Review: Jimmie Herrod's Beautiful COLOR & LIGHT at 54 Below

Last Friday night, May 24, the audience at 54 Below was treated to the beautiful, dulcet tones of America’s Got Talent finalist, Jimmie Herrod, with Color & Light, the singer’s debut at the famed midtown supper club.

This reviewer first saw and heard Herrod sing with the Houston Symphony last summer in a concert conducted by Steven Reineke (Music Director and Conductor of The New York Pops) and was impressed by his incredible range and vocal agility.

Entering to cheers from fans and friends looking stylish in a light beige suit, Herrod graced the crowd with his glorious vocals in a slow, steady, and stunning jazz-infused rendition of “Beautiful” from Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George. This was to set the tone of the evening – a lot of Sondheim, à la jazz! 

Herrod created the arrangements for the set, with each song given a jazz treatment, allowing him the space to improvise with colorful, mellifluous runs and show off his incredible vocal range. The solid jazz trio of Chris McCarthy on piano, Leighton Harrell on bass, and Matt Mayhall on drums were all given a chance to shine during the show. Chris McCarthy’s piano solos in numbers like “Beautiful” and the next song, “Loving You” from Sondheim’s Passion, were luscious with scales, licks and fragments of the melodies intertwining seamlessly. Leighton Harrell’s moving bass line in “Pretty Women” from Sweeney Todd coupled with Herrod’s lilting vocal line was just one of a plethora of examples for the audience to hear Sondheim (and others) like they’ve likely not heard before.

Another Stephen was in the mix – Stephen Schwartz’s “I’m Not That Girl” from Wicked was performed with more glorious vocal runs on runs on runs! This reviewer loved seeing just how much Herrod was enjoying himself on stage. He performed with such ease and grace and communicated so effortlessly with his bandmates. It was a joy to watch!

While one might call the show ballad heavy, this didn’t stop the audience from relishing

every minute of Herrod’s angelic voice. Other highlights included a sumptuous version of one of this reviewer’s favorite songs, “Losing My Mind” from Sondheim’s Follies, “The Word of Your Body” from Sheik and Sater’s Spring Awakening performed with friend Alex Boniello (who had performed in Deaf West’s production of the show), and “Stay With Me” from Into The Woods which was given auditory texture by Matt Mayhall using muted mallets on the toms, almost reminiscent of the sound of a heartbeat.

Color & Light was a stunning debut at 54 Below for this gifted vocalist. One hopes he comes back again soon!

For more on Jimmie Herrod, visit https://jimmiebeingjimmie.com/

To book other shows at 54 Below, visit https://54below.org/

Header photo credit: Stephen Sorokoff. See more photos from the night by Sorokoff here.