I'mmmm backkkk.. .

Last night, Jane Harvey at L.A.'s M Bar was a textbook demonstration of what great singing and performance is all about. She hit the stage running, backed by Stuart Elster's trio, and showed that a ten year (or more?) break in performing had done nothing to dim her skills. In a turn lasting seventy minutes (but seeming like far fewer), and relying mostly on material from the Sondheim songbook, with a soupcon of Arlen, Kern et al thrown in for good measure, she nailed every lyric and NOTE. . .except for occasional spot-on forays into judicious note substitution. Jane isn't just great for her age, she's just flat-out great. As for her age, let's just say that she was the very first face ever broadcast on NBC-TV and let it go at that. And as for THAT FACE, it still looks great. I fearlessly predict that when Jane plays Feinstein's in New York this coming March, she'll blow the lid off the boite. P.S. If you want to consider this a rave review, please feel free to do so.