Karen Akers
Water Under the Bridge
Birdland, NYC, April 25, 2022
Reviewed by Bart Greenberg
Karen Akers strode onto the stage of Birdland (surprisingly, for the first time in her long career) with her customary elegance and glamour and looking fabulous in red. But there was something new about the program that she chose to present. Her voice was still the wonderful contralto that has always been able to switch from warm embrace to devastation with no apparent break.
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Her delivery of the lyrics was as lucid and specific as ever, whether in wry humor or deep emotion. And yes, there was even a dash of French in a reprise of the song (sung in English) she opened and closed the evening with— the bittersweet “Among My Souvenirs.”
What was different was this was by far the most personal show Akers has given. Typically she has seemed a bit guarded, but this time she chose to be an open book, welcoming her audience into her life, discussing her marriages, her sons, her career choices, all with a compassionate spirit. This new approach added an extra glow to the wonderful evening. Given the support of music director Alex Rybeck and bassist Tom Hubbard, and guided by director Sarah Louise Lazarus, this presentation was the gold standard of a cabaret show.
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Much of the material Akers chose for the evening was meditative in nature; along with the aforementioned “Souvenirs” there was a perfect rendition of the sweetly nostalgic “Walking Among My Yesterdays.” There was also a return to one of her Broadway triumphs with “My Husband Makes Movies” and a salute to John Kander and Fred Ebb with an effective blend of “Love and Only Love” and “Life Is.” But the highlight of the show was the diva’s demonstration of not just her musical talents but her capability as an actress. Her facial expressions constantly reformed themselves in a trio of Craig Cornelia songs detailing the dissolution of her first marriage: “Just a Housewife,” “I Met a Man Today,” and “You Can Have the TV.”
She completed her exploration of her life so far with a sweet and beautiful tribute to her mother. Donning a large scarf that was a gift from her mom, she offered a feminized version of “If I Sing.” It was the perfect emotional ending to this highly revealing program. Karen Akers, it is lovely to meet you.