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May 17th 2012
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And Along Came Spider Saloff By Randy Freedman
And Along Came Spider Saloff By Randy Freedman
Date Posted: March 08 2011
Written By: Randy Freedman
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Chicago resident Spider Saloff has a well-deserved reputation as one of Chicago’s most talented and versatile entertainers. Any of her career accomplishments as jazz singer, actress, cabaret performer, composer, radio host, or recording artist would be impressive individually, and together form an extraordinary resume. With the highest of expectations, I braved the freezing single-digit January outside temperature to hear Saloff, accompanied by veteran Chicago pianist Tom Muellner, give a Saturday night jazz performance at Katerina’s Supper Club.
Nationally and internationally known, Saloff has won five MAC awards from the Manhattan Association of Cabarets, which included one for Best Female Jazz Vocalist. She has headlined the St. Petersburg Gershwin Festival in Russia with her concert “Spider Saloff Sings Gershwin,” and has appeared at prestigious national venues like New York’s Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Russian Tea Room, in addition to San Francisco’s Plush Room, Chicago’s Green Mill, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, and recently M Bar in Los Angeles, with Grammy-winning pianist, Bill Cunliffe. Saoff has received a special citation for her musical contributions from NARAS, The National Academy of Recording Arts and Science (presenter of the Grammy Awards).
Jazz fans and musicians love to endlessly speculate and discuss who is really a “jazz singer” and who is not. Not once however, have I ever heard a clear cut, and practical definition given during any of these discussions. The words improvisation, scat, and interpretation are often bandied about as defining terms, but seldom with same meaning or intent twice. Even when these terms are clarified, if only for the purpose of a particular discussion, there is often no objective agreement as to how “jazzy” a particular singer performance is in those three categories. Someone as versatile as Saloff is almost assured to be included as a subject for these discussions, but Spider prefers to be known first and foremost as a “jazz singer,” which is exactly how I think of her.
Saloff and Muellner began their Saturday night performance at Katerina’s, as well as the musical highlights of the evening with a rendition of “Day In, Day Out,” that featured Saloff’s audience capturing exuberance punctuated with a thought provoking Muller piano solo. Other highlights included “The Very Thought Of You,” a mood lightening “‘Deed I Do” and “Honeysuckle Rose” (which began slowly and methodically, then progressed into a lively fast dance hall-style performed perfectly by Muellner). These three songs all offered a showcase for Saloff to show her ability to scat.n”Makin’ Whoopee” was clearly sung by Sayloff to draw laughs from the audience, and she got them in bunches. Saloff varied her phrasing from soft and romantic on “Prelude To A Kiss” all the way to sexy and sultry on “Caravan.”
In addition to her clever manipulation of voice and phrase common to the best jazz singers, Saloff adds body language, facial expression, hand gestures and a provocative verbal jazz narrative delivered as much for humor as for historical perspective. This is probably why some snooty self-styled “jazz purists” might like to affix Saloff with a “cabaret-only” label, but the basic uncomplicated high quality of her vocal performance keeps it from sticking and leaves Saloff regarded by many critics, including this one, as one of the most outright enjoyable female jazz vocalists working today. Her performance proves that the phrases ‘jazz singer” and “consummate entertainer” are not mutually exclusive.
For more information contact: spiderjazz.com or katerinas.com.
nCJM
Chicago freelance writer Randy Freedman is a jazz connoisseur, photographer, food critic, humorist, and devoted music fan. He is a regular contributor to Chicago Jazz Magazine.
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