Performance Review
Too Marvellous For Words - The Songs of Johnny Mercer
Lee Lessack presented two contrasting sets at his
debut in Larry’s Music Room at Pizza on The Park. The main set was’Too Marvellous for Words, a celebration of
Johnny Mercer songs that’s has also been recorded and released on
CD. This was a finely-crafted set with well-chosen material interspaced
with informative and intelligent patter that gave insight into both the
songs and the genius that was Johnny Mercer.
Playing a large pert in the process was John Boswell – who not only provided accompaniment in the piano but also acted as musical director and arranger producing many stunning arrangements that provided an emotional under-pinning to the songs themselves.
On the surface this appeared to one of those sophisticated and highly professional acts that Americans seem to do so well – but this would belie the sheer amount of work that must have gone into compiling the evening .As a prolific songwriter (with more than 1,000 compositions to his credit Mercer certainly provided more than enough material to select from). The mix included wonderfully romantic ballads and some rarely heard comic numbers that together provided a wonderful sampler of Mercer’s incredibly versatile talent as a lyricist. In order to include as many songs as possible some were included into inventive medleys
A particularly impressive
example was the combination of ‘Days of Wine and Roses’;
‘Charade’ and ‘Moon River’.
During the first two number there were musical underscores to
suggest ‘Moon River’ was on its way and when it finally arrived it was
gorgeous and rescued from the middle of the road mire it had been
left to languish in of late.
In complete contrast were the
‘comic numbers’ on which Lessack accompanied himself on a form of
Ukulele – a ‘fluke’ as it was called these included ‘Pineapple
Pete and ‘The Bath Tub Ran Over again’ The emotional balance of the
evening was redressed with a very touching ‘Whistling Away The Dark’
joined with ‘Autumn Leaves’ once again underscored by the evocative
underscoring provided by John Boswell.