Kiki Ebsen: To Dad with Love: A Tribute to Buddy Ebsen

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Kiki Ebsen

To Dad with Love: A Tribute to Buddy Ebsen

The E-Spot Lounge, Studio City, CA, April 10, 2016

Reviewed by Mary Bogue for Cabaret Scenes

Kiki-Ebson-Cabaret-Scenes-Magazine_212An exceptional cabaret experience, Kiki Ebsen magnificently showcased the private and public life of her father, Buddy Ebsen, who graced the silver screen, danced his way into our hearts and became the loving presence in our homes via television.

Kiki took the stage against a screen on which was projected her father’s life, and went right to work at the piano with “Missing You” (Buddy Ebsen/Zeke Manners). It was tender, plaintive and adoring, captivating the audience with the moving images, and her honest connection to the lyrics.

“Easy to Love” (Cole Porter) was exceptional as she moved from piano to in front of the screen while images of Buddy with Eleanor Powell danced across her statuesque form, as life on the lot of The Beverly Hillbillies played behind her. Kiki revealed the heartbreaking story of her dad first being cast as The Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, but losing it to Ray Bolger. Then Ebsen was cast as The Tin Man, but he was hospitalized from the effects of being painted with aluminum, and relinquished the role. Kiki was hip, tender and jazzy with the iconic “If I Only Had a Brain” (Yip Harburg/Harold Arlen).

Breaking up the set, Kiki was hysterical singing “Angelica,” written by her dad and Paul Mason Howard based on their children’s book of the same name.

(She also read from the book.) Then, she killed with “Moon River” (Johnny Mercer/Henry Mancini), singing against imagery of Buddy from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Concluding the brilliant must-see show with “Over the Rainbow” (Harburg/Arlen), she looked upward said, “Here’s to you, Dad,” evoking tears with her tribute of love and gratitude. Scoring high were musicians Perry La Marca pianist and musical director, and George Shelby on woodwinds, and others. Discover her CD, Scarecrow Sessions and, if you have a brain, run to her Father’s Day show at Catalina’s in Los Angeles.

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Mary Bogue

Mary Bogue’s journey into the world of jazz began in 1981 when she was accepted by the Monterey Jazz Festival to cover the event as a writer. It was there that jazz tenor saxophonist Buddy Tate introduced her to the legendary vocalist Helen Humes. Their interview, later published in Jazz Dispatch and distributed at the Playboy Jazz Festival, marked the beginning of Bogue’s deep connection to jazz and storytelling. One unforgettable moment came when Humes introduced her to Count Basie, saying, “Bill, this is my friend Mary. Mary, this is Bill.” That simple introduction sparked a lifelong love for jazz and a passion for writing. Among her early interviews was a conversation with the legendary Les McCann, a connection that would come full circle years later when McCann joined Bogue on her debut album, Don’t Go to Strangers, released in 2012. The album, celebrated with a launch party hosted by KJZZ, gained national airplay and recognition. Her follow-up albums, Blue Smoke and One Night of Sin, further solidified her place in the jazz world. In 2015, Bogue was honored as a Living Legend of Jazz and recognized by the Duke Ellington Society, the United States Congress, the State of California, and the City of Los Angeles. Her cabaret career took off at the iconic Gardenia in Hollywood and continued in New York at the Metropolitan Room. That same year, she joined Cabaret Scenes Magazine as a reviewer of both cabaret shows and CDs, continuing to champion jazz and cabaret through both performance and the written word. In addition to her accomplishments in music and journalism, Mary is also an accomplished visual artist. She has designed album covers and created a wide range of artwork, including oil paintings of blues singers and expressive watercolors. Her visual work, much like her music, reflects her deep passion for the soul and spirit of jazz and blues.