Hermann’s Jazz Club hosts a unique performance this Friday night (Nov. 15), as Victoria singer Kim Greenwood presents All About That Verse.
The sold-out show is designed with a musical theatre flavour, with jazz and American songbook tunes as its base, but with a twist: Subtitled, Telling Story Through Song – The Introduction Sets the Stage, the evening will see Greenwood give audience members a little history lesson around the verses of the songs. Providing back stories of popular music provides audiences with context – Greenwood says she’s uncovered “a lot of interesting tidbits” in her research into the songs, made famous by such musical giants as the Gershwins, Johnny Mercer, Rogers and Hart and others.
Greenwood will be backed by some of the top jazz musicians in the city – Karel Roessingh on piano, Joey Smith on bass and guitar, Kelby MacNayr on drums and Roy Styffe on sax and clarinet. She debuted this unique show at the Osborne Bay Pub in Crofton last month to a good response, and her goal is to perform it in larger rooms.
A faculty member at the Canadian College of Performing Arts, Greenwood is also a voice coach and lead singer with the Commodores Big Band and The Classic Pop Cats. She has played Hermann’s a few times in the past four years, including a successful Ella Fitzgerald tribute show on the occasion of the first lady of jazz’s 100th birthday in 2017.
“I believe this is my first solo show that has the potential to evolve,” Greenwood says, noting it will feature “a little more glam” than her jazz shows. She looks forward to working with the musicians again, noting they have a lot of fun playing together.
If the Hermann’s show goes well, you may see Greenwood bring All About That Verse to other local venues. Stay tuned!
editor@mondaymag.com
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