An Evening with Lucie Arnaz


Rrazz Room, Hotel Nikko
December 8, 2009

Forty years of performing and two decades of nightclub dates, it was about time for a
San Francisco debut. Dripping in diamonds and showing lots of leg, the ever youthful
Lucie Arnaz brought the house down with her sparkling, high energy nightclub act.
Growing up in a musical household  (father was famed Cuban bandleader Desi Arnaz) taught
Lucie well and she  obviously picked up a comic tip or two or a hundred from mother Lucille
Ball. Put the two traits together and you get a singer with the knack for  great arrangements
and the pizzazz to knock out each number.




The opening "Lulu's Back in Town" highlighted her moves, segueing into the  first of three of
the evening's amazing medleys, "Beginning to See the Light/Moonglow". The juxtaposition of
the two tunes and the energy infused into them was startling and Arnaz made the very most of
Billy Stritch's fantastic  arrangement. The set moved briskly, Arnaz working each number in a
fast paced, yet deliberate mode. Her voice is brassy and assured (reminiscent of a youngEydie
Gorme), honed by years of stage work and the knowledge of how to effectively sell a number. A
perfect example was her turn on "Just a Housewife" from the Stephen Schwartz play "Working."
The song starts out subdued and passive, the protagonist submitting to her boringly defined
existence. But then a self-awareness builds to an almost defiant self-assurance. Arnaz reaches
deep into her own history of leaving performing to raise three children and two step-children
for such a powerful performance.




A showcase of her backing trio ("I Love a Piano/Slap That Bass/Drum Crazy") turned into a
showstopper for Lucie as well. Here her stage training (timing, projection, comedy) benefits
her nightclub act seamlessly. A heartfelt mini-set tribute to her father displays the fiery,
sexy Latina  side of Lucie. Irving Berlin's very un-Berlin like "I'll See You in C-U-B-A"  led
into a sensational "Blame it on the Bossa Nova" followed by Dan Fogelberg's "Leader of the Band."
A high energy "El Cumbanchero" would make Carmen Miranda blush. Arnaz covered her mom's only
Broadway hit "Hey Look Me Over" with a new introspective arrangement that built to a showstopping
all-out finale. Arnaz is a nightclub trouper with great talent and personality, a living legacy
to talented parents but with her own unique gifts.



















By Steve Murray





Cabaret Scenes Magazine 

      

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