Any note should be thrilled and a little scared when Adi Braun aims at it. Because, like The Green Arrow’s feathered dart, she pins her target head on, dead center, no time for pleas for mercy. Unless, as with “Witchcraft,” dah yo daiyo yado, etc., her original and effortless scat gives time to shift into the sheltering shadows of the piano and listen to her move her voice up and down, back and forth, every which way—i.e. “You do Something to Me” or the unabashed showoff presentation of “Besame Mucho”—like the no nonsense take no prisoner all powerful queen on a musical three dimensional chess board.

By the by, by the first several bars of the first track, “That Old Black Magic,” (it did not take as much time as getting to “Love Me or Leave Me,”) there was more than a hint at a place in this exceptional artist’s voice which tipped it’s hat to that luscious mischevious sound of Doris Day that belied the squeaky clean Hollywood image.

And while we’re nestled in the comforting curve of that piano fort with those ceaselessly prodding and prickling sounds raining down and assailing in the most exciting way, it’s not inopportune to ask if anyone else is as inspired by Tedd Firth’s oft dazzling freestyle keyboard partnering of Adi. “Night and Day” is Fred and Ginger all over again with nobody dancing backwards unless they want to. Just to show they can.

Noah Tree
Cabaret Scenes
April 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org