Review: Hi Ho, that's the Jensen way

Rick Jensen

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Although he's based in New York City, singer/songwriter/teacher Rick Jensen has been a frequent visitor to St. Louis, both as a performer and as a music director and pianist for a number of local singers. So it only seems right that he came to St. Louis to celebrate his 60th birthday on Saturday, October 6th, with a special show at the Kranzberg Center.

For the audience of cabaret lovers (including several members of the Jensen clan) it was a festive occasion indeed.

Titled "60 Years in 60 Minutes," the show is a mini-biography liberally illustrated with 14 original songs that demonstrate Mr. Jensen's wide range as both a songwriter and performer, as well as his virtuosity at the piano. "Long Cold Fall" (with its Randy Newmanesque harmonies), for example, muses poetically on autumn as both a meteorological and personal season. "Coney Island" and "Tonight New York City" are lyrical tributes to his adopted hometown that echo Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen while still being uniquely Rick Jensen. And "Amanda Sang," the more straightforward story song of the evening, includes a lyric that could serve as a mini-lesson for cabaret singers: "She could never go wrong / Because her heart was in her song".

Singer/artist Dionna Raedeke
Photo courtesy of Mariposa Artists

"Happy Birthday Boy" is a loving tribute to his mother who "didn't have a musical bone in her body" and "After All Those Love Songs" is a powerful ballad that was made even more so by the voice of St. Louis's own Dionna Raedeke (a fine singer as well as a visual artist). There were also many lighter moments in the show and one outright comedy number inspired by "certain events that took place in the Jensen household" in Minnesota, "Hi Ho, That's the Jensen Way."

That one, by the way, started out life as "Hi Ho, That's the German Way." Mr. Jensen gave it a re-write for this show, presumably because he knew he'd have family members in the audience. That could have been the musical equivalent of home movies, but Mr. Jensen is too good a songwriter for that. It was a hoot.

Linking all of them were anecdotes about his childhood in rural Minnesota and his coming of age--literally and musically--in New York City, delivered with self-deprecating wit and wisdom. Mr. Jensen is a performer who engages quickly and easily with his audience, so that his show soon felt like friendly chat.

Lina Koutrakos

The show was expertly directed by Mr. Jensen's long-time collaborator (and cabaret legend in her own right) Lina Koutrakos. Like Mr. Jensen, she has taught cabaret master classes and done many solo shows of her own, and her expertise was clearly visible in the pacing and dramatic shape of the show.

"60 Years in 60 Minutes" concluded with one of my favorite Jensen originals, "In Passing Years." I liked this meditation on the enduring value of friendship so much I learned it and performed it with him two years ago during the master class he and Ms. Koutrakos offer every fall on the island of Mykonos. But nobody does it quite like him.

Rick Jensen's show was presented by Mariposa Artists, a wholly owned subsidiary of St. Louis cabaret artist Robert Breig, who has brought many local and national artists to St. Louis stages. Upcoming Mariposa shows include "An Evening With Nina Gabinelli" on Saturday, October 20 and "Merry Keller: It's Personal" on Friday, October 26. Tickets are available via MetroTix.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of August 14, 2015

As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.

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New This Week:

Oklahoma!

The Muny presents Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic musical Oklahoma! nightly at 8:15 PM, August 10-16, in the outdoor theatre in Forest Park. "Rodgers and Hammerstein's masterpiece Oklahoma!, the musical that changed Broadway and America, returns to The Muny stage in a grand and glorious production. In its first Muny production since 2007, this beautiful and dramatic show features an unforgettable story and a score filled with landmark songs such as "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'," "The Surrey With the Fringe on Top," "People Will Say We're in Love," and of course, "Oklahoma!"" For more information, visit muny.org or call 314-361-1900.

My take: It's easy to forget, all these years later, how innovative this first collaboration between Rodgers and Hammerstein was when it opened in 1943. With direction by Rouben Mamoulian and choreography by Agnes de Mille (the first of her 15 Broadway shows), this was serious musical theatre. The tight integration of book, music, and dance was unusual at the time, as was the seriousness of the subject matter. "A show this deeply ingrained in our collective memory can be tough to produce," writes Tina Farmer at KDHX, "but the MUNY's production delivers the familiar with affection in a bright, quick-paced show that mostly hits all the right notes." "This lovingly rendered production breathes new life into a show that's an absolute natural for the outdoor setting that The MUNY's stage provides," says Chris Gibson at Broadwayworld.com. "See it, and be enriched by a vibrant presentation that's a perfect way to introduce your family to the considerable charms of this musical, as well as the venue staging it!"

Mariposa Artists presents Dionna Raedeke in Shine Like Gold on Friday, August 14, at 8 p.m. Described as "a musical journey from dark to light," the show features guest performers Mike Krysl on guitar, Ben Wheeler on bass, Jonnie Brown on percussion, and vocalist Emilie Nevins-Carter. Admission include two complimentary drinks and parking is free. The performance takes place at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive in Clayton. For more information: brownpapertickets.com.

My take: When most folks think of cabaret, I expect the image that comes to mind is that of a single performer backed up by a piano, possibly augmented with bass or percussion. That's certainly the most common arrangement but, as singer (and visual artist) Dionna Raedeke and guitarist Mike Krysl will be demonstrating this Friday, it's by no means the only one. A relatively new addition to the St. Louis cabaret scene, Ms. Raedeke has garnered raves for her singing and musical taste. "Dionna is one of my new favorite singers," says actor, singer and teacher Jason Graae. "Her voice has such a haunting beauty and it comes directly from her soul." New York-based singer, songwriter and music director Rick Jensen—who accompanied Ms. Raedeke for her 2011 show Sight - Sound—agrees, describing her as a "vocally compelling and consistently original in her performance." An inventive musician who lists influences as diverse as Robin Trower, Django Reinhardt and Leonard Bernstein, Mike Krysl has often impressed me with both the ingenuity and virtuosity of his inventive and original takes on rock and pop standards. Note also the The Chapel provides its space for free, so all procedes go straight to the artists.

Spellbound!
Photo: John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents the musical Spellbound! A Musical Fable Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through August 22. "Spellbound is the story of a young woman's journey for inner strength and self-worth in a mythical land where at every turn she is thwarted by an evil enchantress, shape-shifting beasts, and a plethora of magic potions. Full of humor and adventure this world premiere musical is not to be missed! " Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

My take: Written by Stray Dog founder Gary F. Bell and Robert L. White, Spellbound! is a big step forward for this gutsy company. In her review for KDHX, Tina Farmer writes that the show "doesn't tell a new story, and it never pretends to be more than the lovely, fantasy-laden fable that it presents. But it is richly layered, with several memorable tunes that successfully mix musical genres into a fresh, uplifting story. The effect is immersive and cathartic, encouraging audiences to let go of their cares and embrace a delightfully new interpretation of a much-loved tale." I'm a great admirer of Stray Dog's work, both as an actor and audience member, so I have no hesitation in recommending this first foray into presenting original material.

Held Over:

The cast of Anything Goes
Photo: Peter Wochniak

Stages St. Louis presents Cole Porter's Anything Goes through August 16. "Set sail on the S. S. American with a zany group of travelers, bound from New York to merry old England, where gangsters, socialites, and arrow-collar lads collide in a true tap-sensation from a by-gone era when travel was still fun and as unpredictable as the weather. There'll be laughs a-plenty set to a raucous and romantic Cole Porter score. Enjoy meltingly romantic melodies as "I Get A Kick Out Of You," "It's De-Lovely," "Easy To Love," "You're The Top," and "Anything Goes," that will inspire an uproarious and tune-filled trip across the Atlantic where ANYTHING GOES!" Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road in Kirkwood. For more information, visit stagesstlouis.org or call 314-821-2407.

My take: Porter's hit-laden score and the breezy (and often revised book) combine for great fun, and it looks like Stages is doing it justice. "Every song, every character, every step, every gesture, every tiny comic bit is perfect," writes Steve Callahan at KDHX. "Every single moment of this show is a delight." Having finally had a chance to see it myself, I concur. The original Billy Crocker has been replaced by Brent Michael Diroma, who is a very talented comic actor with a lovely crooner's light baritone/tenor. Definitely worth seeing.

Go with the flow

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When most folks think of cabaret, I expect the image that comes to mind is that of a single performer backed up by a piano, possibly augmented with bass or percussion.  That's certainly the most common arrangement but, as singer (and visual artist) Dionna Raedeke and guitarist Mike Krysl will be demonstrating this Friday, it's by no means the only one.

A relatively new addition to the St. Louis cabaret scene, Ms. Raedeke has garnered raves for her singing and musical taste.  "Dionna is one of my new favorite singers," says actor, singer and teacher Jason Graae. "Her voice has such a haunting beauty and it comes directly from her soul."  New York-based singer, songwriter and music director Rick Jensen—who accompanied Ms. Raedeke for her 2011 show Sight - Sound—agrees, describing her as a "vocally compelling and consistently original in her performance."

For her new show, titled Ebb and Flow, Ms. Raedeke has put together an evening in which the sound will be acoustic, the mood mellow, and the song choices rather different from the Great American Songbook standards that are so often associated with cabaret.  Expect 70s rock, contemporary singer/songwriters, and even some new tunes.  Ms. Raedeke, with a nod to her visual artist side (and with tongue somewhat in cheek), describes the evening as a "carefully curated" one that features "everything from Pink Floyd to PINK."

Expect arrangements that will make you re-think familiar songs as well.  An inventive musician who lists influences as diverse as Robin Trower, Django Reinhardt and Leonard Bernstein, Mike Krysl has often impressed me with both the ingenuity and virtuosity of his inventive and original takes on rock and pop standards.  I remember being particularly blown away by what he and singer Shauna Sconce did with some of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon at their recently concluded monthly sessions at The Wine Press.

"Mike Krysl's sound is taut, deep and brilliantly soulful," says local cabaret artist Katie McGrath. "Dionna's voice is plaintive, joyous and straight-arrow true. My favorite musician with my favorite singer. And the angels smile."  As someone who has been both a critic and performer on the local cabaret scene for many years and who has had the pleasure of seeing both Ms. Raedeke and Mr. Krysl in action, I heartily concur.

The one and only performance of Ebb and Flow is this Friday, August 9th, at 8 PM at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive at the intersection of Skinker and Wydown.  A not-for-profit music venue, performance space and art gallery, The Chapel has played host to a number of cabaret shows over the last few years.  It's an attractive, unconventional space in a quiet residential neighborhood that provides its services free to local musicians as part of its mission to support the arts in St. Louis.  I think that's pretty admirable and worth supporting.

Tickets, which are available at the door and at ebbandflow.brownpapertickets.com (along with some free sample music tracks), are $20 and include two free drinks.  Parking is free as well.  Come on down Friday and smile with the angels.