Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Over at Birdland, the legendary KAREN AKERS gives a master class in the art of cabaret

• By drediman
• May 29, 2024
• No Comments

Earlier this week on Memorial Day proper, I had the great pleasure of catching the great Karen Akers perform her cabaret act Water Under the Bridge at Birdland Jazz Club. To say that Ms. Akers is a legend would be stating the obvious. Although recognized as a renowned star of stage and screen — notably scoring a Tony nomination for her performance in the original production of Nine — she arguably shines brightest on the intimate and exposing cabaret stage. Indeed, in her latest outing, she did not disappoint, giving her adoring fans an utter master class in the alchemic art of cabaret.

As the title of her show alludes to, Ms. Akers spent much of the show nostalgically basking in the burnished afterglow of the rich life she’s led, wistfully reminiscing on past relationships, motherhod, and the lot. Her song selections were at once surprising and just right, with highlights including a pair of wise Sondheim gems — “Live Alone and Like It” and the show’s title track — as well timeless classics from the popular songbook like Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” and Dan Hill’s “Sometimes When We Touch”. She has a way of personalizing songs that make such stylistically disparate compositions seem like inevitable companion pieces. And though not the flashiest of singers, she connects with her material from the core of her very being, resulting in deeply human song renditions that cut deeply.

Just as importantly, Ms. Akers is also an impeccable and compelling banterer, drawing audiences in as she weaves in and out of song with the quiet confidence of a true pro. Articulate and always in the present moment, she has a wise and rueful way with stories that resonates with beauty, truth, and good humor. All in all, this latest iteration of Water Under the Bridge was a class act executed with the utmost grace and elegance. Throughout the evening, Ms. Akers was supported exquisitely by her longtime music director Alex Rybeck on piano, as well as Tom Hubbard on bass. What a perfectly blissful night of cabaret.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

KAREN AKERS
Cabaret
Birdland Jazz Club
1 hour, 15 minutes (without an intermission)
Closed / One-night-only