Jeanne MacDonald's show at the Metropolitan Room, Come Back to Me, is headlined as a celebration of Peggy Lee, and certainly the song list is a tribute to her and the many numbers she helped make famous. But MacDonald and Music Director Rick Jensen are no slaves to Lee's originals and they fashion their own arrangements to MacDonald's warm, ballad-wise delivery.

Weaving tales of Lee and her life into the show provides an intimacy to Come Back to Me as MacDonald goes from her jaunty opener, "I Love Being Here with You," to a clearly identifiable Jensen/MacDonald take on "I Don't Know Enough About You" and "Teach Me Tonight." To his keyboard, Jensen has added Jennifer Vincent on bass and percussionist Mayra Casales, rounding out the instrumental trio on stage and providing some excellent backing. MacDonald pairs with Cuban-born Casales and her Conga drums to deliver a powerful, moody and enthralling "Black Coffee." Casales and her tumbadoras are featured again later on MacDonald's own steamy version of Lee's signature song, Fever.

MacDonald and Jensen catch the essence of Lee while capitalizing on MacDonald's way with the songs. But, for those who recall with pleasure many of those original Lee arrangements, they end the night with an eight-song tribute that adheres closely to the tunes as Lee sang them. MacDonald segues from "Why Don't You Do Right," to "Them There Eyes" to "Ma'ana" and "Big Spender." Given that the earlier numbers are arranged to profit from MacDonald's own style, the eight-song Lee medley highlights Jeanne MacDonald's versatility as well.

Come Back to Me will play at the Metropolitan Room again on November 3rd, 10th, and 17th.

Peter Leavy
Cabaret Scenes
October 27, 2007
www.cabaretscenes.org