Richard Baskin Jr.
The West End Lounge, NYC, June 24, 2019
Reviewed by Chris Struck for Cabaret Scenes
Richard Baskin, Jr. is one of those up-and-coming secrets of New York cabaret that one who is in the know gets to enjoy up close. As he continues to showcase his strong talent, it seems his star will shine soon. He’s got clean vocals, a solid range, and a telling emotional depth. In this program, he shared a classic group of jazz standards, backed by a solid trio of musicians. His “My Foolish Heart” (Ned Washington/Victor Young) and “Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars” (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Gene Lees) were absolutely mesmerizing, as were his other songs.
He showed off his tremendous voice on “Alone Together” (Howard Dietz/Arthur Schwartz), “Summertime” (Dubose Heyward/George and Ira Gershwin), and “Take the A Train” (Billy Strayhorn/Joya Sherrill).
Especially on “Alone Together,” Baskin’s emotion shined through the lyrics. On the line, “the blinding rain/the starless night/were not in vain,” there was a strong sense of nostalgia, a longing for the past. Maybe that time was “Summertime”; when he sang, “And the living is easy/Fish are jumping and the cotton is high,” we were transported to the moments of serenity recalled by the classic lyrics.
Pianist Nich Mueller also showed off his skills, playing adroit solos on the keys. Bassist Phillip Wailes and drummer Jake Richter rounded out the trio.
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Wailes had a good sound, and Richter generally put in solid work at the drums. Richard Baskin Jr. remains one of my favorite jazz performers, and I highly recommend his shows.
