The Cutting Room New York, NY
Contact: [email protected]
Web: dawnderow.com
Players: Dawn Derow, vocals; Ian Herman, piano/music director; Martin Hand, electric guitar; Matt Scharfglass, bass; Rob Guilford, drums
In her recent Cabaret offering, “ Woman’s Work,” Dawn Derow took us on an extensive musical journey of renowned women singer/songwriters not only covering various decades but jockeying between genres as well. Kicking off the show with Irving Berlin’s “Sisters,” Derow segues into “Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves” written by Annie Lenox and Dave A. Stewart. This immediately sets the stage for what is about to follow: memorable and iconic songs written and/or sung by some of her favorite women artists.
Derow’s musical training runs the gamut from Opera to Broadway to pop/rock laying a solid foundation for a diverse repertoire. Though some songs suited her better than others, her training positions her well to explore a multitude of vocal styles. Her support band had her back with arrangements that dovetailed well with her phrasing and delivery highlighting the nuances in each arrangement.
Following the “The Sisters” opening medley, she moved on to Sade’s “Paradise,” followed by Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” then mixing it up with Brandi Carlisle, Chaka Kahn, and Lady Gaga to name a few. There was also a rock segment featuring a Pat Benatar medley. Some of the stronger numbers were her sassy versions of the 1952 classic “Twisted” and “You’re No Good,” a hit for Linda Ronstadt.
There was a lot of material to digest, and while chronicling prominent women artists plays well thematically on a more profound level, shortening the setlist in favor of a deeper dive into how these songs coincided with Derow’s experiences would have added further dimension to the performance. She touched upon that notion with her version of “Both Sides Now,” where she recalls her thirteen-year-old self when she sang the song for the first time,
Saving the best for last applies here with her moving rendition of Madonna and Babyface’s “Take A Bow,” ending the show on a poignant note.
What makes cabaret so unique is just about anything goes, opening the door for a wide array of performers and subject matter. Derow sets an example that as vocalists, though we might excel in one or two areas, to grow as artists, we should step out of our comfort zone and experiment with other genres. Though her song choices are tasteful and resonate with the audience, on a more personal level, she might further let us in as to how they impacted her life.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.musicconnection.com ’
