Jane Scheckter

Before There Were Virgins

Pangea, NYC, August 27, 2025

Reviewed by Alix Cohen

The Oscar Levant quote “I knew Doris (Day) before she was a virgin” inspired Jane Scheckter to mount a show that celebrated a number of female vocalists who, though “they had trouble with booze, drugs, and horrendous marriages,” always graced the screen as innocent girls next-door.

The songs performed tonight were recorded by Doris Day, Peggy Lee, Dolores Gray, Rosemary Clooney, June Christy, Chris Connor, Dinah Shore, Frances Faye, Betty Hutton, Jeri Southern, and one “Bye Bye Baby” (Jule Styne/Leo Robin) by Marilyn Monroe.

We were eased into the show with “You Better Go Now” (Irvin Graham/Bickley Reichner). Brushed cymbals and thrummed bass, along with bassist Jay Leonhart’s signature quiet scat, underscored Scheckter’s comprehension of quiet. Her vocal was pristine. “Won’t you clooose your eyes?”

“Most of these were girl band singers recorded on labels like Decca and Capitol. They didn’t have much choice about material. For my show I got to pick the songs,” Scheckter quipped. “But Beautiful” (Jimmy Van Heusen/Johnny Burke) had elongated notes that savored sentiment; her vibrato was slight. Pianist Tedd Firth buttered the piano.

“This Time the Dream’s on Me” (Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer) arrived with expressive pauses. She sang “Oh”—“by the way”—“it can’t be true,” shaking her head. The familiar “Secret Love” (Sammy Fain/Paul Francis Webster) from Calamity Jane (which Scheckter saw at eight years old) floated in on chimes, then became a country club cha-cha.

The mood was sustained with “Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most” (Tommy Wolf/Fran Landesman), which started with just piano, and then brushes were added. She sang “writing sonnets in their” (her fingers mimed quotes) “tender passions.” On piano, Firth created gentle waves.

A medley of “Awful Girl Songs” (genial swing tunes and ballads) included Jay Livingston/Ray Evans’ “Buttons and Bows” and Jimmy McHugh/Dorothy Fields’ “Don’t Blame Me.” The latter segued into Oscar Levant & Edward Heyman’s gauzy “Blame It on My Youth.” “It’s So Nice to Have a Man Around the House” (Harold Spina/John Elliot) followed.

101 years old and still going strong, “Somebody Loves Me” (George Gershwin/Ballard MacDonald/Buddy DeSylva) swung in like a Gregory Hines tap dance. Bass and drums added neat call and response; the piano was light. The vocalist made it a story song; she sang “Maybe it’s you, or you, or you, or you” pointing at members of the audience.

“Midnight Sun” (Johnny Burke/Johnny Mercer) emerged like velvet; the piano was caressed; Scheckter sighed the lyrics. An up-tempo bongo rhythm carried “Lover” (Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart), and the two-handed piano sounded like four. This performance was the indelible Gordon Jenkins arrangement created for Peggy Lee.

“It’s Magic” (Jule Styne/Sammy Cahn) tiptoed in. “A Lovely Way to Spend the Evening” (McHugh/Harold Adamson) evoked a couple hand in hand at sunset. There’s a reason clichés become clichés—they’re universal.

The material was arranged and played by pianist Firth, who had played his very first New York show with Scheckter. He was joined by the legendary Jay Leonhart on bass and Peter Grant on drums. Scheckter had virtuosos with whom to collaborate.

Jane Scheckter is “old guard”—that’s praise. Her phrasing, even when she was singing jazz or swing, always communicated the lyrics. She had nothing to prove. Her creamy, seasoned voice and polished presence were urbane.