Pamela Lewis
New York State of Mind: The Songs of Billy Joel
Metropolitan Room, NYC, August 21, 2015
Reviewed by Marilyn Lester for Cabaret Scenes
Long Island native Pamela Lewis just loves her fellow Long Islander, Billy Joel, whose work she considers “the soundtrack of my life.” After hearing Lewis interpret some of the choicest material from the Joel songbook with unabashed admiration and enthusiasm, you might wish you were from Long Island, too.
Lewis is a confident singer who’s created very personal arrangements and a unique interpretation of the Joel songbook.
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The opener, “The Entertainer,” set the stylistic tone for the evening, and with “Got to Begin Again” and “The Stranger,” that style was revealed — an almost country style of pop, which works perfectly for her bold, straight-ahead delivery.
The choice to use strings with a brass accent also works very well. With Musical Director and piano man Bill Heller, bassist Ritt Henn, guitarist (and husband) John Hurley, and trumpet player Marcus Parsley, percussion isn’t at all missed. The brass on “Piano Man”/”Captain Jack” and “You May Be Right” was particularly effective, allowing Parsley to shine without overpowering. On “Zanzibar,” the band shifted nicely into a mild, welcome Latin undertone.
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Equally effective was the elimination of the piano entirely on “Just the Way You Are,” followed by a solo piano accompaniment to “Souvenir.”
By changing the tempos and overall inflections of Joel’s music, what Lewis has most successfully done is highlight Joel as a troubadour. The singer brings the lyric — the poetry — of Billy Joel alive. The words take on meaning. “James,” “My Life,” “Stiletto” and “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” particularly showcase Joel’s genius with words.
Pamela Lewis has a pleasant, direct personality. Director Barb Jungr has made the most of it, with one caveat: Lewis’s narrative could be shorter and more cohesive. Yet, from start to finish (with, what else, “New York State of Mind”), Lewis and Joel fans exit into the night very well served.
