoon,” and we felt her emotional surrender in a powerful rendition of “Body and Soul.” Her slow and dramatic interpretation of the standard, “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered,” which led into a powerful “This Nearly Was Mine,” was a tour de force. Buckley explained that the title of her album and show was inspired by the tradition of the spooky bare bulb on a stand in the center of an empty stage placed there when a show was done.

Candace Leeds

Candace Leeds has been steeped in the world of music since the age of twelve, when she enrolled in Juilliard to study voice and prepare for a professional career. After 15 years of music studies, she moved into entertainment management at New York's Town Hall, where she produced concerts and served as Associate Director. Her writing and marketing skills led to senior positions in major public relations firms, including the PR arm of Grey Advertising and The Rowland Company, which became part of Saatchi and Saatchi. For the past two decades, she served as Vice President of Public Affairs at the multi-billion dollar conglomerate, Loews Corporation, and now has her own marketing consulting company. While pursuing her business career, she continued her music involvement, studying cabaret and occasionally performing in local New York venues. Candace is an accomplished writer whose work has appeared in the New York Daily News, TV World, and many others.