Review: JOEY ARIAS (with Ben Allison) Brings His LITTLE BLACK BOOK and Downtown Sensibilities To Pangea

Joey Arias is a vocalist, songwriter, actor, performance artist, and host, has been on the scene here since the 1980s. Visually and vocally distinctive, Arias's signature black bangs and ponytail have been on stages such as Club 57, Astor Theater, HERE, and Abrons Art Center--not to mention playing Mistress of Seduction at Cirque du Soleil's Zumanity in Las Vegas.

I've seen her perform in solo concert, strapped to a wheel by aliens for the sci-fi fantasy Arias with a Twist (in collaboration with incomparable puppeteer, Basil Twist), guest at Taylor Mac's Lincoln Center appearance (uptown!) with a terrific rendition of "Bye Bye Blackbird," and now at the intimate Pangea (on 2nd Avenue, between 11th and 12th streets). To say the physically diminutive Arias is larger than life is a comment on her fully inhabited, unique presence and talent. On May 30 (the third of seven show run through late July), she's aided and abetted in Little Black Book (no idea what the title means) by Musical Director (and superb bass player) Ben Allison and guitarist Brandon Seabrook.

We open with a high spirited "Why Don't You Do Right?" (Joseph "Kansas Joe" McCoy), replete with a flash of gartered thigh. Why don't you do right/Like some other men do?/Get out of here and get me some money too? Close your eyes and you'd think you were listening to a 1930s blues singer. The song comes out in spurts, often with a rasp accompanied by Arias' familiar, high pitched squeal, like Arab ululation. Hands float. Arias gracefully dips.

Next is Billie Holiday/Arthur Herzog's iconic "God Bless the Child". (Arias' Holiday tribute Strange Fruit ran Off Broadway.) Lyrics enter strong, then retreat with an echo. Vibrato remains way back in the vocalist's throat, as if an afterthought. Phrasing is pithy, gospel. Seabrook dwells on long chords, Allison leans into his instrument pushing and plucking, Arias adds a word, a wail, a waver. S's are elongated. A fine arrangement.

From here we pass to another genre, one that's too big for its surroundings. Sound, especially backup is painfully LOUD, exacerbated by requested reverb. "White Room" (Cream) careens off the walls. I feel like I'm back in psychedelic 1968. Effects are achieved but at a price. This is a waste of the artist's voice. The "chaser" to this is Paul McCartney's "Something" arranged too much like its predecessor to have any emotional effect. A pity, as Arias could've aced this as a ballad. Ditto for Bob Dylan's "Lay Lady, Lay."

Arias's own song, "With New Now" (with Allison) has the hip pulse of an alienated city heart: All those faces walking by/Locked in each other's minds/If I could only testify/As I write down these lines. . . The selection would be more effective hushed and haunted. Instead, Seabrook takes over with R & R riffs that bury lyric effect.

This is an extremely short show. Even much of what's offered is brief or left to musicians. I admit to being disappointed in both the choice of material and clearly intentional volume. Arias is a talented artist but this time was unaccommodating to his otherwise delightful environs.

Joey Arias performs Little Black Book again at Pangea (178 2nd Avenue) on June 20 and 27, July 11 and 25, all at 9 pm.

Photos by Albie Mitchell

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