Shana Bousard & Brian Runbeck
A Swinging Christmas 4.0
ASU Kerr Cultural Center, Scottsdale, AZ, December 18, 2022
Reviewed by Lynn Timmons Edwards
The talented duo of Shana Bousard and Brian Runbeck backed by drummer Scott Hay and the extremely talented Joe Bousard (father of Shana) on piano last swung into town in December 2019 with what had become their annual holiday cabaret. Now post-pandemic, they were back in top form for one show at the intimate Kerr Cultural Center. The VIP seating was at cabaret tables and the general side seating was on chairs and in pews. The history of the Kerr Cultural Center, which was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010, is fascinating (www.asukerr.com), and it has served as a haven to artists for over 60 years.
It was fitting that the Bousard and Runbeck chose a traditional folk song, “Christmas Is Coming,” to sing a cappella as they took the stage. They quickly shifted into a high-energy medley of holiday songs on the theme of snow and skiing before sharing the hysterical real justification for the holidays, “Sugar and Booze” (Ana Gasteyer). Bousard, now a middle-aged mother of teenagers, still looks like she is still in her 20s. I know her to be one of the most kind and joyful singers in our state, and her beauty emanates from that spirit. Her voice is crystal clear, and she has the chops to sing sultry jazz and to use her higher register, mixing it with her mid-range to produce a Broadway sound that is never harsh on the ear. Runbeck was as good as I have ever heard him; he’s a mature baritone with a personality that charms the audience. He soloed on two of his staple holiday songs, “The Glow Worm” (Lilla Cayley Robinson/Paul Lincke/Johnny Mercer; holiday lyrics by Mel Tormé) and the Dr. Suess classic, “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” (Theodor “Dr.Seuss” Geisel/Albert Hague).
Runbeck debuted a brand-new song, “It Isn’t Necessarily Christmas,” written by Joe Bousard for the cabaret. His other originals included the title tune and “Moment of Love/Hodie,” which father and daughter performed together. Joe Bousard is truly a star at the piano. I gushed over his vocals, parodies, and keyboard skills in my 2018 and 2019 reviews for Cabaret Scenes (Shana Bousard & Brian Runbeck: A Swinging Christmas…Too | Cabaret Scenes) (Shana Bousard & Brian Runbeck: A Swinging Christmas 2019 | Cabaret Scenes) and he was also a Where Are They Now feature (Where Are They Now: Joe Bousard | Cabaret Scenes).
Bousard and Runbeck were extremely comfortable on stage together. Listeners sensed that they were confident in their arrangements, which were unique and show gifted musicianship. Their harmonies were tight, and best of all they were having fun. The moments when they forgot a lyric or were not sure whose turn it was to speak or sing brought just a bit of laughter for everyone.
The duo could easily transform into Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney, and they gave us a small sampling of what we hope will be a full tribute show about those icons in April 2023. “You Came a Long Way from St. Louis” (J.B. Brooks/Bob Russell) and “(I’d Like to Get You on a) Slow Boat to China” (Frank Loesser) took us back to the late 1950s. Then they turned to country twang with a love song recorded by George Strait, “Christmas Cookies” (Aaron G. Barker). Other highlights (there were too many to mention all) included a medley of “Mary’s Boy Child”/“Mary Did You Know?,” “The Twelve Days After Christmas,” and “The Man with the Bag.”
They closed their performance with a dedication to each other, “I Love Being Here with You,” and saved their rendition of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” in which the woman turns the tables halfway through the song, for their encore. They said good-bye to the near-capacity audience, who were now on their feet, with “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and a sing along of “Silent Night.”
It is our good fortune to have A Swinging Christmas as part of the holiday landscape here in Arizona. Time has only made these artists better singers, musicians, and entertainers. As for The Kerr Cultural Center, it is the best of the venues in which I have seen this show.
