Karen Oberlin

July 21, 2018

Singer Karen Oberlin recently brought her new show, Confound Me: Songs in Search of Something, to The Triad. The Triad’s stage can be tricky. It is quite high compared with other clubs in the city, which means that a singer’s focus has to be set a couple of inches lower than what might otherwise be ideal. Oberlin fell victim to this throughout the evening, appearing to sing over the audience to some imaginary balcony in the distance. This created a disconnect between performer and audience that hurt the performance. Sadly, that disconnect was reinforced by unnecessary, clichéd, and often awkward hand gestures and an unfortunate habit of interrupting the storytelling with introductions and re-introductions of the band members.

The vagueness of the title (and concept) was exacerbated by patter that was alternately forced or Hallmark poetic as it tried to tie each song choice to some through line that never managed to reveal itself. It would have been better to choose material that clearly demonstrates the ideas she wished to convey and to lighten up the between-songs chat.

Oberlin can be a very effective singer, which was particularly evident in a couple of standards: “Something to Live For” (Billy Strayhorn) and “Detour Ahead” (John Frigo, Herb Ellis, Lou Carter). She did a beautiful job with Rupert Holmes’s wonderful “People That You Never Get to Love,” in spite of bookending it with the empty contemporary pop of “Chasing Pavements” (Adele, Eg White). “All But You,” a new song by Oberlin’s husband, David Hajdu, and pianist Renee Rosnes, had a lovely warmth and simplicity that was lacking elsewhere in the show.

Music director Tedd Firth and bassist Sean Smith are two of New York’s finest musicians, but there was a disconnect even with them. At times the arrangements, while impressive on their own, did not mesh with the vocals. This was particularly unfortunate in “Nature Boy” (Eden Ahbez): the singer and players seemed to be on different tracks that never crossed. “Napoleon” (Harold Arlen, E.Y. Harburg) was over-sung and overplayed at the expense of Harburg’s witticisms; the wordplay was given no room to breathe. Too often, the musical ideas came down on the side of complicated rather than complex.

Although Confound Me was, overall, a misstep, Karen Oberlin remains a singer well worth a listen.

Confound Me: Songs in Search of Something
The Triad – June 11, July 11

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About the Author

Gerry Geddes has conceived and directed a number of musical revues—including the Bistro- and MAC Award-winning "Monday in the Dark with George" and "Put On Your Saturday Suit-Words & Music by Jimmy Webb"—and directed many cabaret artists, including André De Shields, Helen Baldassare, Darius de Haas, and drag artist Julia Van Cartier. He directs "The David Drumgold Variety Show," currently in residence at Manhattan Movement & Arts Center, and has produced a number of recordings, including two Bistro-winning CDs. He’s taught vocal performance at The New School, NYU, and London’s Goldsmith’s College and continues to conduct private workshops and master classes. As a writer and critic, he has covered New York’s performing arts scene for over 40 years in both local and national publications; his lyrics have been sung by several cabaret and recording artists. Gerry is an artist in residence at Pangea, and a regular contributor to the podcast “Troubadours & Raconteurs.” He just completed a memoir of his life in NYC called “Didn’t I Ever Tell You This?”