Kevin Dozier

Mark Dundas Wood
Kevin Dozier's recent show at the Metropolitan Room (which will return to the club in November) was called "A New York Romance." It was a suitable title, I suppose, as Dozier did touch quite a bit on his life in (and love for) New York City. But then again, how many other NYC-themed shows open...

Rob Sutton

Mark Dundas Wood
Rob Sutton's recent Don't Tell Mama show, "Not the Boy Next Door," was not so much an autobiographical program as it was a deeply personal musical reverie on what it means to live an authentic, self-aware life. That theme was hinted at in the show's opening number, Alan Jay Lerner and Burton Lane's "On a...

Alexis Cole

Robert Windeler
In her recent one-night show at 54 Below, Alexis Cole demonstrated vocal dexterity, solid musicianship and a willingness to range over a variety of sources for her material. Her technical delivery, whether in a soothing or upbeat contralto, was superb, vocal jazz at its best. Further on the plus side, she beautifully resurrected two lesser-known...

Brenda Braxton

Mark Dundas Wood
Other songbirds may warble sweeter notes than Brenda Braxton. Other raconteurs may spout wittier quips. But where rapport with an audience is concerned, Braxton is hard to beat. Braxton is, first and foremost, a good host—she knows how to share a moment with her listeners and what to do to make everybody feel at home....

Jennifer Sheehan

Robert Windeler
In her current show at 54 Below, "Stardust: A Night in the Cosmos," Jennifer Sheehan gets lost in the stars, mostly in a good way. No fewer than sixteen full songs referring to the moon, planets, space exploration, and just plain old distant points of light in the sky show this exceptional singer and radiant...

Charlie Johnson

Roy Sander
In an email promoting his show "CHARLIE! Anything but Basic" at the Metropolitan Room, Charlie Johnson made a few rather grand claims. He described it as "a terrific new act" and added that he has a "unique performance style [that combines] classic cabaret with a modern-day sensibility in a way no one else is doing."...

Robyn McCorquodale

Mark Dundas Wood
When singer-pianist Robyn McCorquodale claims that her career has taken her to all seven continents, you may wonder who, exactly, comprised her audience in Antarctica. Emperor penguins? It all makes better sense when she explains that she has worked extensively as a cruise ship entertainer. Apparently she has been very successful in this career, and...

Seth Sikes

Mark Dundas Wood
More than enough words have been spent remarking on gay men's fascination with Judy Garland. But though Garland herself left the world nearly a half century ago, enthusiasm for her among this particular demographic seems to be stubbornly alive—that is, if the predominantly male turnout at 54 Below for an encore presentation of "Seth Sikes Is...

Lauren Stanford

Mark Dundas Wood
When Lauren Stanford was developing her portrayal of Helen Morgan for her cabaret show "More Than You Know," she must have paid special attention to lyrics from Louis Alter and Arthur Swanstrom's song "(I've Got) Sand in My Shoes." The song's verse begins with the line "You see me smiling, but it's not with my...

Donna Hayes

Robert Windeler
In her show "Ordinary Miracles," at the Metropolitan Room, Donna Hayes makes a strong case for her title's seeming to be an oxymoron. In her view, it's those unexpected miracles that matter most, and they are to be found all around us, not so much the major ones we pray or long for. These minor...