Review: Sam Gravitte Raises The Bar With SONGS THAT RAISED ME at Birdland

Sam Gravitte spared no effort when it came to acknowledging his parents during his debut solo show last night at Birdland. His family was the frequent topic of conversation during the sixty-five-minute program, as the Broadway leading man shared the stories of his youth and the formative years that led him to The Great White Way. With obvious pride and a strong sense of family tradition, the singing actor spoke of being the child of two actors, and some of the lessons and influences that his mother and father had on him, as parents and as performers. Anyone who didn't know, walking in the door, about Sam Gravitte's pedigree, certainly knew about it after the performance. But Sam Gravitte's pedigree, while an essential part of the mosaic that is his life and his personality, is unimportant when it comes to what he has to offer the business of show. Sam Gravitte is here to make it, all on his own, supported by the strong foundation created by talent, technique, and pure, raw, star power.

And what parent doesn't want that?

After establishing himself in the cabaret community as an ensemble soloist and guest artist in a series of group shows, Mr. Gravitte made the inevitable (and wise) decision to go out onto the solo show limb, and although he was clearly excited about his debut solo show (remarking on it a few times with a glint in his eye like a child with a shiny new toy), there was no discernible evidence that this actually was his first solo club act. There were no nerves. There was no trepidation. There was no hesitation. Sam Gravitte hit the ground running and didn't stop until he had told his story in what should be hailed as one of the best cabaret coming-out parties of all time. In short: Sam Gravitte hit a home run last night. Right. Out. Of the park.

Cabaret shows can take a myriad of different forms, and what Sam Gravitte presented last night is something that this writer would best describe as the Liza Minnelli format. When the legendary artist creates a concert or a television special, she maps out a three-act play with crystal clear segments focusing on specific storytelling goals, and though Mr. Gravitte named his show SONGS THAT RAISED ME, the ground he covered went far beyond those borders, in three distinctive chapters that show who he is as an artist... or, at least a little of it.

Act One: The Introduction. Sam Gravitte appears without an announcement or introduction and dives right in, all smiles, dimples, energy, and excitement. With his beautiful singing voice and genial persona, he wins over the audience with a couple of Sinatra up-tempos, a stunning reinvention of an Eliza Doolittle paean to dancing, and a moving tribute to father Beau Gravitte - a LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA duet with breathtaking singing actress Solea Pfeiffer. It is, though, in this first section that Mr. Gravitte really captures the attention and imagination with an Appalachian Folk Song, "Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies," proving that his storytelling skills are as considerable as the pure and simple power behind his perfect voice.

Act Two: The Artist Within. Leaving the band alone for a little Jerome Kern (and nobody to sing the Dorothy Fields lyrics), the amiable crooner returns with a change of costume to perform an original song cycle composed by Musical Director Jake Landau FOR Sam Gravitte. In a superb demonstration of both artists' skills, Gravitte displays acting capabilities that one suspects inform all of his work, but that seem to resonate, particularly, when communicating Mr. Landau's creations, and though one is reluctant to use The S Word, Mr. Landau's composition is so creative and innovative that one cannot help but be reminded of another musical theater titan whom everyone admires, one whose name permeated the final chapter.

Act Three: Bringing It Home. The personal touch is the order of the day as Sam gets down to brass tacks, talking about family holiday traditions, his introduction to the passion of the theater through the play INTO THE WOODS, and his father and his mother, his mother, his divine mother, ending his oh-so-personal cabaret debut with the song "Mr. Monotony," which his Mom sang in the play Jerome Robbins' Broadway, taking home a Tony Award. Mom, Debbie Gravitte, was visibly overwhelmed and proud of her boy. It was a superb number with which to follow up a sublimely straightforward and unpretentious "Finishing the Hat" but it was not, as intended, his finale because Gravitte's audience insisted upon an encore. Not having prepared an encore, Sam Gravitte - on the spot - sat down to play "Holy Grail," a song of his own composition that he admitted he could not remember the words to. Nevertheless, the star of the evening found those words and, with band members Ravi Campbell (guitar), Kanoa Mendenhall (bass), and Zach Mullings (drums) contributing on the fly, Sam Gravitte brought it home with all the gentle honesty and tender sweetness one can only suspect is his day-to-day demeanor.

It was the most auspicious of debuts one could ever hope to witness; here's hoping it was the first of many more to come.

Looks like the Gravitte legacy is in good hands.

The SONGS THAT RAISED ME band was Ravi Campbell on guitar, Kanoa Mendenhall on bass, Zach Mullings on drums, and Musical Director, arranger, composer Jake Landau on piano.

Sam Gravitte SONGS THAT RAISED ME was a one-night-only event. To find other great shows to see, visit the Birdland website HERE.

Follow Sam Gravitte on Instagram HERE.

Sam Gravitte gets a five out of five microphones rating for performing his entire show without the use of a lyric sheet, tablet, or music stand.

Photos by Stephen Mosher

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