Gavin Lee
Steppin’ Out with Fred Astaire
Birdland, NYC, May 29, 2023
Reviewed by Bart Greenberg
Gavin Lee
Photo: Kevin Alvey
Gavin Lee has established himself as a musical comedy star on both sides of the Atlantic in the roles as Bert in Mary Poppins, Squidward in SpongeBob: the Musical, and two vehicles associated with Fred Astaire—Top Hat and Holiday Inn. It was the dancing icon who first brought Lee, a multi-talented performer, into show business when he watched the original black-and-white films that co-starred Ginger Rogers on the television in his childhood home on rainy Saturday mornings. So, it was a comfortable full circle for him to make his Birdland debut in this tribute to the gentleman in top hat, white tie, and tails. By singing, dancing, and evoking Astaire’s magic, the super-talented Lee made this very theatrical program was the perfect vehicle for his debut.
The evening was as much a theater piece as a cabaret show. It was clearly carefully crafted and polished and then made to seem casual and inspired in the moment, rather like the best of Astaire in motion. The two tap boards on the stage showed that the emphasis was of course on dance, and Lee gave us elegant and energetic dancing. Just as impressive were the in-between moments, such as when he showed the ease with which he dispensed with and retrieved his microphone. With his immense charm and natural wit, he easily seduced the audience into his world. His singing was as accomplished as his dancing, and it was actually stronger than the Astaire’s as he navigated the impressive list of standards along with a few more obscure items. The moments when he stood still and simply delivered the melodies possessed had heir own sort of magic.
Of course, the chosen music was among the very best of the Great American Songbook with works by George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin, among others. Lee selected most of the material from Astaire’s first decade in Hollywood, emphasizing his work with Ginger Rogers. Some of the selections were blended into clever and logical medleys: “Let’s Face the Music,” “Shall We Dance,” and “You’re Easy to Dance With”; and “No Strings” and “I Can’t Be Bothered Now.” Some of the canon’s lesser-known songs, such as “We Saw the Sea” and “I’m Building Up to an Awful Letdown,” were happily given full weight with the classics; the first of these featured many more stanzas than were used in the original film, Follow the Fleet.
Throughout the evening, Lee was backed up by the terrific trio of Brian Taylor (music director/pianist), Corey Schutzer (bass), and Rich Rosenzweig (drums). Each was featured during a jazzy “I’m Putting All My Eggs in One Basket”; given Astaire’s exploration of jazz throughout his career, this seemed quite apropos as well. Still it was Lee who dominated everything with his elegant hand movements, his strong and comfortable vocals, and his spirited dancing, all designed to evoke the man of the hour. It will be exciting to see what this musical theater star comes up with next.
