Review: Jennifer And Her Quartet Are Definitely Well Paced At The Laurie Beechman Theatre

During the week before the city of New York began voluntary quarantine, I attended several shows and events. When physical isolating started, all of the focus at Broadway World Cabaret went toward notifying readers about online activities. Now that everyone is settled in and learning how to live in this new normal, I feel a duty to report on those shows -- the artists deserve to have their stories told and their followers deserve to hear them. Indeed, this is more than my duty, it is my pleasure and my privilege. Today, the first of those stories is one about The Jennifer Pace Quartet at The Laurie Beechman Theatre.

There is a reason that Jennifer Pace is one of the most respected members of the cabaret nightclub community. This award-winning singer has, long, been a favorite of club-goers who frequent piano bars, where she can be found (almost) nightly, entertaining crowds outside of the structure of a show, which is a special gift in and of itself. Audiences can't know the unique talent of being a piano bar entertainer where anything can happen and often does, but it must be a happy change of scene for a piano bar pro to step up on a stage for an hour of music they have planned like a book, with chapters leading the audience where the singer wants them to go. Pace plans out the journey beautifully with time-honored classics from The Great American Songbook that are always a pleasure to hear, especially in the hands of such accomplished musicians. From her opening number "I Hear Music," right through to her final song, the incredible "For All We Know," Pace & co, provide an opportunity to reflect on the great music of the past while enjoying the great music of the moment. Each of the tunes that Jennifer brings to the stage is efficiently and artistically arranged to show off not only the beauty of her voice but the skill utilized in taking that voice to places eloquent and emotional, staying within the time period and musical style being represented - Pace feels no need to sing the seeming-obligatory pop pyrotechnics of modern-day vocalists. Naturally, these arrangements take care to give each of the stellar musicians ample opportunities to show off their own fine-honed skills, clearly, one of Pace's missions in putting together this show, since her adoration of Gil Chimes, Tom Kirchmer and Warren Vache is on full display for the entire show. As for the fourth member of the quartet, Jennifer has more than a passing association or passing affection for her musical director, arranger, and pianist, Gary Pace, because the dude is her dad, and watching them make music together is a real treat, a joy to behold - enough to make one wish for a chance to create art with their own mother or father.

Ms. Pace has a gorgeous economy with words during her show. No, no, she isn't aloof, quite the opposite. She is easy going, and she is outgoing, at times quite playful, especially with the front row and the members of the band; but there is never any doubt that Jennifer's priority is to the music, to the writers who put the words and the notes together, to the band that is paying due to the composers, and to the audience that came to hear their artwork. There is a reverential approach that Jennifer Pace takes when making a deep dive into the songs, and as the frontwoman of the quartet, she sets the right tone for an enjoyable show, highlights of which include a tenderly introspective "Prelude To A Kiss" that featured some serious ivory tickling by Papa Pace, and a sophisticated stand out with a "The Masquerade Is Over" that will make you forget the famous Nancy Wilson recording. Each song performed gets equal treatment as Pace and her quartet advocate for the value the tune brings to the history of music: they love this music and they want us to love it, too - to revel in the beauty of melodies we might, at times, take for granted, that is, until a team of musicians reminds us how doggone great they are. In this room at The Laurie Beechman Theatre where one often finds the fun times of rowdy drag show crowds and the raucous burlesque show crowds, a chance to sit back with a scotch and hear some serious jazz musicians jam is like calling the babysitter and going out for a date night with your spouse, an experience made even more special by an onstage family display that includes hearing a recording of Pace's paternal grandfather Sal playing "After You've Gone" on his clarinet with a band some seventy-odd years ago. Sharing the family devotion to music with her audience is a sweet and savvy to bring everyone together for the kind of shared experience that makes us all human and all connected.

That's what the Jennifer Pace Quartet does when they get up on a stage together to perform - they connect to each other and to an audience watching in smiling, swaying, satisfied appreciation.

Jennifer Pace regularly sings online for Brandy's Piano Bar. Visit the Facebook Page for Brandy's HERE

There is a benefit for Brandy's Piano Bar on April 30th at 8 pm. HERE is the event page.

Jennifer Pace works at Marie's Crisis, a piano bar that has a nightly show online at the Facebook Page called Maries Group HERE - Jennifer performs on Friday and Saturday nights. Marie's Group does a Happy Hour on Friday nights on Broadway World.

Find Jennifer Pace online at her WEBSITE

Photos by Stephen Mosher

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