"Go Where the Love Is," the title song of Kim Grogg's current show at Don't Tell Mama, speaks volumes. First, it establishes her as a solid, self-confident singer of infectious MidWestern warmth. Second, it neatly establishes the theme and content of her show: mostly upbeat songs about the mostly positive aspects of love. Third, although "Go Where the Love Is" was composed originally by Edie Brickell, it has been augmented with lyrics from Lennie Watts, Grogg's director and onstage backup singer for this show, and with additional music by Watts and her musical director Steven Ray Watkins, who also provided an arresting, gospel-like arrangement. Fourth, the song's percussive delivery immediately establishes the important and splendid contributions of drummer Donna Kelly and bassist Tom Hubbard to the proceedings. Hands down, this is the best opening number for a cabaret act I've seen this year, which is almost over.
I wish I could tell you that Grogg's entire show lives up to this introduction, but it doesn't quite. Her delivery, even of lesser material, is impeccable. Both vocally and in terms of personality, she reminds me in turns of Rosemary Clooney, Anne Murray and Kaye Ballard. Grogg believes every word and note she sings and is an admirably chummy, accessible artist. Despite the estimable collaboration of her team, this is her show, and you get the sense that most, if not all, of the selections were hers. At their best, they are impeccable. It's hard to imagine "Meantime" (Robert Allen, Al Stillman) sung any better. Her mash-ups are quite marvelous, especially "I've Got No Strings" (Leigh Harline, Ned Washington) paired with "Call Me Irresponsible" (Jimmy Van Heusen, Sammy Cahn), and "Make You Feel My Love" (Bob Dylan) linked to "Count on Me" (Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine). At times it seems as if Grogg reaches for lesser known songs by well-known composers. Even her Cole Porter selection, "Come to the Supermarket (In Old Peking)," a novelty song from his late-in-life television version of Aladdin, is relatively obscure, although Barbra Streisand has recorded it; here it serves as a tribute to her loves of travel and shopping.
A couple of her song selections seem especially quirky outliers to her current thesis. "The Dog Song" (Nellie McKay), about the love of a person for her pet, is downright silly in this context, especially as it comes third in the set order, well before any mention of love for her husband or any other specific human being. "Millworker" (James Taylor) is a moving downer about a young widow who must work forever in a menial job to support her three children, and Grogg delivers it beautifully. But the intended mother-love implication seems overshadowed by the poor-me aspects in Taylor's lyrics. Also, Grogg's between-songs patter can be too lengthy; on opening night, her delivery rambled on a story about how she met her husband, and another shaggy-dog story about how and why they moved to Staten Island served little purpose.
But these minor missteps are forgiven once we hear and see her rousing five-song medley re-introducing and offering high praise (and solos) to her backup: "Killing Me Softly with His Song" (Charles Fox, Norman Gimbel), "Torn Between Two Lovers" (Phillip Jarrell, Peter Yarrow), "All About That Bass" (Kevin Kadish, Meghan Trainor), and "Turn the Beat Around" (Gerald Jackson, Peter Jackson) are neatly summed up by "It's Better With a Band" (Wally Harper, David Zippel). With this band, it sure is.
"Go Where the Love Is"
Don't Tell Mama - November 14, 18, December 5, 7
