In 'Louise & Sally On Tin Pan Alley', the opposing sonic waves of classical and jazz do not collide, they converge. As demonstrated on West 28th Street in downtown Manhattan during the 20th century, when divergent forces join, a splendour can be created that is greater than the sum of the parts.
Tin Pan Alley was a meeting place; the establishment met the underground, black met white, pop and Broadway met ragtime and jazz. In their show presented by Under The Microscope, Louise Page OAM, a classical soprano of international renown and Sally Greenaway, an award-winning jazz pianist composer, set the works of Gershwin, Porter and Arlen to a loose historical narrative.
Porter and Arlen have been given the biographical cabaret treatment in recent years by Helpmann Award winner Michael Griffiths and Adelaide Festival Centre Walk Of Fame inductee Johanna Allen respectively. While Michael and Johanna transformed into theatrical characters, Louise and Sally infused their own careers and personalities into the famous works. The narrative was mostly effective, although on some occasions compositions were wedged in that didn’t neatly fit with the theme.
While Tin Pan Alley’s industry was built upon the sale of sheet music, the written notes were not sacrosanct to Greenaway, a composer familiar to audiences of ABC Classic FM. Improvisation is perhaps the essence of jazz. Greenaway savoured in the vocal interludes and thrilled during solo pieces lifted from her forthcoming release, '7 Great Inventions of The Modern Industrial Age'. Most notable was her ragtime reinvention of Bach.
Louise, who will retire at the end of the year after decades treading the boards in discerning operatic markets such as Vienna and Sydney, used her soaring soprano to splash new light upon timeless classics. Draped in fabric that glittered like the stars, she stood perhaps a foot or two away from the microphone at most times, gently easing in when singing in delicate pianissimo. On songs like ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ and ‘Summertime’ from Porgy and Bess, Louise demonstrated emotional and vocal range. The 'Wizard of Oz' classic was given additional emotional heft by lighting director Mark Oakley.
While Louise and Sally were notionally from different worlds, like the glove from the closet and the hand chilled by the winter air, when joined together, they were a snug fit. 'Tin Pan Alley' was an ideal opportunity to farewell an Australian great while simultaneously witnessing a star on the rise.
★★★★☆ 1/2.
