Review: EVE MARIE SHAHOIAN: TAKE ME TO THE WORLD Is an Elegant Look at Gratitude at Don't Tell Mama

I love surprises. Whether it's that series I decided to stream based solely on the poster art, or that Christmas present someone gave me as an afterthought that turned out to be my most prized possession, or that kitchen gadget I picked up completely on a whim that I now wonder how I ever lived without. How wonderful when a performer can give you the same experience. I honestly chose Eve Marie Shahoian's show, TAKE ME TO THE WORLD at Don't Tell Mama because I had an unexpected free night that I wasn't sure how to fill. Boy, did I choose right! Not only is Eve Marie Shahoian a delightful soprano, but she also has something to say, and she says it with style and passion and a great deal of flair.

Her show, of course, is named for the song by Sondheim that has become the unofficial anthem of everyone who survived the pandemic. Her show is also about survival, about finding gratitude in challenging circumstances, and being passionate about the things that matter most: home, love, and family. Ms. Shahoian is a classical crossover artist. She didn't sing an aria all night, but her technique is stellar. She sang jazz and pop and standard show tunes and even a little rock and found the heart of each of those styles perfectly.

Ms. Shahoian, who hails from the Bay Area in California, has an interesting story. She was a child prodigy whose gifts landed her an appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson when she was only 8 years old. She has been making beautiful music ever since, including two albums, Waiting for You and Believe, which was the winner of several awards.

Her show this evening began with a jazz-infused rendition of Irving Berlin's "Blue Skies" that could easily apply to all of us as the world reopens after a terrible year. She then gave us a particularly wonderstruck "Pure Imagination." She also gave us a string of wonderful standards in "The Sunny Side of the Street," "When You're Smiling," and "What a Wonderful World." She showed off her entire dynamic range with a very powerful reading of "More Than You Know." From the softest pianissimo to forte belting her tone was exquisite and her diction was impeccable.

Ms. Shahoian is not only a wonderful singer, but she is also a very gifted songwriter. The highlight of the evening for me were two of her own songs, "Waiting For You" and "If You Were a Melody," a tender love song she dedicated to her children.

She was aided by her guest star, the very gifted Nicolas King, who joined her for a frothy duet on "I've Got the World on a String." She then left the stage to King who gave us two wonderful numbers of his own. First Sondheim's achingly beautiful "Children Will Listen" and then a beautiful arrangement of James Taylor's "Secret 'o Life." Both songs were a warning to not let any moment slip away unnoticed. King also reminded us that he too has the distinction of having sung on the Tonight Show when he was 8 years old. It is a very small group of individuals who can make that claim.

Eve Marie Shahoian returned to the stage and gave us a breathless and beautiful scene with Sondheim's "I Remember" and then a charming version of "Someone to Watch Over Me" before ending her show with "Thank You for the Music," ABBA's hit about gratitude. It was a perfect ending to a show about thankfulness and mindfulness and so many other qualities we need more of as we return to our somewhat normal lives.

Ms. Shahoian was accompanied by the very talented Jon Weber on the piano. He is an extremely sensitive jazz pianist who manages to show off his marvelous technique while giving the singer space to truly shine. And Ms. Shahoian did, in fact, shine, quite brilliantly. She told us that she comes to New York at least once a year. You should definitely keep an eye out for her. She puts on a very elegant and lovely show.

For more information on Eve Marie Shahoian, visit her website evemarieshahoian.com. To learn more about Nicolas King, go to nicolasking.com or find him @nicolasking on Twitter. To see what Jon Weber is up to, check out jonwebermusic.com. And to find more great acts at Don't Tell Mama, see donttellmamanyc.com.

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