By Ben Watson
From the moment Baltimore-born Dee-Dee Darby-Duffin steps to the microphone in the deceptively intimate space known as Backstage At The Grand, she is in her safe and familiar place– the stage and wings of the venerable Grand Theatre at Salt Lake Community College. This is the fifth consecutive year in which she has visited the venue on the stage and she again shows why she is a bright star in the jazz vocal constellation to compare with Etta James, Billie Holliday, and Diana Krall. In a place where Broadway-style belting vocals usually resound, her robust and nuanced performance quietly makes beautiful noise.
Brian Bennet‘s piano performance is fluid and forgiving. Drummer David Evanoff is an energetic artist who is paired well with the bright and forward music of Mark Maxson on electric guitar. Rounding out the ensemble is bassist Alicia Wrigley-Gailey, who is a solid vocalist in her own right. The whole of their performance is greater than the considerable sum of their parts.
Fond of relating yearly mantras in her life, Darby-Duffin told Thursday’s audience a story about her current incantation, “Be Hungry.” Her compact, 2-set show definitely leaves the audience hungry for more. With standard classics and hidden gems ranging from Nancy Wilson to Nat King Cole, Darby-Duffin’s repertoire puts her balladeer spin on each. Especially touching is the Billie Holliday classic, “God Bless the Child”, where Darby-Duffin digs into her lower register to evoke wistful images. “L.O.V.E.”, by Nat King Cole, brings her versatility forward, and shows that she can deliver energy and bounce to a quicker tune. Her closing number, the perfectly positioned Louis Armstrong standard “What a Wonderful World” highlights Darby-Duffin’s gentle phrasing and passionate resonance, and leaves the audience with a collective smile.
Sound designer Adam Day, along with lighting from Emily Mullaney, and adept stage management from Tahra Veasely, compliment the jazz-club feel of the evening.
Dee Dee Darby-Duffin continues her Backstage at The Grand engagement through January 12. Lovers of jazz vocals would be wise to catch this rare gem while she’s still in such an accessible and welcoming venue.
Salt Lake Community College’s Backstage at The Grand presents Dee-Dee Darby-Duffin’s Back to Basics
Grand Theatre Backstage, 1575 South State Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84115
January 10-12, 2019, 7:30 PM
Tickets: $10-20
Contact: 801-957-3322, grandtheatre@slcc.edu
The Grand Theater’s Facebook Page
Back to Basics with Dee-Dee Darby-Duffin Facebook Event
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