Review: Jen Brett Makes NYC Solo Show Debut At Birdland With MOSAIC

Looking every inch the movie star in her spangled purple, form-fitting evening gown, Jen Brett strode strongly and confidently to the Birdland stage on Sunday night, October 8th, to play her first-ever solo show on the stage of a Manhattan nightclub.  MOSAIC didn't just bring Brett to the Birdland stage for a debut, though, for her Musical Director and co-star for the evening was husband Ricky Westrip, just to her right, on the guitar.  Joining in the fun for the unveiling of the husband and wife musical team were bassist Coleman Cook, and drummer Ryan Knudsen, and, as the statuesque beauty at the center mic was quick to point out: all four of the musicians on the stage had played the cruise ship circuit at some point, oftentimes together.   "We're very versatile, so we love to show off what we can do," proclaimed the musical theater-trained singing actress, observing that, while most of the arrangements for the evening were by Mr. Westrip, there might be a treat or two by Mr. Knudsen.  And with the announcement of the band's versatility, off went Jen Brett and co., into the night air of autumn, with an eclectic mixture of music.

Opening with a jazz-infused slow burn of the classic "Feelin' Good" that reflected Westrip's skills and Brett's aesthetic, the band ran the gamut from Broadway, with an almost traditional "I Get a Kick Out Of You" (the 'almost' was courtesy of a Westrip guitar solo), to Eighties rock, with some proper Pat Benatar (closing number "Heartbreaker") with some bonafide Great American Songbook, a frantically arranged "My Funny Valentine," all designed to present to the full Birdland house Jen Brett as she would be showcased on one of the many cruise ships she has played, and as she, clearly, intends to be known on the stages of New York City, her home town.  The cabaret and concert debutant cut no corners when putting the show together; Jen Brett wants to sing jazz, musical theater, pop, rock, and anything else she can wrap her vocal cords around.  It is patently clear that she knows who she is and what she wants her brand to be, and her audience was most appreciative of her efforts, which included an act of generosity, as she yielded the stage to her husband and the other gentlemen for a Ricky Westrip original compositon. 

Particularly effective in the evening's entertainment was a portion of the programming dedicated to the telling of the Brett-Westrip love story.  The couple met aboard one of their cruise ships, worked together, developed a romance, and, then, the gentleman proposed to the lady on stage in front of the audience.  Brett, who spent an appreciable amount of time throughout the show gazing at her husband (and doing a fair bit of flirting), recounted their love story before singing the song that Westrip used when he popped the question, the Fleetwood Mac classic "Landslide."  Between the story, the song, and the palpable love between the newlyweds, Jen had the audience in the palm of her hand.  In spite of a plethora of hard driving up-tempo numbers informed by Westrip's fast fingers and Brett's vocal pyrotechnics, the quietly emotional number shot out ahead to be the highlight of the evening, a moment that really let the audience in, that gave everyone permission to feel the love, possibly even sighing romantic sighs at the adorable couple

It is always interesting, exciting, and worth noting when a new artist comes onto the scene in New York City, and the Birdland family, from the employees to the artists to the regular patrons sitting in the seats out front, are, indeed, fortunate that owner Gianni Valenti has made a practice of offering emerging artists a chance and a stage from which to explore their art, to share their stories, to build their following.  Jen Brett, an actual member of the Birdland family, working in front of house, was a notable addition to the show calendar, capturing the attention of the many people who filled the club for this special night of the year 2023 for herself and for all the Birdlanders.  What a nice honeymoon, and on dry land, yet.

MOSAIC was a one-off performance but other great shows play Birdland all the time.  Find those shows by visiting the Birdland website HERE.

Jen Brett has a website that can be accessed HERE.

Photos by Stephen Mosher

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