Veronica Swift
Metropolitan Room, NYC, August 12, 2017
Reviewed by Marilyn Lester for Cabaret Scenes
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Precociously headlining at ten years of age, and hitting some pretty important marks along the way, 23-year-old Veronica Swift is no doubt destined to take her place among the all-time greats of jazz. Her magnitude is apparent from her opening number, “A Lot of Livin’ to Do” (Bye Bye Birdie). She has a visceral sense of the genre, including a gift for creative tempo changes, precise vocal control, and a take-no-prisoners delivery. For material, much of the set showcased mostly Broadway numbers such as “My Own Best Friend” (Chicago) and a torchy “As Long as He Needs Me” (Oliver!). With “Forget About the Boy” (Thoroughly Modern Millie), Swift demonstrated a remarkable ease, impeccable phrasing and imaginative scatting.
Swift was born to jazz. Her mother is jazz singer Stephanie Nakasian and her father the late jazz pianist Hod O’Brien. She’s also a tap dancer, which informs her sense of rhythm and beat. Add to that a solid vocal range (although she’s most comfortably in the middle of it), with exceptional dynamics, and perceptive storytelling ability. Her set is eclectic and smartly paced, from a jazz waltz “I Feel Pretty” (West Side Story) to a swing “Gypsy in My Soul” to a sumptuous “Interlude” to the demanding vocalese-style “Dat Dere.” Responding to a current political situation in her hometown of Charlottesville, VA, she makes a forceful statement and fiercely sings “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught” (South Pacific).
A highlight of the set was an impromptu duet with Nicolas King, another exciting young jazz singer. Reprising (from a summer gig) “I Can’t Give You Anything but Love,” the two shone with call-and-response interchanges, superb scatting, and a delightful chemistry.
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Much of what makes Swift stand head and shoulders above the rest is her no-nonsense approach to the music and respect for it. There’s no artifice to be found anywhere. Her connection to her audience is direct and honest.
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Her penultimate number, “No, Not Much,” to the upright bass playing of Ben Rubens, demonstrated the capabilities of a single voice to become an amazing instrument in its own right. Music director/pianist Jon Davis and drummer Scott Lowrie provided intuitive backing, fully in the groove with Swift.