BJ Crosby: 'Just One of Those Things'

Morgan's Cabaret at The Prince Music Theater in Philly is the little black box that treats you to some of the best talent in town and a few nice surprises including some of the finest light fare and wine. We were greeted by Cole Brenner, who is the son of Philly's famous comedian David Brenner and works for the Prince and is also a graphics designer.

This sexy intimate setting was the host for one of Broadway's most remarkable vocalists, Ms. BJ Crosby. BJ brings her heart and soul to the audience with her amazing voice that has earned her many awards including a Grammy and a Tony. This brass-layered belter sings the blues, brings her style to the standards, scats the jazz and raises the roof in every house she plays.

"Just One of Those Things" is BJ's story of life and love, the ups and downs, the memories of good times and regrets. BJ has lived in New York for a long time but a big smile crosses her face when she talks about her home, her heart; New Orleans.

BJ went from high school to singing in the nightclubs. Most of her training came from on the job work. "I loved to sing and I learned how to act on the job." Her mother's second brother had 14 kids and his first seven boys had a singing group. "They sang, my mother sang, my cousins sang... Let me tell you when they all got together, I found the nearest corner and sat in it!" It was my godmother that said, "Did you ever hear Joanne sing?" And that's how it all started.

BJ was with a gospel choir called the Gospel Soul Children of New Orleans, and there was a contest to be part of the youth choir. She was studying to be a legal secretary at the time, and didn't want to attend but wound up doing so and her group won Best Youth Choir two years in a row.

After losing her seat in the school, she went to work in one of New Orleans hottest clubs, called Mace's Americana Motel/ Restaurant. This is the place where Sammy Davis Jr. and any black entertainer with a name in the 60's and 70's stayed. "Of course I worked as a waitress and my mother had a hissy fit because it was from 10 till 6 am." On a slow or rainy night they would bring up the help and mess around with a song or two. One night, BJ was asked if she thought she could hold a tune and she chose A Nancy Wilson song form the 60's called "Love Me More But Never Less Than Yesterday." They all clapped and asked for more. "I said sure, how about "Ain't No Way." They all looked at each other and said "Aretha Franklin's Ain't No Way?" I said 'sure!' When I finished the song, they were starring at me all bug-eyed and said, "Why are you working as a waitress?" (laughing).

After that, a band was put together and she was off and running and the rest is history. I commented, "BJ, That's a Cinderella story," and BJ quipped back "Is it? damn, where is my silver slipper?" (laughing). "It's been rough, but it's been a good experience."

BJ's show is her story and is told through song. She relives love's heartbreak through a few soulful blues tunes called "Say It Isn't So" and "Until The Real Thing Comes Along." BJ took two pop standards "All By Myself" and "Who Can I Turn To," and put her trademark spin on both of them, which wowed the crowd.

BJ has always felt she had something special to share from a higher source, which is a message she tries to send through discussing memories of her life. In her show she relates about starting to re-write her phone book and the sadness of crossing out so many names of those who had passed on. She reminds her audience to reach out and touch those who need you with a visit or some kindness. "If I can touch just one person each time that I sing, then I feel like it was all worth it."

BJ Crosby has strutted her stuff in several areas of entertainment, playing "Mama" in the Broadway revival of Chicago, as well as turns in Smokey Joe's Café, and Dreamgirls. She's also appeared on numerous TV shows including "Ally McBeal," "Law and Order," and "The Bill Cosby Show."

The taping of the last performance of "Smokey Joe's" was an amazing experience for her… She shares, "Being with that show for five years, and being with those people for give years was like being part of a family. We knew that when we sang that last note, that was it. I missed them for a long time. Victor (Trent Cook) and I have stayed very close and Brenda (Braxton) and I stay in touch as well."

Dressed in a cream white satin suit, BJ, looking quite fit these days, opened her second act with an upbeat, jazzy number called "Lover Come Back to Me." She talks about the good times in love and with life and the old days as she reaches back to the roaring 20's with a dizzy, comical version of "Pigfoot" (and a bottle of beer), which the waiter finally handed to BJ, as she posed as a flapper who had already had a few! John Gentry Tennyson accompanied Ms. Crosby on piano.

One of BJ's heroes as she was an up and comer was Donny Hathaway, and she bought anything he recorded. She finally got to see him perform at Rosie's in New Orleans, and was so star struck at him, that he was terrified of her! (laughing) "I couldn't even get him to sign my albums, because he ran by me, with me chasing after him" (laughing). "I never did get to meet him, because he died in 1978 thinking I was a crazy person." BJ also boasts of being a great New Orleans cook. Singer, Carmen McRae came to one of her shows in 1974 and her whole band came to the show with her. She was invited to be Carmen's guest at the Fairmount and her way of thanking her was to invite her to dinner and she cooked for her many times. Whenever she came to New Orleans she wanted BJ to cook for her. She sang to Emeril Lagasse on his cooking show. "He's a good cook, but not as good as me." (laughing).

I asked BJ what advice she could give newcomers in this entertainment business, and she was quick to answer "Get as much training in your craft and be a quadruple threat. Learn to sing, act, dance and manage your business wisely. Know what you are doing and what you are signing or hire someone who does."

Her last few numbers reflect how to take the knocks of live and show biz with a twist with a song that Melissa Manchester did called "Don't Cry Out Loud," followed by a medley of "No Regrets" and "I Wanna Be Around."

BJ is preparing a new CD to be done live in New Orleans at a Jazz room called SnugHarbor and targeted for October or November 2004. She is also doing Bubbling Brown Sugar in Atlanta at the Fox Theater for the Black Arts Festival in July.

The evening came to a memorable end as Ms. Crosby put back her mic and mingled with the crowd, hugging, shaking hand and giving out kisses along with one of the most touching acapella versions of "Georgia" ever delivered to a very appreciative audience.

www.princemusictheater.org

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