BWW Reviews: SIMPLY SCOTT ALAN is a Gorgeous Night of Lush Music

Musical theater and pop music composer Scott Alan kicked off this week with incredible gusto, retuning to New York City stages after a year and a half. Monday's Simply Scott Alan concert marked the prolific and beloved artist's 54 BELOW debut, and served as a fantastic evening of wondrous music and dazzling performances. On the heels of the release of his first collection of greatest hits (Greatest Hits, Vol. 1: The Songs of Scott Alan), the concert was a celebration of some his most cherished tunes and his musical Home.

With whimsy and pizzazz, the show was opened by Marty Thomas, Marissa Rosen, Gilyana Castillo, and Christina Cataldo on "I'm a Star." With spirited, indefatigable energy the band created a bold and rich tapestry for this performance and all the others. Chris Delis on guitar, Shannon Ford on drums, Charlie Rosen on bass, Allison Seidner on cello, Kiku Enomoto on violin, David Fallo on viola, Andy Callopy on piano for a couple of songs, and Alan on piano for a majority of the set ensured that the evocatively rich scoring of Alan's compositions rang true in the intimate venue. The band's musical foundation held the audience transfixed so that the vocal performances could move and stir us with ease.

One of the true highlights of the evening was seeing Alan playing the keys with tangible passion and drive. He was often dancing on the bench, mouthing along to his narratively effective lyrics, and basking in the joy of the performances. His charming chutzpah and witty banter (albeit minimal so he could have 17 songs performed) kept the room warm. Then, he surprised the audience with a spectacular encore, signing "Don't Give Up Now," which is a new song he wrote about not letting clinical depression extinguish one's flame.

Each song was masterfully performed by the band and vocalists alike. Standout moments from the evening of music include Julia Murney unleashing her alluring and impressive belt on "West" and Lilla Crawford's rich alto voice on the uplifting "Watch Me Soar." James Monroe Iglehart was pristinely in character for the heartbreaking "Again," which he sung with a sultry, full-bodied bass instrument and a stunningly soulful belt. Erin Davie's rendition of "High" was extremely humorous and showed off her radiant voice. Christiane Noll gave a masterclass in vocal contral with her sublimely subdued and pristinely understated version of "Home." Abby Mueller and Jessie Mueller followed Noll with a refresher in how affective controlled vocals could be, singing a sumptuously emotional and altogether gorgeous version of "Always" and "Goodnight," which were keenly mashed-up.

Alan spoke of recently having his work produced in Japan and the September 2015 opening of him musical Home on London's West End. As he gains recognition from around the world, one can only hope that we'll be seeing him and his music gracing New York City stages in the very near future.

For more information about Scott Alan and his music, please visit http://www.scottalan.net.

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