Review: Rosemary Loar Commands with CORAÇĀO VAGABUNDO at Green Room 42

Rosemary Loar, celebrating the release of her ninth CD, confidently walks onto the stage in a pink dress and matching shoes. She strikes a pose, to applause, and bassist Tom Hubbard plays a walking little tune as Loar dives into a breathy rendition of "You Taught My Heart to Sing." She’s quite energetic on stage, putting on a lively performance, showing off her upper range against a backdrop of bass fills and a piano solo from Frank Ponzio on the keys. Immediately, she launches into the second song of the evening, "Just a Fairly Tale," an original composition by Loar herself. It begins softly, before the punchy chords come in. "Just a Fairy Tale" is about being over it, and Loar embodies that emotional center. She dances during the jazzy instrumental break anchored around Vito Lesczak’s drums, then goes right back to her lighthearted delivery. She holds the final note, and the song ends. She excitedly tells the audience about her ninth CD, Coraçāo Vagabundo (Portuguese for “Vagabond Heart”), then relates a story about going to Sicily and watching Mount Etna erupt.

This ties right into her next number, "Get Out of Town," originally written by Cole Porter, but with a new verse by Loar at the end (“Don’t tell Cole Porter,” she jokes). She explores her lower register a bit more on this song, keeping the chorus soft and airy. The drum groove and the emotion of the lyrics help Loar conjure up a feeling of longing. The show continues, and Loar shows off her versatility. One number she’ll be wistful over piano arpeggios, another number she’ll be explosive. Her passion for performing is strong throughout, although especially notable on "Midnight Sun" and "Your Turn to be Brave," the latter of which is another original. Before performing it, she tells a story about going on a date with a man and wanting to slap him, ending her anecdote with “The only thing I can do is write a song so I don’t commit a serious act of violence.” It’s a jazzy tune, with major chords providing a nice backing for her relaxed yet enthusiastic delivery. She even throws in some scatting at some points (as she does on a few other numbers as well).

She’s quite comfortable on stage, bantering with the audience and thanking them in equal measure, in between witty anecdotes. She creates a welcoming and engaging atmosphere, one of friendliness. She leans on some classics, such as "Fascinating Rhythm," originally performed by Fred Astaire, a lively number about obsession. She leans on the piano and gradually builds her voice up to the fast and loud vocal runs later in the song, before dialing it back down towards the end. She tends to stick to songs about passion in some form or another, with numbers that seek to capture wistful longing, regret, pleasant nostalgia, and raw desire. She hits all these emotional beats successfully, being able to draw out her notes on a sad and quiet song and then come roaring back for a peppier number right after.

Her third original number of the night, "I Don’t Want to Know For Sure," is one of the more mellow songs of the evening, with a minimalist instrumentation that lets Loar’s voice project the themes of uncertainty into the room. She chooses to end her set with the song that the show (and her new album) is named after, "Coraçāo Vagabundo." The song was originally written and sung by Brazilian musician and activist Caetano Veloso and sung in Portuguese. Before she starts, she explains that one of the lines in the song is “my heart doesn’t tire of having hope,” and reflects a bit on that poignant and timeless sentiment. A message we could all stand to hear these days. Her performance overflows with an infectious sense of that hope until it ends softly. Loar shows off her versatility in this show, going from musical theater to standards to original compositions, as well as throwing in a song in Italian, one in French, and one in Portuguese. No matter what language or style she sings in, Loar is able to command a room like few others can.

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Learn where to follow Rosemary Loar, and buy her new album, on her website.

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