Elizabeth Shepherd / Toronto, Canada / July 22nd, 2009/ Performing at Hugh's Room / Jazz Vocals
Elizabeth
Shepherd may have grown up as the daughter of Salvation Army ministers, but
there were no brass band parades on July 22nd as the jazz singer
/ songwriter performed with her trio at Hugh’s Room in Toronto. The only
parade took place following her second set, as fans proceeded to buy her CDs
and they lined up afterwards to have her autograph them.
Shepherd who has in the past been nominated for Canada’s top music award, a Juno, had her long brown hair tied in a ponytail as it trailed to the middle of her back, and she was dressed in grey slacks and a red and black, flower print blouse.
Seated at the grand piano, to the left of the stage, Shepherd opened with her original composition “Shining Tear Of The Sun,” from her new album Parkdale, before moving into the title track from the same CD. She dedicated the song “Parkdale,” to Kevin Clarke, a unique individual living in Toronto, who once ran for public office, while he was a homeless person. The lyrics for “Parkdale,” an area of Toronto, are earthy, and reflect the mood of the streets, “Chalk hearts on broken streets / smoking, sweet relief / his soul knows no defeat / you just can’t stop him,” and, “Shredded hearts in paper shacks / know only love through lack / each day back / looking hard to find it / keep on looking, never stop.” “Parkdale,” featured great hand percussion by an outstanding musician Roman Tomé, as he served up beats on both the bongos and a super quinto, while upright bass player Scott Kemper delivered funky vibes. Shepherd had a vocalese solo about the midpoint of the piece, before Kemper joined her by creating percussion with hand slaps to the body of his instrument. Eventually, drummer Colin Kingsmore and Tomé joined in, as the tempo built to a torrid crescendo.
The tune “Heavy Falls The Night,” another Shepherd original composition, showcased the singer’s gentle, rich vocals, as she cooed the love ballad.
Elizabeth Shepherd’s first set also featured her interpretation of Dizzy Gillespie’s “Con Alma,” and John Hicks’ “Hanna’s Love Song.” On the Gillespie tune, the performance of Kingsmore wielding his sticks and Tomé’s hand percussion magic was met with a rousing applause from the audience.
A tender moment came towards the end of the first set as Shepherd introduced “Let Me Be,” by telling the audience “I’m in love. I’m getting married in October,” before saying, “This song is about knowing you are in love.” Shepherd’s vulnerability and obvious connection with her lyrics, resulted in an evocative vocal performance and superb phrasing.
The bandleader opened her second set with a cover of Oscar Brown Jr.’s “Long As You’re Living,” and she counted the band in, later describing the song as “an exercise in circular breathing.”
Highlights from Shepherd’s second set included, the beautiful ballad “Waves,” dedicated to her grandmother who passed away recently, a cover of Ann Murray’s tune “Danny’s Song,” and a song she described as her favorite “Start To Move,” from her album of the same name.
As the evening drew to a close the audience was relentless in their demands for an encore and Elizabeth Shepherd and her trio of musicians obliged them.
Elizabeth Shepherd is a gifted songwriter, who demonstrates the versatility to slow down the music while singing and playing a soft, gentle ballad, or to spice things up with a funky piano riff and lead her band in upbeat fun tunes. She is the consummate performer, demonstrating a comfortable demeanor when talking to her audience, as she communicates sincerely and makes a connection, while staying clear of the glib attitude of some entertainers and she does not resort to dusty jokes employed by others. Most of all, she is a generous bandleader allowing her musicians to shine and she enables them to bring their creativity to the stage.
Check out Elizabeth Shepherd's website.
Photo by: Lourdes Ramos, protected by copyright ©
Reviewed by Joe Montague
July 22nd, 2009
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Riveting Riffs Magazine wishes to express our gratitude to the management of Hugh's Room for making it possible to review this performance
