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Cabaret Hotline Online
Jinny Sagorin
IT'S FOR YOU - Debut Solo CD Release
Scullers Jazz Club, Boston, MA
By Ida Zecco
February 1, 2005
On Tuesday, February 1, 2005, SCULLERS JAZZ CLUB (400 Soldiers Field Road, Allston, MA - 617-562-4111 - scullersjazz.com) at 8:00 pm, a packed audience excitedly anticipated the appearance of Jinny Sagorin in a performance that launched her debut, solo CD, IT'S FOR YOU. Ms. Sagorin did not disappoint. She delighted. And, for the next hour and twenty minutes she enchanted us with a very personal, musical journey.
Jinny Sagorin is no stranger to the Boston cabaret community; often appearing as a featured guest in some of Boston's cabaret clubs/lounges or participating in an evening of open mic performances. But, this is the first time I have had the opportunity to hear Ms. Sagorin, and I was impressed at the range and texture of her exquisite voice: her ability to vocally move with ease through a rigorous repertoire of musical theater, folk and rock and her graceful and endearing presence on stage. IT'S FOR YOU, the CD and the show, presents the story of Ms. Sagorin's journey from Durban, in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, to finding her home in Boston—both physically and spiritually.
Ms. Sagorin began the evening with a strong opening, "Journey To The Past," Stephen Flaherty/Lynn Ahrens. Next, Joni Mitchell's "Carey," with its wide range and quirky intervals which was performed with perfection, followed by "Mira," Bob Merrill; "Where Everybody Knows Your Name," Gary Portnoy/Judy Hart Angelo; and a very nice, wistful arrangement that combined "A Little Bit In Love," with "Lucky To Be Me," Betty Comden/Adolph Green/Leonard Bernstein.
A wonderfully performed "What More Do I Need," Stephen Sondheim followed. "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off," George and Ira Gershwin, which was cleverly sung by adding very funny dialogue between verses; reinforcing the sometimes surprising results when spurting out South African colloquialisms as a new comer to the US. A note here that Ms. Sagorin is a very good storyteller; charming and sincere.
"Blame It On The Summer Night," Stephen Schwartz/Charles Strouse was gorgeously sultry and warm, a true gem in the evening. "Far From The Home I Love," Sheldon Harnick/Jerry Bock is a signature song of Ms. Sagorin's and well worth listening to again and again. "You've Got That Thing," Cole Porter was next, although I would have liked to have heard this in a lower key; Sagorin sure has the range and can easily pull it off.
Marcy Heisler/Zina Goldrich's "Make Your Own Party," as well as their, "Nothing I Wouldn't Do," were performed with another well known, Boston cabaret performer, Will McMillan. Both performers exercised their singing and theatrical skills and allowed these numbers to sparkle as highlights in the show.
"The Child In You," Tina Schow/David Ledbetter, with a terrific smooth-jazz arrangement, was captivating and aptly supported by Jinny's Music Director and accompanist, Doug Hammer. "In My Life," John Lennon and encore numbers, "I Like America," Noel Coward and "It's For You," John Lennon/Paul McCartney rounded out the evening.
But, the tour de force of the evening came with two courageous and outstanding songs: "Hot Gates," by Christopher Torr; a profoundly simple and poignant message of the greatness of humankind as well as the evil it has inflicted upon the earth for thousands of years. The other was the painfully moving and beautifully performed "Weeping," by Dan Heymann, with back up singers, Will McMillan, Pamela Enders and Annie Sharkey. "Weeping," is a stark reminder of the blight of South Africa's struggle with apartheid. From the haunting harmonies of South Africa to the intoxicating rhythms played by percussionist Steve Chaggaris, this was a number that, all alone, was worth the price of the ticket!
Jinny Sagorin is a performer you are compelled to see over and over again. And, this show is worth catching if you were not able to grab a ticket before it was sold out—almost three weeks in advance. My hope is that 1) Jinny will continue to perform IT'S FOR YOU—it is a good story; well told and exquisitely sung, and 2) that this CD is hugely successful for her!
IT'S FOR YOU, may be purchased through Ms. Sagorin's website: http://www.jinnysagorin.com/. A portion of the proceeds of the sale of every CD will be donated to the Partners AIDS Research Center (PARC) at the Mass General Hospital. PARC is directly involved with helping fight AIDS in Jinny's home town of Durban, SA, which has been hardest hit by the pandemic.
Copyright, 2005 by Ida Zecco
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