Holiday Season 2022 - A Holiday Concert: Dianne Reeves and Samara Joy

Wednesday, November 30, 2022

One of my favorite singers, Dianne Reeves, was in town tonight for a holiday concert. Dale and I were joined by Noel. 

Ms. Reeves was supposed to be joined by a singer I've only recently discovered named Samara Joy, who, for reasons unknown to me, did not appear. This was too bad as I was looking forward to seeing her live in concert. Both women are amazing vocalists. 

The concert was downtown at Orchestra Hall, a venue I haven't been to in years. It was good to be back. Noel and I reminisced about our days working there. We met on the job in the late 1980s. As we waited for the performance to start we reminisced out our time working there. Noel was unaware that I had access to the catwalks above the hall. 

Our seats were on the right side of Tier 1 Rear which offered a fantastic view of the stage. We talked about having similar seats when we saw Rosemary Clooney at The Hall about 20 years ago. 

The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra played all of the numbers and Ms. Reeves was the featured vocalist on about half of them. She entered stage left wearing a beautiful red dress with a white sheath coat over it and began the performance by citing the holiday season as one of her most favorite. 

The set list:

  1. Jingle Bells (This selection featured on the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra's 2019 release, A Big Band Christmas).

  2. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve

  3. The Little Drummer Boy (Ms. Reeves on vocals. This selection on her 2004 Christmas album, Christmas Time Is Here. Tonight's live version featured much more vocal improvisation than the recorded version.)

  4. A Child Is Born (Ms. Reeves on vocals. This selection also on her 2004 Christmas album, Christmas Time Is Here.) 

  5. My Favorite Things (Ms. Reeves on vocals.)

  6. Sleigh Ride

Intermission

  7. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

  8. Heat Miser (From the 1970s television special, The Year Without a Santa Claus

  9. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow (Ms. Reeves on vocals. This selection on her Christmas album)

10. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Ms. Reeves on vocals. This selection on her Christmas album)

11. This Christmas (Ms. Reeves on vocals.). Lots of improvisation and riffing related to experiences of the holiday season that everyone can relate to including the uncle who's maybe said a little too much during family celebrations.