Review: Treat Yourself to MELBA MOORE: FROM BROADWAY WITH LOVE at 54 Below

It’s a very rare thing when you get to see an artist in the process of putting together a show. In the old days, comedian Joan Rivers would go into small New York clubs with her cue cards spread out at her feet to try out material that would eventually become comedic gold. If you got to see one of these evenings, you were a very lucky and trusted fan. The wonderful Melba Moore is taking the same approach to her new concert evening, Melba Moore: FROM BROADWAY WITH LOVE which had its first performance March 15th at 54 Below. 54 Below is not exactly an “under the radar” place to try out new material. But there is no need to worry. Ms. Moore’s unfailing artistry and thousand-kilowatt personality are more than enough to cover any of the kinks still being worked out. Her show is a dynamic travelogue through her Broadway career with a few added treasures for good measure.

Melba Moore’s Broadway career was almost entirely an accident. She started in the recording industry. In the early days, she was a very in-demand backup singer. She was working in a studio recording some songs by Galt MacDermott. He loved her so much, he asked if she would like to be in an experimental theatre piece he was writing. That turned out to be the tribal rock musical Hair which became the theatre event of the 1960s. She worked her way up from the ensemble, eventually replacing Diane Keaton in the lead role of Sheila, the first African-American woman to play the part. This brought her to the attention of the producers of Purlie. The rest is history. A whirlwind of Grammys and a Tony award followed. Melba Moore has been a Broadway presence ever since.

She opens with a tribute to those beginnings. She opened with a medley from Hair that included “Aquarius,” “Easy to Be Hard,” and “Let the Sunshine In” as she told the story of her meteoric rise. She sang “Purlie” explaining that it had originally been her only song in the show. But the overwhelming response from fans during previews convinced the authors that her irrepressible character, Luttibelle Gussie Mae Jenkins, needed another song. They wrote her the song that she will forever be identified with, “I Got Love,” utilizing her startling range, especially some sparking whistle tones at the top. Ms Moore explained to us that she was a little under the weather. You would never have known it. Even at 78 years old, she still has her signature high notes and knows exactly how to navigate “I Got Love.”

Melba Moore concentrated on a very successful recording career in the mid-70s that kept her away from Broadway for a decade, but she eventually made it back when she was asked to play the role of Fantine in Les Miserables. Her “I Dreamed a Dream” had great depth and pathos. She brought the house down with her very bawdy rendition of Matron Mama Morton in “When You’re Good to Mama.”

The undisputed highlight of the evening was a powerhouse performance of “Stormy Weather” sung in tribute to Lena Horne. It completely stopped the show. She filled with a beautiful arrangement of Cole Porter’s “I Concentrate on You.” She told a lovely story about Barbra Streisand visiting her dressing room during the run of Purlie. The two were a mutual admiration society. She closed her show with a tribute to Ms. Streisand, singing her signature song “Don’t Rain on My Parade.”

Melba Moore had some first-class support in her show. Musical director Darnell White was in wonderful form on the keys. Sean Murphy on bass and Gregory Bufford on drums rounded out the trio and the three made some glorious sounds. We also got onstage appearances by Ms Moore’s costume designer/dresser and her wig designer. An hour-long show with three costume changes and three wig changes is my kind of show.

I feel very honored to have been present to watch Melba Moore “work out the kinks.” I can’t wait to see what this work in progress leads to. We need a lot more of Melba Moore on the scene today. She is a performer with a giant heart, and a giant talent to express it. She has another performance tonight at 54 Below. If you can get tickets, you shouldn’t miss it.

For more information about Melba Moore go to melbamoore.com or follow her @melba1moore.

Tickets to tonight's show are available here. For information about Melba Moore and other great artists at 54 Below, visit 54below.org.

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