Janna Kefalas
East Coast/West Coast … Songs for the Ride
Tom Rolla’s Gardenia, West Hollywood, CA, November 17, 2019
Reviewed by Elliot Zwiebach
Janna Kefalas is an incredible entertainer, with a golden voice, well-crafted stories to share, and more than enough poise and composure at the microphone to make an audience feel comfortable and welcome.
Her theatrical training paid off in her solo cabaret debut as she charmed her audience with sweetly nuanced performances of an eclectic set of songs that traced her life and loves in New York and Los Angeles. Her ability to interpret and connect with lyrics was impeccable, and her perfect enunciation made it possible for everyone to share each emotion.
Kefalas excelled at setting up her songs with pinpoint patter that transitioned logically into each musical number, none more artfully than her reflections on things she loves and remembers about living in New York, which moved imperceptibly into a thoughtful, expressive, thoroughly beautiful “I Remember” (Stephen Sondheim). That song demonstrated her thorough understanding of the words and emotions it contains, with complete vocal control and a series of sweet, sustained notes that enabled listeners to practically see the images about which she was singing.
She also delivered a straightforward, dreamy rendition of “The Very Thought of You” (Ray Noble) and she communicated great depth of emotion in a contemplative “I’m Gonna Laugh You Right Out of My Life” (Cy Coleman/Joseph McCarthy Jr.).
Among the show’s lighter moments were a coquettish, utterly charming version of “I Love the Way You’re Breaking My Heart” (Louis Alter/Milton Drake) and a trio of character-driven songs that showed off her acting chops: a droll “Stepsisters’ Lament” (Rodgers & Hammerstein); a self-effacing “Everything Happens to Me” (Matt Dennis/Tom Adair); and a sultry albeit hilarious “My Attorney Bernie” (Dave Frischberg).
Kefalas was mesmerizing in a finger-snapping medley that combined a soft, delicate take on “Too Darn Hot” (Cole Porter) with a sizzling “Steam Heat” (Richard Adler/Jerry Ross) in which she pulled out a cow bell that she hit with a small wooden mallet to add more dynamic rhythm.
Kefalas was backed by three accomplished jazz musicians—Bob Remstein on piano, Dori Amarilio on guitar, and Gabe Davis on bass—who provided contrasting instrumental support to the singer’s more standard approach to jazz classics, including a soft take on “Orange Colored Sky” (Milton DeLugg/William Stein), a sweet “Straighten Up and Fly Right” (Nat King Cole) and a sultry, gentle “All the Cats Join In” (Alec Wilder/Ray Gilbert).
She came closest to achieving a jazz inflection in her closing number—“Caravan” (Juan Tizol/Duke Ellington), which she delivered with a light vocal touch and a soft, smooth delivery that put her more in touch with the jazz chops lurking within her.
