Susan Werner's repertoire ranges from folk to caberet, all of it with a personal stamp. Her melodies invoke the best of the American musical tradition, while her lyrics show a distinct Midwest wit and wisdom. Her latest tour showcases her newest album, "Hayseed", which celebrates the American farm family. The product of one of these families herself, Ms. Werner evokes hopes and fears, joys and regrets, and ultimately the love of this slowly vanishing community and lifestyle. This reviewer has seen Ms. Werner perform four times over five years. Each show was different on the surface - sometimes solo, sometimes with a group, each time highlighting the most recent material. But every show contained unifying similarities intended to keep the audience interested and leave it satisfied. She is uncommonly approachable both during her performances and after. She engages her audience in conversation. Her lyrics are variously droll and poignant. As a musician she is an accomplished pianist, guitarist and singer, and her skills have shown obvious development each time I have heard her. She seems to learn something from the musicians with whom she plays, then incorporates those new techniques in her own performances. While this is something the first time listener might not notice, someone considering seeing Ms. Werner for the first time can be assured that she will have never sounded better.
