Doug Bowles and Cindy Hutchins at Maggie’s Cabaret

riday night I saw Doug Bowles and Cindy Hutchins performing Shakin’ the Blues Away: Melodies of the 1920s and 30s at Maggie’s Cabaret.

The program was an extremely well-thought out survey of songs from the early 20th Century.  It contained a great blend of well known and less familiar works.  The performers put together some especially appealing sequences with themes such as the influence of moving pictures, the joy of singing, and sin and Satan as themes in the popular music of the era.

Unsurprsingly, Doug Bowles, as the frontman of the SingCo Rhythm Orchestra, is perfectly suited to the material.  And his energetic impishness appropriately recalls the 30′s era Mickey Rooney.  Hutchins, looking terrific in pin curls and black chiffon, sounded great and captured the optimism of the era.

The pair were accompanied by Alex Hassan.  A specialist in the music of the era, Hassan’s approach to the material gave it an appropriate period feel, and he contributed a very enjoyable medley of Harry Warren standards.

Here’s the line-up of material:

• Shakin’ the Blues Away
• Heat Wave
• Turn on the Heat
• New Sun int he Sky
• Side By Side
• Lorelei
• You Ought to Be in Pictures
• If I Had a Talking Picutre of You
• Take Your Girl to the Movies
• Harry Warren Medley
• Sing You Sinners
• Get Thee Behind Me Satan
• Pack Up Your Sins and Go to the Devil
• I’d Rather Lead a Band
• Deep Night
• There’s Something In the Air
• Mandy
• Love Is Just Around the Corner
• Let Me Sing and I’m Happy
• Singin’ In the Rain
• Singin’ In the Bathtub
• I Love to Sing

A Cabaret Organ Recital

Doug Bowles presented a fun hour-ten at Indigo Saturday night.  The set concentrated on the classic ’30s American Songbook.   Bowles seems to specialize in the genre heading up the SingCo orchestra, so the material was beautifully and intelligently sung.  As a connecting theme, Bowles chose to associate each song with a body organ or function (e.g. the tear ducts for You Made Me Love You), giving the evening a certain MadLibs quality.

Howard Breitbart provided his usual sterling music direction and stage presence.

Here’s the song selection:

• Anything Goes
• Steppin’ Out With My Baby/Puttin’ on the Ritz
• You Took Advantage of Me
• (Our) Love is Here to Stay
• The Carioca
• Soft Lights and Sweet Music
• Makin’ Whoopee
• Where or When
• Fascinating Rhythm / I Got Rhythm / I Love a Piano
• All the Things You Are
• Cheek to Cheek
• You Made Me Love You
• Begin the Beguine
• I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, Baby
• On the Sunny side of the Street
• Over the Rainbow / Look for the Silver Lining

Calendar: December 2007 – February 2008

December 2007 

• Wednesday, 8:30pm – 12/12 December Divas (Signature Theater)
• Thursday, 8:30pm – 12/13 December Divas (Signature Theater)
• Friday, 7:00pm & 9:00pm  – 12/14 December Divas (Signature Theater)
• Saturday, 7:00pm & 9:00pm – 12/15 December Divas (Signature Theater)
• Saturday, 9:00pm, 12/15 — Holiday Classics (Atlas/INDIGO)
• Friday, 9:00pm, 12/21 — Holiday Classics (Atlas/INDIGO)
• Saturday, 8:30pm – 12/29  Doug Bowles and the Washington Conservatory Jazz Ensemble  32 Bars in One Night (Atlas/INDIGO)  

January 2008 

• Sunday, 7:30pm — 1/13 Melissa Manchester (Barns of Wolf Trap)
• Friday, 1/18 — Scott Bakula An Evening with Scott Bakula (Ford’s Theater)
• Saturday, 6:30pm, 1/19 — Beverly Cosham (Reston Community Orchestra)
• Thursday, 8:00pm, 1/24 — Faith Prince (Barns of Wolf Trap)
• Saturday, 7:30pm, 1/26 — John Eaton (Barns of Wolf Trap)
• Saturday, 7:30pm, 1/26 — Susan Werner (Birchmere)
• Thursday, 8:00pm, 1/31 – Maureen McGovern (Barns of Wolf Trap) 

February 2008

• Friday, 8:00pm, 2/1 — Primary Urges (Writer’s Center, Bethesda) 
• Friday, 8:00pm, 2/1 — Michael Sazonov My Well Schooled Heart (Maggie’s Place / St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church)
• Friday, 8:00pm, 2/1 – Maureen McGovern (Barns of Wolf Trap)
• Saturday, 8:00pm, 2/2 – Cabaret Benefit (River Road Unitarian Church)
• Sunday, 3:00pm, Primary Urges (Writer’s Center, Bethesda)
• Saturday, 8:00pm, 2/9 — Beverly Cosham with the  McLean Symphony (Alden Theater)
• Friday, 2/15 — Jennifer Blades My Funny Valentine (An Die Musik)
• Saturday, 2/16 — Sally Martin (Corner Store)
• Friday, 2/22 — Jennifer Blades My Funny Valentine (An Die Musik)
• Saturday, 2/23 — Beverly Cosham (Atlas/INDIGO)
• Saturday, 2/23, 7:30pm – Christine Lavin (Birchmere)
• Thursday, 7:30pm, 2/28 — Diane Schuur (Birchemere)

And don’t forget Blake Place at the Flaming Pit!

Doug Bowles at Indigo

Doug Bowles

In

“SPEAKEASY”

At

INDIGO

With

Alex Hassan, piano 

presented by

Jonathan G. Willen and Associates

Saturday, October 27

Doors open at 8 pm

Show at 9 pm

INDIGO is located at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H Street NE Washington, D.C. 20002 www.atlasarts.org.  Tickets for all performances are $22.50 and can be purchased by calling the Atlas box office at 202-399-7993. Two drink minimum for all guests.  Guests can avail themselves of a wide variety of drink options and light snacks.  Seating is cabaret style at cocktail tables.