The three evening event was billed as “An Intimate Evening with Jennifer Holliday”, and the Tony Award winning vocalist presented intimacy on a wide variety of levels in a thrilling 2 hour set before a packed house Saturday night at Catalina’s.
Having a roller coaster ride of both a musical career and personal life that more than rivals her famous role with the musical Showgirls, Ms. Holliday sang songs and told stories that both reflected and related to parts of her kaleidoscopic journey that drew in the audience on both levels.
In the hands of a person without a Biblical moral compass and faith, such a story of song and reflection could have turned Ms. Holliday into a tragic trajectory such as Billie Holiday. But through determination and hope, she was able to express her lyrics with emotions as to Lady Day, but with a declaration of success and defiance against the odds.
“Some people didn’t even know I was still alive” joked Holliday, mixing humor with vulnerability and confidence as she sang upbeat tunes such as “Feelin Good” and “I Am Love”. Supported by a soulfully swinging team of Del Atkins/b-dir, Adam Ledbetter/p, Noriko Wright/synths, Andrea Lisa/g, Scott Mayo/as-fl, Chad Wright/dr and a vocal team of Nina McCoy, Tony Jones and Jamelle Jones, Holliday was able to reach dark and dramatic heights on Dreamgirls pieces like “One Night Only” while tying herself around Lisa’s nylon strings on a sensuous samba of “Say A Little Prayer”.
Disarmingly and brutally honest about her peaks and valleys (“Don’t believe anyone who says they have no regrets. I HAVE REGRETS!), she reflected her sensitivity to life’s vagarities on a riveting piano vocal duet intro to “I Am Changing” while swaying to Mayo’s alto sax on a gritty and earthy blue toned “At Last”. Preaching and testifying with Atkins, she tapped into her inner Baptist on an inspiring “God Bless The Child” and used her crystal clear range to swoop and soar as if on eagles’ wings on an encouraging “There’s A Dream Out There With Your Name”, with members of the audience spontaneously jumping up and applauding not only the artist, but the art.
Closing with her most popular piece, Jennifer Holiday may want to change the name of the tune from “And I’m Telling You, I’m Not Going” to “I’m Going Up”, if this concert is any indication of her renaissance and yes, resurrection.
Upcoming shows at Catalina’s include 09/14-15 Joshua Redman, 09/20 Paris Cansons, 09/21 Billy Vera, 09/22 Freda Payne, 09/25 David Garfield and 08/27-28 Steve Tyrell