Old favorites get new twist in ÎBrief Historyâ

By Ricardo Baca
The Metropolitan

In everything but traditional Caucasian doo-wop style, this show rocks the mic.

Broadway had its Smokey Joeâs Cafe, a musical revue featuring the work on songwriters Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller.

Well,  off-Broadwayâs answer to that is A Brief History of White Music, a similar show, but with a twist. All the songs, originally performed by white artists, are performed by black singers.

True, many of these white hits of the 1950s and 1960s (including Elvisâ repertoire), were ripped off from black songwriters or heavily influenced by R&B and jazz styles. But with the times being as they were (close-minded and racist), whites got to sing them on the radio, hence the Caucasian recognition and the eternal fame.

Now, these songs are being transformed by this soulful three-person cast, ÷ fulfilling a dream for Robert Johnson, the showâs sole male.

ãThe songs of white music: The Beach Boys, Elvis and Connie Francis ... Music weâve always wanted to sing,ä he said, in as sarcastic a voice as possible.

But the cast didnât just sing the songs as youâve heard them before; they added different elements of style, mode and harmony. Some of it worked, but some songs should just be left alone.

The rendition of Buddy Hollyâs ãThatâll Be The Dayä was a prime example of creative arranging. Having fun with the in-unison chorus, they then blasted out into a unique, three-part harmony for the remainder of the song.

Also healthy were their renditions of ãLove Potion #9,ä a near acid-jazz sounding ãI Will Follow Him,ä and a sultry ãSon of a Preacher Man.ä

Arrangements lacking inventiveness included an Elvis medley; ãI Wanna Hold Your Hand,ä and my favorite tune, ãBei Mir Ist Du Shoen.ä

Burlesque behavior was added to the show when Johnson and Tonya Latrice Phillips took the stage to sing ãI Got You Babe.ä Johnson, on his knees, sang like an absolutely horrendous, off-pitch Sonny Bono, and Phillips played an all-grins, speech-smearing Cher.

Natalie Oliver-Atherton, the third cast member, also had a flair for the amusing. Her ãItsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikiniä was the comedic pinnacle of the show. She literally had people in tears of laughter.

But, as in any revue, some songs just donât match up to the originals.

The arrangers should have left the Beatles out of the mix. Their versions of ãShe Loves You,ä ãWith A Little Help From My Friendsä and ãImagineä were lame. And their slaughtering of ãSgt. Pepperâs Lonely Hearts Club Bandä was insulting to any Fab Four fan.

Lacking the theatricality of his two partners, Johnson was a little stiff as he danced and grooved. But his vocal performance shined as his tractor-beamlike eye contact with the audience drew them in like a hungry lynx to his prey.

Pianist Ron Savage rounded out the show with his enthusiastic playing. This guy is a performer. He made his presence known with his wild head-bobbing ÷ at times upstaging the performers.

This over dramatic musician should get into acting. He was more entertaining than many local music performers.