Barbara Cook Is The American Songbook
by Geoffpl04433 on 11/17/12Walt Disney Concert Hall - Los AngelesHaving been on a musical cloud after Barbra Streisand's concerts at The Hollywod Bowl what does one do, go to Walt Disney Concert Hall and see another Barbara. Barbara Cook that is the Broadway legend who spends her time interpeting the American Songbook and exploring it's fine composers. I was thrilled to see that Barbara Cook has added some Broadway classics to her set, compare to when I saw her this past summer. These classics being "It Might As Well Be Spring", "A Wondeful Guy", "No One Is Alone" and her own "Till There Was You" However this program consists of material Barbara Cook is not really known for. Sometimes sounding brassy, bouncy and somber Barbara Cook performs "Makin Whopee", "Lover Man", "Let's Fall In Love", the dark "House Of The Rising Sun", "Bye Bye Blackbird" and the exquisite "The Nearness Of You" by Hoagy Carmichael. Barbara Cook may be living in her beloved New York City for the last 60+ years but she digs down to her southern roots and comes up with a touching "Georgia On My Mind" that Ray Charles would be envious of. These songs of course have been around for generations .With Barbara Cook interpeting them they have a new meaning and feeling, these songs are given a new life. The woman of a certain age anthem I call "Here's To Life" is about a woman looking back, examining and still having the thirst to want more. This is probably the most true to her own life. Just her pronounciation of the lyric "hungry" is worth the price of admission. At 85 years old Barbara Cook's voice has a clarity and strength that some singers half her age would be envious of. Being backed by The Los Angeles Philharmonic in the magnificent Walt Disney Concert Hall with Ted Rosenthal as musical director are a winning combination on all levels. Strangely the evening displayed an intimacy reminiscent of the Cafe Carlyle. The LA Philharmonic's rousing "Glitter And Be Gay" from Leonard Bernstein's Candide was out of this world.( FYI: Candide is the show that put Barbara Cook on the map). Also out of this world was Barbara Cook opening with her own "Till There Was You" Even though Barbara Cook has to sit down for her show she commands the stage like a fierce captain. Closing out her show Barbara Cook stood up at the center of the stage for "Imagine" without a microphone and just a piano. This was one of life's moments where it got as good as it gets.