Ann Kittredge: reIMAGINE

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Ann Kittredge

reIMAGINE

Laurie Beechman Theatre, NYC, May 26, 2022

Reviewed by Bart Greenberg

Ann Kittredge
Photo: Maryann Lopinto

The imaginative soprano Ann Kittredge came to the Laurie Beechman Theatre to celebrate the release of her new album, reIMAGINE, a fascinating collection of standards from various sources “reimagined.” Her cabaret concert included seven cuts from the CD, along with the same number of selections from her repertoire featuring the work of three different music directors, Wendy Cavett, Alex Rybeck, and Christopher Denny. Pianist Denny served as music director for this show. Kittredge had two special guests, but more about them in a bit.

Her opening medley of “This Is One of Those Moments” from Yentl and “Something Tells Me” from High Spirits allowed Kittredge to show a range of emotions from celebratory to kittenish that marked the varied evening ahead. Her unexpected interpretation of “I Feel the Earth Move” was slow and sexy, and her delivery of “Before I Gaze at You Again” from Camelot was simple and glistening, largely with only the splendid guitar work of Sean Harkness to back her up. Later, Harkness, bass player Jennifer Vincent, and drummer Rex Benincasa had a field day tearing through “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive.”

Her first guest star was accordionist Robbie Kondor. This was a reunion-for-the-first-time situation; Kondor had played on the album, but because of Covid-restrictions, he and Kittredge  were never in the studio at the same time. However, on stage their “Time in a Bottle” was a seamless, thoughtful tone poem. Subsequently, their extended medley of “Shall We Dance,” “Pennsylvania Polka,” “Papa, Won’t You Dance with Me?,” and “Just Another Polka” amounted to spirited silliness and was a highlight of the evening.

The other very welcome surprise performer of the evening was the Crown Prince of Cabaret, Steve Ross. With his innate musicality and class, he delivered a melting “Edelweiss” duet with the star. Any program benefits from his presence. But it was Kittredge who dominated the show with her wit, intelligence, and warmth; she ended the program with a totally satisfying “With So Little to Be Sure Of.”

Bart Greenberg

Bart Greenberg first discovered cabaret a few weeks after arriving in New York City by seeing Julie Wilson and William Roy performing Stephen Sondheim and Cole Porter outdoors at Rockefeller Center. It was instant love for both Ms. Wilson and the art form. Some years later, he was given the opportunity to create his own series of cabaret shows while working at Tower Records. "Any Wednesday" was born, a weekly half-hour performance by a singer promoting a new CD release. Ann Hampton Callaway launched the series. When Tower shut down, Bart was lucky to move the program across the street to Barnes & Noble, where it thrived under the generous support of the company. The series received both The MAC Board of Directors Award and The Bistro Award. Some of the performers who took part in "Any Wednesday" include Barbara Fasano and Eric Comstock, Tony Desare, Andrea Marcovicci, Carole Bufford, the Karens, Akers, Mason and Oberlin, and Julie Wilson. Privately, Greenberg is happily married to writer/photographer Mark Wallis, who as a performance artist in his native England gathered a major following as "I Am Cereal Killer."