Claude Hall: Places I’ve Been

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Claude Hall

Places I’ve Been

Tom Rolla’s Gardenia, West Hollywood, CA, August 20, 2015

Reviewed by Mary Bogue for Cabaret Scenes

Photo: Mary Bogue
Photo: Mary Bogue

Claude Hall, (pronounced “clode”) in her show Places I’ve Been shared her journey to today’s woman via a childhood in Haiti where she was able “…to suck up love, to be held, to get through” and opened with “Tomorrow Is My Turn” (Charles Aznavour/Marcel Stellman/Yves Stephane). It turns out that tonight was her time, as she brought forth a newly-found tenor voice where the bottom notes were like a delicious café au lait that warmed her audience.

Used to hearing Hall in a voice that had been nasally placed, her take on “Grandma’s Hands” (Bill Withers) was gritty and soulful and sung authentically with affection for the grandmother who raised her. Percussionist Derf Reklaw introduced a tambourine and set the mood for her folksy take.

Hall, elegant and statuesque in a long black pencil skirt and fawn-colored, near-backless blouse with a fresh gardenia attached to the ties, delivered a caramel dream in a rich, lower register in the inspiring and jazzy, bluesy “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free” (Billy Taylor and Dick Dallas). It was sexy, gutty and honest, a direct contrast to “Jardin d’hiver” (Henri Salvador), one of three songs she eloquently sang in French, a by–product of living in Paris for 17 years. Sandy Stein on piano brought even more nostalgia to the moment as Reklaw aptly switched from percussion to flute.

Hall’s journey hit its stride in “Move On” by George Michael, making her full house believe that “Winter’s been so long looking for some rhyme or reason.” Every movement of her hands and arms punctuated “La Belle Dame Sans Regrets” (Sting/Dominic Miller) as she stood grounded, giving all attention to her smoky vocals.
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She herself became crème brulee and the torch in Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life,” while Bill Markus poured on a boozy bass line. Hall set up “Caravan” (Duke Ellington/Juan Tizol/Irving Mills) with stories of a Moroccan affair. One could almost feel the heat of the desert on this transformational sojourn, and then quenched it with champagne bubbles in “C’est si bon” (Henri Betti/André Hornez) sung perfectly in French, though it might have been a bit more endearing as a closing number if perhaps 12 or 18 bars were sung in English.

Upon returning for her well-deserved encore, she intimated that she had forgiven her mother, whom she had come to realize had given her what she could, and reminded us that “You can always get out, if you want too.” “I Love Being Here With You”, usually an opener (Peggy Lee and Dave Cavanaugh aka “Bill Schluger”) served to remind us that her journey really has been one to love. Claude Hall was everything you want from a snifter of cognac to end the night.
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She gave us warmth, sweetness, depth and something to dream on.