Amanda McBroom and Michele Brourman

Post author:Jacqueline Parker
Post published: May 7, 2026
Reading time:3 mins read

Amanda McBroom and Michele Brourman

Amanda and Michele

Birdland, NYC, April 20, 2026

Reviewed by Jacqueline Parker

Michele Brourman and Amanda McBroom
Photo by Kevin Alvey

Just when I thought life could not possibly have a surprise up its sleeve for me, how lucky I was to be proven wrong. Even though these two California ladies, Amanda McBroom and Michele Brourman, have been making gorgeous, solid, and highly memorable music together for many years, they had not lingered on my radar long enough for me to give them proper recognition. Of course, I had been moved by McBroom’s “Errol Flynn” many times as sung by Barbara Cook, so I gladly joined the enthusiastic crowd at Birdland waiting for another dose of glorious musicianship.

I happily understood how ignorance could be bliss as each new (to me) song became an adventure into more modern songwriting. Another world of poetic and melodic artistry revealed itself, rather like the high-speed photography of a gorgeous flower blooming.

With Brourman at the piano, McBroom opened by saying “there’s no Cole Porter tonight—we’ll leave that to Steve Ross!” They curiously chose to begin with what could have been one of Porter’s famous list songs “One of Those Days” (Little Big Town) a compilation of minor irritations about New York similar to Portia Nelson’s “Confessions of a New Yorker (Love/Hate New York).” McBroom followed with one of the most unexpected metaphors for being in love with the romantic ballad “Make Me a Kite” (BRowuramn/McBroom); it was thoroughly beguiling to the point of enchantment.

The audience was snapped out of the romantic reverie with a good old-fashioned humorous protest/list song “Strange Days” (The Doors), which allowed McBroom to use some of her comedic talent. Both ladies sang “Congratulations” (Post Malone), which listed the various plagues with growing older. This song, like many of the others, had lyrics that were clever and vivid, and dare I say, had a touch of “womanliness.” In “Heat Behind the Wall” Brourman was able to paint quite the musical portrait with McBroom’s words. She followed with what she called her “cougar song” entitled “Come to Mama.” The lyric had very transparent mother/son double entendres, all of which she delivered with unmistakable ferocity.

Another touching duet was “Hope Floats” with the takeaway line “Hope is a muscle; you have to keep exercising it.” There were several lines like that: “Love is a flower; you are the seed” and “The curtain comes down but the love never ends.” I was glad to have paper and pen at the ready!

Tags: American Songbook Association, CD, Reviews, Portia Nelson, Cabaret Reviews, Clubs, composer, Hope Floats, Errol Flynn, Make Me a Kite, NYC, ASA, Jacqueline Parker, Confessions of a New Yorker (Love/Hate New York), Strange Days, Congratulations, Heat Behind the Wall, Come to Mama, Kevin Alvey, Cabaret Scenes, Cole Porter, Amanda McBroom, Birdland, Steve Ross, Broadway, Barbara Cook, Cabaret, Broadway Musicals, Michele Brourman, American Songbook, Lyricist

Jacqueline Parker

Like Ethel Merman, lifelong New Yorker Jacqueline Parker began her career as a stenographer. She spent more than two decades at the city's premier public agency, progressing through positions of increased responsibility after earning her BA in English from New York University (3.5 GPA/Dean’s List). She won national awards for her work in public relations and communication and had the privilege of working in the House of Commons for Stephen Ross, later Lord Ross of Newport. In the second half of her career, Jacqueline brought her innate organizational skills and creative talents to a variety of positions. While distinguishing herself in executive search, she also gave her talents to publishing, politics, writing, radio broadcasting and Delmonico's Restaurant. Most recently, she hosted Anything Goes! a radio show that paid homage to Cole Porter and by extension the world of Broadway musicals and the Great American Songbook. Other features of the show were New York living, classical music, books, restaurants, architecture and politics. This show highlighted the current Broadway scene, both in New York and around the country through performances and interviews with luminaries including Len Cariou, Charles Strouse, Laura Osnes, Steve Ross and Joan Copeland. Her pandemic project was immersion into the life, times and work of Alfred Hitchcock, about whom she has written a soon-to-be-published article. Jacqueline has been involved in a myriad of charitable causes, most notably the Walt Frazier Youth Foundation, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Sisters of Life, York Theatre, and the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival. She is a proud Founder of Hidden Water. Her greatest accomplishment is the parenting of her son, a lawyer specializing in mediation. She has many pretend grandchildren, nieces and nephews, on whom she dotes shamelessly, as well as a large circle of friends to whom she is devoted. Her interests in addition to theater and cabaret are cooking, entertaining, reading, and spending time on Queen Mary 2.