Janie Press
Fascinating Rhythm
Celebrating 14 Years of The Gershwin Prize Award
Don’t Tell Mama, NYC, November 2, 2025
Reviewed by Bart Greenberg
Since 2007, The Library of Congress has awarded the Gershwin Prize to musicians who have significantly impacted popular music. Fourteen individuals and partnerships have received this honor. Janie Press has created a smart cabaret show built around the works of those recipients, which included pop standards, rock, and country. The show was filled with interesting sketches of each of the artists, as well as personal and charming tales of their impact on her.
The problem with the program was that Press’s light and limited vocal range was often overwhelmed by her trio on the up-tempo numbers. She fared much better with the quieter, more narrative fare where she could use her considerable acting talents. For instance, Joni Mitchell’s touching “Morning Morgantown” and Lionel Richie’s yearning “Hello” really suited her style, but Carole King’s driving “Jazzman” and Enrique Garcia and Gloria Estefan’s “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” defeated her. She also showed a surprising feel for country music with fine deliveries of Willie Nelson’s “My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys” and Garth Brooks’ “Rodeo.”
Music Director John Fisher provided some interesting arrangements that blended some of the songs with works by the Gershwins. “Fascinating Rhythm” was blended into the Estefan material. Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “Knowing When to Leave” seamlessly shifted into “There’s a Boat Dat’s Leavin’ Soon for New York” and “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” (George Cory/Douglass Cross) was introduced with “Love Is Sweeping the Country.” The encore was all Gershwin, a delicate version of “Someone to Watch Over Me.”
Other musicians on stage were Eric Hart on drums and Matt Scharfglass on bass. Lennie Watts served as director, making sure that Press made use of the entire space.
