Ann Hampton Callaway
Cinematic Serenade
Virtual from The Callaway Hideaway
January 31, 2021
Reviewed by Lynn Timmons Edwards
Ann Hampton Callaway needs no introduction to the readers of Cabaret Scenes. An established artist with many MAC Awards and recordings to her name she is like so many artists trying to survive without having the live bookings and tours that were so commonplace before Covid-19 arrived. Callaway has been offering fans a ticketed monthly concert from her home in Tucson, Arizona, and I was fortunate to catch this month’s cabaret of music from the movies. Hosted remotely by Nich Anderson, Callaway generously asked that any tips be directed to the fundraiser Save Birdland.
Callaway is not only a gifted singer, she can also accompany herself on piano. She has never looked so beautiful; bravo to her lighting and make-up designer or to the fresh air of the southwest. She chose her songs from suggestions made by her Facebook fans, starting with “Pure Imagination,” the theme from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse. Next came a mash-up of Henry Mancini’s “Two for Road” (lyrics: Leslie Bricusse) and “Moon River” (lyrics: Johnny Mercer), made personal by her story of her friendship with Mancini’s wife Ginny and daughter Monica. An upbeat rendition of “As Time Goes By” (Herman Hupfeld) showed off her jazz skills and scat. My wish for “anything by Michel Legrand” came true with “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life” from the film Happy Ending (lyrics: Alan and Marilyn Bergman).
She then debuted two songs: “Beautiful Things” from Dr. Doolittle (Newley/Bricusse) and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Carefully Taught,” whose slow and poignant lyrics are timely. She paid homage to John Pizzarelli, who includes that song in all his shows. Callaway reminisced about being a part of a tribute show to Johnny Mandel before she offered his composition (with lyrics by Paul Francis Webster) “The Shadow of Your Smile” from The Sandpiper. A little tidbit: the song was written at Kim Novak’s house.
Before to the start of the concert, Anderson played some videos including, to Callaway’s surprise, a duet of “The Wind Beneath My Wings” with her sister, Liz Callaway from several decades ago. We still got her 2021 solo version, and her eyes were filled with love. At first I thought it was for sister Liz, but now think it was for her wife Kari—maybe both. Speaking of Liz, she weighed in that the cabaret needed humor! So, Ann agreed tell her story of meeting Dudley Moore about the time his film Arthur debuted and faking with him that she had seen the movie and being so very wrong about saying “the direction could have been better.” “Arthur’s Theme” (“Best That You Can Do”) by Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Christopher Cross, and Peter Allen, was just as good as when she played it back in her piano-bar days.
The cabaret came to its peak with “Rainbow Connection” (Paul Williams/Kenneth Ascher) and her boom box accompanied “Pick Yourself Up,” a Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields tune from the 1936 Swing Time starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Callaway mentioned that she dined with Rogers one night in Palm Springs. It was the first time I remember Callaway scatting in the style of Bach. Finally, she did Judy Garland proud with “The Man that Got Away” from the 1954 A Star is Born (Harold Arlen/Ira Gershwin).
She closed with “Love Is Here to Stay” (George & Ira Gershwin) in which she reminded us how skilled she is at imitating orchestral instruments with her voice. It takes courage to sing “Over the Rainbow” acappella, but she left her fans with the greatest movie song of all time.
Birdland owner Gianni Valenti is lucky to have a talent like Callaway banging the drum for his club. As she said “A world without Birdland is not a world we want to live in.” Both Anderson and Callaway paid tribute to Jim Caruso, to Jane Monheit (who was a part of our virtual audience), and to the many artists and fans who have patronized Birdland over its 70-plus year history. If readers would like to donate to Save Birdland go to www.SaveBirdland.com. You can also find upcoming virtual concerts from The Callaway Hideaway at www.annhamptoncallaway.com.
