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Reviews
Curto puts her stamp on styles of Ethel Merman, Mary Martin Anyone who follows Broadway lore does not often mention Ethel Merman and Mary Martin in the same breath. The two venerable singers, after all, represented practically opposing ways of addressing a song. Merman sang as if a trumpet had been lodged in her larynx; Martin hardly could have brought more gentility and grace to the musical stage. Yet their two sharply contrasted sensibilities stand at the center of "Brassy, Sassy & Classy," an uncommonly effective Merman/Martin homage that finds common ground shared by two singular divas.
That's not to say, however, that Curto belted a song the way Merman did. Historic recordings of Merman reveal a singer capable of blasting high notes into the farthest reaches of the upper balcony, a valuable skill in the era before microphones were commonplace on the Broadway stage. That brand of singing (or yelling) probably would not fare so well today, for high decibels alone cannot pass for genuine interpretation. So it's something of a relief that Curto never tried to imitate Merman's wails. Even when Curto was going full throttle, as in a medley from the epic musical "Gypsy," she brought enough tonal support and warmth of tone to her fortissimo notes to make them a pleasure to hear. Similarly, Curto never attempted to duplicate the silvery sheen of Martin's singing, which would be a similarly impossible mission. Yet Curto's honeyed middle range and sumptuously voiced high notes in "I'm in Love With a Wonderful Guy" showed that she shares Martin's knack for caressing a melody line. The final allure of this show drew from Curto's distinctive way of re-interpreting music of age-old Broadway shows (aided by Beckie Menzie's jazz-tinged pianism). The surging rhythms with which Curto ignited "Everything's Coming Up Roses" and "Some People" (from "Gypsy") and the sense of reverie she brought to "Speak Low" (from "One Touch of Venus") attested to the originality of her vision. Not that she always hits her target. Curto never quite captured the despair in Cole Porter's "Down in the Depths on the Ninetieth Floor," a world-weary piece that can elude even the savviest performer. In the end, though, "Brassy, Sassy & Classy" not only rekindled memories of Merman and Martin but poetically built upon their legacies. "Brassy, Sassy & Classy" plays at 8 p.m. Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday at Davenport's, 1383 N. Milwaukee Ave.; $20; 773-278-1830.
Joan Curto
With Beckie Menzie providing amazing support at the keyboard (her segment of You're Just In Love during the overture was mindboggling), Curto gave out just the right amount of background on her subjects and their songs, keeping it brief but interestingly informative. But we weren't there to learn, we were there to be serenaded, and Curto carried us away from the first upbeat. Tearing things up with The Leader of a Big Time Band and slinking (ultimately) through My Heart Belongs to Daddy, Curto constantly amazed during the set, especially when it came to the ballads -- and one that isn't but became one in her gentle caress. There was the heart-melting tenderness of I Got Lost In His Arms and That's Him, but it was in the slowed-down hushed romanticism of I'm Flyin' that Curto transformed the usually jaunty nugget into a juicy morsel of drop-dead gorgeous love song. It was a mesmerizing moment in a captivating hour of perfection. Jeff Rossen 
 
May I Suggest? (JJ Music) Confession: When an artist whose work has been the stuff of many hours of pleasure comes back with a new offering, there's a mix of anticipation and hesitation -- anticipation of experiencing some fresh creations; hesitation over the "what if" of not feeling the joy of the past. And when a favorite performer delivers a first recording, those feelings are multiplied manyfold. But when Joan Curto's debut album, May I Suggest?, starts spinning, the latter feeling vanishes and the former is rewarded over and over again. For those who've followed her career over the years, May I Suggest? plays as almost a greatest hits package, revisiting moments from her live performances that have made her one of Chicago's top cabaret artists. The ease with which she shifts between the jaunty snap of Comes Love and Happy As the Day Is Long and devastating passion of How Deep Is the Ocean and It Never Entered My Mind creates a fully colored portrait of her talent, her inviting guilelessness drawing the listener's ear and heart close for the confessional beauty and pain in Susan Werner's title song and Much At All. Has there been a purer, more affecting interpretation of And I Love You So or a more poignant How Deep Is the Ocean? Not that these ears have heard. Confession: May I Suggest? will end up high on the list of the year's best come December. (****) -- Cabaret Scenes "Curto has a stunning range, and the songs she chose for this collection are further proof that she is a sparkling ruby on Chicago's cabaret crown" -- Paul Barile, Lerner News, 2004 "May I Suggest? proves Curto to be a singer who can put her stamp and personality on standards, such as It never Entered My Mind, and share the magnetism of personal favorites like Good Night New York." -- Terry Morris, Dayton Daily News "Sassy and Sophisticated, Ms.Curto is as much a spitfire as she is a seductress, unleashing a voice that can pierce the listeners heart as equally as it caresses the ear. Her flawless musical sense is matched by her command of the stage, and the rapport she builds with her audience is one of love and intimacy, lovers of music joining together to celebrate the glory of song" -- Jeff Rossen, After Dark Awards 2003 "A Chicago Original...bold brassy voice, her keen sense of comic timing and upbeat personality...everything about her show is polished" -- Misha Davenport, Chicago Sun Times Across a Crowded Room, a celebration of the music of Richard Rodgers "pure beauty from start to finish and absolutely not to be missed....absolutley" -- After Dark Chicago "smart, savvy and original...ranks among the best...the masterstroke of the show is the casting...these singers were meant for each other." -- Chicago Tribune "a full rich harmonic sound that fills the room with spine tingling magic" -- Cabaret Hotline Online "gorgeous harmonies...highly recommended." -- Chicago Sun Times "I had a feeling going into Saturday night's cabaret convention show that something magical was going to happen and that this would be an evening to remember. Just looking at the list of performers was enough for me Chicago greats like Joan Curto, Patty Morabito, and Justin Hayford alongside New York and West Coast greats like Amanda McBroom and Mark Nadler! Well, I was not mistaken... Joan Curto followed Mr. Hayford, and got a lot of laughs with "My Husband's First Wife" and then brought tears to many an eye with her perfectly beautiful rendition of Stephen Sondheim's "Not a Day Goes By." --Todd Shuman, Cabaret Hotline Another strong force in exemplifying the overall shared human experience comes to us by Joan Curto, playing the role of the Russian's pained wife Svetlana Sergievsky. Curto's beautiful vocals and poignant reaction to that which her character faces, urges us to consider the consequences of our priorities and actions. -- D ianna DeMond, OnMilwaukee.com "Curto's Unexpressed offered the devilishly delightful redhead at her very best as she displayed that gorgeous voice of hers at it's most enticingly luxurious and switched gears between the ridiculous and sublime with both charm and assurance. Those who missed Unexpressed during it's initial offering will want to make sure not to make the same mistake again." --Jeff Rossen, Cabaret Scenes "Ms Curto made a most welcome return to the Davenport's Piano Bar and Cabaret stage this month in her fabulous new show " Unexpressed?". With such a talented woman on stage, this was nothing short of a four star evening of cabaret..... She performed songs like "Unexpressed"( Bucchino), "Much at All"( Werner), and "Putting Things Away" (McBroom) beautifully and she let her comic side show through brilliantly on numbers like " I Wish" ( Green) and "Did You Hear What You just Said?" (Green).....She will be making her New York cabaret debut this fall and New York area fans of cabaret would be wise to catch this act when she's in town!" -- Todd Shuman, Cabaret Hotline "For those who fancy coloring books, Joan Curto opens a richly hued volume in her " Just Joan...from where I stand."Hushed tones begin On a Clear Day, which Curto builds into a soaring flight, underscored by musical director Dan Stetzel's breathtaking arrangement. ...Curto has no problem relaxing into a song and playing the moment whether it's her powerful rendition of I Don't Want to Know or the wicked My Husband's First Wife." -- Jeff Rossen, Gay Chicago Magazine "Curto eased into a quiet , introspective rendition of Alan Jay Lerner and Burton Lane's On a Clear Day, her voice so soft and enchanting that nearly everyone in the room slowly inched forward to listen...Curto remained genuine throughout..." --Josh Larson, Sun Publictions "It was a pleasure to hear Joan Curto sing the role of lyricist Sonia Walsk. Curto deserves credit for making Sonia interesting and believable." -- Lisa Pecoraro Ayres, Copley Newspapers "The most striking moment in the show was Joan Curto's rendition of Another Hundred People, a song that is typical Sondheim in it's hurried and roller coaster cadence juxtaposed against a stellar melody line. Curto, who plays the hippest of Bobby's girlfriends, a street smart person named Marta, gets every nuance out of the song....." --William J. Burghardt, Daily Journal |
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One can expect fine work from Joan Curto these days, but in Shaking the Blues Away, Curto flexes her cabaret muscles in new ways and it pays off. First, Curto stepped outside the box performing numbers not part of the Great American Songbook. If it’s something of a stretch to place Julie Gold’s “Good Night, New York” into a show focused on discovering, then overcoming, love and money blues, we don’t much care. In this song, Curto makes the richest emotional connection with her audience, finding delicate layers of hope and remembrance Gold’s lyrics encompass. With Lyle Lovett’s “God Will,” Curto shares a funny, true reflection of a relationship gone south in which the spurned lover will not forgive, although God will. Second, more than in prior shows, Curto shared some personal history. Cole Porter’s “I’m Unlucky at Gambling” resonated because it was preceded by a reflection about an uncle who was a professional gambler beset with economic ups and downs. Later in the show, when she talked about roller skating in her cigarette-girl costume at the roller rink Halloween party, we could relate to memories encompassing both the silly and the dear. Curto sings great and looks great in the green gown. To quote Elvis, “I’m all shook up.” 
Perhaps only a vocalist as adept as Chicagoan Joan Curto could take on the legacies of Merman and Martin with equal aplomb, as she did before a full house Thursday night at Davenport's (the show runs through Sunday). Though Curto didn't mimic either artist, she evoked the brass and bravura of Merman's manner, as well as the nuance and subtlety of Martin's finest work.
Does the title refer to the subject or the artist? It's impossible to tell, because it applies so perfectly to both. Sounding better than she ever has (which has never been less than superb) and ensconced in an expertly designed format and selection of songs, Joan Curto delivered an evening unbridled joy mixed with passionate expressions from the heart and infectious exuberance as she took her audience at Davenport's through the songs and careers of two of Broadway's greatest stars.