Clint Holmes
Birdland, NYC, September 27, 2021
Reviewed by Ron Forman
Clint Holmes is force of nature. At age 75 he brings enough
energy to brighten any room in which he performs. The still exceptionally good-looking
Holmes has a big bold voice, and his kinetic motion on stage makes it virtually
impossible to take your eyes away from him. He has not lost any of the dynamism
that he had when first I first saw him as headliner on the Las Vegas strip more
than 20 years ago. He was backed by the Christian Tamburr (piano, vibes, music
director) swinging and rocking quartet, with Dominick Farinacci (trumpet),
Carmen Intorre, Jr. (drums), and Felix Moseholm (bass).
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Holmes has the
confidence to give each of these excellent jazz musicians solo turns, with
Tamburr and Farinacci took lengthy solos that often had the crowd at Birdland
cheering. Holmes shows great confidence on stage and his patter is always fast
and funny,
I really believed him when he belted the lyrics to “Feeling Good,” which featured a dazzling solo by Farinacci. Holmes expressed his joy at being back in New York in a swinging “On Broadway,” backed only by Tamburr on vibes. His changing facial expressions especially added to the power of the medley that opened with “True Colors” followed by a very slowly performed “Over the Rainbow,” and closed with “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” in which he held the final note on ro-oh-oh-oh-od for a big finish.
Guest star Gabrielle Stravelli showed off her amazing voice with a jazzy “Pure Imagination.” Holmes joined her on stage for a beautifully performed “You Were Always on My Mind.” Holmes then showed off his ability to scat with a very up-tempo “Chicago,” featuring lengthy solos by Farinacci and Tamburr on piano. He then slowed down to show off his ability to do a soft ballad with “The Nearness of You,” accompanied only by Tamburr on vibes. Next to closing Holmes did a very emotional “If Not Now, When,” a song that he said he had composed in 20 minutes upon coming out of a stay in a hospital. Stravelli joined him for the closing number, a very rousing performance of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” Stravelli and Holmes scatted in tandem with a really swinging “Well Alright Okay, You Win.”
