BWW Reviews: RANDY NEWMAN'S Terrific Show at the Sheldon

So, one evening (February 25, 2011) Randy Newman is providing the assembled throng at the Sheldon Concert Hall (a benefit for the Friends of the Sheldon) with an immensely entertaining concert, and a couple of days later he's picking up his second Academy Award (after countless nominations) for his composition "We Belong Together" from Toy Story 3. Pretty sweet, huh? The really cool thing is that I was at his show at the Sheldon, and since I honestly can't recall the last time he's even appeared in St. Louis, I'm thankful I was able to catch him on this rare occasion. Newman, seated alone at the piano, regaled the audience with his self-deprecating wit and his enormous talent for a couple of hours, making his appearance here a memorable one.

Newman started writing and, more importantly, selling his songs while still a teenager. My first exposure to his songwriting was listening to an old 45 I had of Three Dog Night performing "Mama Told Me Not to Come" (and weren't they one of the best cover bands ever). And the first time I clearly remember hearing Randy's voice was when I heard him singing "He Gives Us All His Love" over the opening credits for the movie "Cold Turkey" (1971). I'll even admit to owning an 8-track tape of his Little Criminals album if it will lend this piece some historical weight. What it boils down to is the fact that I've followed Newman's career with great interest over the years, watching him stretch as an arranger and composer, initially dabbling in film work before becoming a prolific and much sought after composer in Hollywood.

But, this occasion focused on his songs, and over the course of the evening he must have covered over thirty little gems from his catalog. Actually, it's the brevity of his writing, something that was considered the norm back when radio dictated that songs should be held to three minutes or less, that's especially appealing to me, since it afforded Newman the opportunity to pluck a wide variety of tunes from his vast canon.

I won't bore you with a set list, and frankly, I couldn't keep up with the selections anyway. I will say that right from the opening numbers I felt like he was reading my mind. He kicked off the night with "It's Money That I Love" before segueing into "Mama Told Me Not to Come". And by the time he'd finished his first half dozen numbers, he'd also managed to cover "Short People". An early highlight for the audience came with the chance to provide backing vocals for "I'm Dead and I Don't Know It", which pokes fun at all the geriatric rockers who are still performing and recording, even though they probably shouldn't be.

Newman is a savvy performer, and he made sure to cover material like "I Love LA" and "You Can Leave Your Hat On" as well, but he also took the time to delve into some of his more personal songs, investing them with unexpected and affecting emotions. And in these stripped-down arrangements, a song like "Marie" or "I Miss You", laid bare of its original accompaniment, is able to make much more of an impact.

Throughout the evening Newman's work on the piano was impeccable, and it was a real treat to listen to him pound out the ragtime, blues, rock and roll, and tin pan alley styles that his compositions favor, with such playful abandon. Of course, the biting satirical sting of his lyrics, and the way they seem to simply and effortlessly conjure up complete characterizations and situations is also a matter of considerable appeal. And, then there's Newman's voice, which is delightfully imperfect and gruff, and 100% free of auto-tuning, but which still manages to pack considerable charm and emotion into his delivery.

All I can say that is that it was truly a pleasure to have the opportunity to see Randy Newman perform.

Maura O'Connell is the next scheduled performer at the Sheldon Concert Hall, with an 8pm show scheduled for Friday, March 4, 2011.

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