Review: "I Am a Town"
- Jeff Waxman: Musical Director, Piano
- Bob Colligan: Bass
- Bob Green: Fiddle, Mandolin, Guitar
- Michael Shaw: Percussion, Keyboards, Vocals
- Barbara Shapokas: Flyer Design
- Thomas O. Kriegsmans: Photography
The following is an excerpt from Roy Sander's Bistro Bits column in Back Stage newspaper (4/14/95): "Lisa Asher has based her show on her roots in the rural American South: Butler, Kentucky (population 500). She eloquently establishes the tone of the evening with her opening number, Mary Chapin Carpenter's "I Am A Town," a song rich in evocative imagery. A medley of "My Old Kentucky Home" and "Wildflowers" is delivered with heartfelt sentiment, and in Randy Newman's "Guilty," she really gets down. Her interpretation of Craig Carnelia's "Picture in the Hall" is especially noteworthy, building in dramatic intensity and musical momentum, yet solid in its emotional dimension. Her recitations of the writings of a small-town Kentucky newspaper columnist are hilarious and priceless. While most of the songs are given strong performances, this is a case in which the theme actually enhances the evening. There are several reasons for this, including the skill with which material has been selected and set up, and the atmospherically on-target accompaniment (musical director Jeff Waxman has devised the arrangements). Asher's pure ringing voice is a splendid instrument!"
- I AM A TOWN
(Mary Chapin-Carpenter) - FANCY
(Bobbie Gentry) - MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME/WILDFLOWERS
(Stephen Foster/Dolly Parton) - ODE TO BILLIE JOE
(Bobbie Gentry) - IF I AIN'T GOT YOU
(Craig Wiseman, Trey Bruce) - TENDERNESS ON THE BLOCK
(Warren Zevon, Jackson Browne) - PICTURE IN THE HALL
(Craig Carnelia) - MARJORIE AND THE GASMAN
(Michael Holland) - GUILTY
(Randy Newman) - COME ON SNOW
(Craig Carnelia) - END OF THE WORLD
(Sylvia Dee, Arthur Kent) - ESTATE SALE
(Cheryl Wheeler) - ONLY A DREAM
(Mary Chapin-Carpenter) - YOU DON'T HAVE TO MOVE THAT MOUNTAIN
(Keith Whitley) - ST. CHRISTOPHER AND THE MOON
(Mary Chapin-Carpenter)
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Finally caught up with singer Lisa Asher reprising her successful act, "I Am A Town" at Don't Tell Mama. She lived up to all they hype and proved to be a delight. She's a confident, graceful song stylist with a soul-piercing affinity for homespun songs of the heart.
The show is basically all about her life growing up in Butler, Kentucky, with Mary Chapin Carpenter's "I Am A Town" setting the tone for what follows, as she humbly recalls her roots. The songs are tied together with chatty patter about the town ("A place you leave — or spend your whole life there") and many poignant and funny memories. Her natural ease with her audience allows her to connect well on all levels. It's all so warm and personalized. It's obvious she related well to the material throughout the set. She found deeper insights into some melancholic numbers such as "My Old Kentucky Home" in medley with Dolly Parton's "Wildflowers" in a great arrangement by musical director Jeff Waxman. Recalling her high school prom (replete with mirrored ball turning), she brought a reflective gentleness to a 50's gem, "End of the World" that captured the secret sadness and insecurity locked in every lover's heart. Other highlights included a fun ditty about rummaging through old homes called "Estate Sale", Randy Newman's "Guilty" was given a strong treatment and a lovelorn ballad (also by Chapin Carpenter), "Only A Dream" was one of the evening's best moments.
There are several funny stories about a local town gossip columnist that are a riot. The many milestones covered in the act never drags, in spite of some lengthy setups that made the show a bit long for a cabaret space. Asher's voice is warm and lyrical. She brings a little bit of country styling to her songs that is endearing. The theme-oriented show is exceptionally well done and avoids silly cliches. Her band is terrific with Bob Green on fiddle, guitar and mandolin, Bob Colligan on bass and Michael Shaw on percussion, keyboards and vocals.
This is a young lady to keep a sharp eye on. She's left the old Kentucky homestead and is about to take the Big Apple by storm.
JOHN HOGLUND, Cabaret Hotline
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Funny, poignant and so richly descriptive of small town life — Asher comes across as a poised and resourceful entertainer with a burgeoning future!
BARBARA AND SCOTT SIEGEL, Drama-Logue
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Lisa Asher has based her show on her roots in the rural American South: Butler, Kentucky (population 500). She eloquently established the tone of the evening with her opening number, Mary Chapin Carpenter's, "I Am A Town" a song rich in evocative imagery. A medley of "My Old Kentucky Home" and Wildflowers" is delivered with heartfelt sentiment, and in Randy Newman's "Guilty," she really gets down. Her interpretation of Craig Carnelia's "Picture in the Hall" is especially noteworthy, building in dramatic intensity and musical momentum, yet solid in its emotional dimension. Her recitations of the writings of a small-town Kentucky newspaper columnist are hilarious and priceless.
While most of the songs are given strong performances, this is a case in which the theme actually enhances the evening. There are several reasons for this, including the skill with which material has been selected and set up, and the atmospherically on-target accompaniment (musical director Jeff Waxman has devised arrangement for piano, bass, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, percussion, and keyboard.) Asher's pure ringing voice has appropriately country colorations. Finally, it is clear the she understands and had deep affection for the milieu. ("Butler, KY, is a place you leave or a place you spend your whole life. Either way, it stays with you.") A few of her interpretations could be more penetrating (they are almost there), and in quite moments her middle and lower registers are sometimes a bit thin; otherwise her voice is a splendid instrument.
ROY SANDER, Back Stage
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When three different people told me I HAD to catch Asher's show, I know there was something special going on. A dynamic little sparkplug of a performer, Asher has a voice well-suited to pop anthems. She varies it nicely, though, with touches like a melodramatic upswing in pitch on Craig Carnelia's "Picture in the Hall" and an out-and-out display of pipes on a gospel number. Her show is a musical tour of her hometown of Butler, Kentucky and included lots of very amusing local color; the most memorable being her incarnation of the town gossip columnist, a sort of half-Eudora Welty, half-bag lady. Asher's spunk and vocal talent entertain in equal measure.
JOHN MICHAEL KOROLY, The Greenwich Village Press
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Lisa is a remarkable talent. Her comedic timing is priceless and her amazing singing combines a blend of pure angelic tones with a burning fire!
NANCY SLUSSER, New York Metro on the Internet
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Asher's voice flows from sweetly soft to large and powerful!
CAROLYN ALBERT, Singles Almanac
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Lisa Asher is a singing dynamo. She will charm and mesmerize you with her crystal clear voice and her heartfelt interpretations!
LAURIE LAWSON, Punch In International Syndicate
