Jaron Vesely

May 31, 2010

“Something Good”

Metropolitan Room  –  returning June 25

Jaron Vesely has titled his new show after the Richard Rodgers song “Something Good.” This is an understatement, for in every way—choice of material, programming/structure, vocal quality, interpretations, arrangements, instrumental accompaniment—the show is much better than merely good. He could have named it after the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic “Something Wonderful,” but for the fact that the latter song isn’t one of the evening’s selections.

Vesely first came to our attention a few years ago as the baritone member of the über-delightful Fabulous Pink Flamingos. “Something Good,” his second solo outing, has been directed by Russell Taylor, the antic wizard behind the FPF; it represents an enormous leap forward from his debut show last year.

He opens with Freddie Mercury’s “Don’t Stop Me Now,” imbuing his rendition with an energy that comes from within. It is clear that he is in, and on top of, the song from beginning to end—even during the interpolated welcoming patter. I’ve written about the general inadvisability of interrupting a song with patter; however, Vesely manages to keep the momentum going even during the interruption—a telling sign of his skill.

I would bet all my worldly goods that over the years I have heard Cole Porter’s “The Tale of the Oyster” at least a hundred times. Before Vesely launched into it, I would have protested that I never wanted to hear the song again. Well, in this show it is given a rhythmic instrumental accompaniment—at times loping, at times perky—and the combination of the interesting arrangement and Vesely’s expert delivery keeps this warhorse interesting. What a very nice surprise. (The arrangements are by Vesely and musical director Scott Bradlee.)

The title song serves as another example of what makes this show so fine and Vesely’s artistry so impressive. Since I first heard “Something Good” decades ago, I’ve considered it an inferior song—especially the infelicitous lyric, written by Rodgers for the film version of The Sound of Music. Vesely gives it a serious, contemplative reading that imparts emotional weight and validity and transcends the all-too-manifest deficiencies. (For the record, this is one of only three performances of this song I’ve been able to bear. The first was Malcolm Gets singing it to Craig Chester in the film Adam & Steve; in that case, it was the context of the relationship between the two characters that made the piece effective. The second was when Karen Oberlin and Miles Phillips did it in their duo show; it was the beauty of their singing that distinguished that rendition. However, Vesely’s performance is the only one that’s worked because of the quality of the interpretation; he pulls off what I would have thought an impossible feat.)

There is a lovely three-song segment of considerable warmth and sentiment: the sensitive bass solo in “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes” (Mack David, Al Hoffman, Jerry Livingston) affectingly captures the spirit of the piece; Joe Raposo’s “When Bert’s Not Here” (sung by Ernie in Sesame Street) is sweetly touching; and Andrew Gold’s “Thank You for Being a Friend” is made no less friendly for its get-down arrangement, which Vesely and company sell persuasively. A pairing of “Mama, I Wanna Make Rhythm” (Jerome Jerome, Richard Byron, Walter Kent) and “All God’s Chillun Got Rhythm” (Walter Jurmann, Gus Kahn, Bronislaw Kaper) percolates infectiously, and on this number, as with every other number in the show, the band (Bradlee on piano, David Berger on percussion, Willie Harvey on bass) is terrific.

A highlight in an evening that is filled with highlights is “That’s How It Felt,” by John McGrew, in which the singer tries to convince himself that he was right for having ended a relationship. This complex, powerful song is given a striking performance and an arrangement that appreciates the multi-layered emotional journey the song and the singer take. Clearly Vesely is as accomplished an actor as he is a singer. Bravo!

 

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About the Author

Roy Sander has been covering cabaret and theatre for over thirty years. He’s written cabaret and theatre reviews, features, and commentary for seven print publications, most notably Back Stage, and for CitySearch on the Internet. He covered cabaret monthly on “New York Theatre Review” on PBS TV, and cabaret and theatre weekly on WLIM-FM radio. He was twice a guest instructor at the London School of Musical Theatre. A critic for BistroAwards.com, he is also the site’s Reviews Editor; in addition, he is Chairman of the Advisory Board of MAC.