Annette Warren
I Ain’t Done Yet
Feinstein’s/54 Below, NYC, March 30, 2017
Reviewed by Rob Lester for Cabaret Scenes
Historical Note: Five items in Annette Warren’s disarmingly delightful show date from the 1920s—“The Man I Love,” “When Day Is Done” (both 1924), two numbers from 1927’s Show Boat, 1929’s mega-weeper “Why Was I Born?.” Pre-dating these: “Some of These Days” (1910) and the cheery, vibrant singer herself! “I’ll be 95 in July,” she blithely states at her first NYC gig in 59 years.
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The lady is, to employ an oft-abused adjective, amazing.
The pre-show: Film clips of vocal work seemingly well-known to some, just part of a long career. The on-screen ladies? Not she! Miss Warren provided Lucille Ball’s singing in two Bob Hope films, and subbed and dubbed for Ava Gardner in Show Boat. (Her lovely live reprises of them—“Bill,” “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man”—were especially cheered.) Like her timing, lyric retention’s sharp, though she matter-of-factly owns up to not retaining the song order, something pianist John McDaniel was primed to cue as sensitively/supportively as his accompaniment. She’d glance; he’d name the song; she’d pipe up, gleefully, cutely, “Oh! I love this one!” A schooled musician, she took the keyboard herself for some Mozart, and to accompany herself on “Where or When,” dedicated to late jazz pianist Paul Smith, her husband of 55 years. Vocal coach Warren also played for guest/former student Aaron Blake, 2017 Metropolitan Opera debut artist; his robust “O Sole Mio” was thrilling.
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The 2017 Warren voice is varied. In her words, shrugging, “I never know what’s going to come out of my mouth.” Some notes are deep and throaty to the max, and this marvel specializing in teaching breath support, practices what she preaches. Some sustained notes come up pure, gentle, youthfully sweet, as if pulled by sheer will from the air, memory, or magical resources. The night was magical, too.