Brian Alejandro – “Autumn Changes: Sometimes” review by Jim Catapano

While summer was still hanging on with a vengeance, the spectacular vocalist Lord Brian Alejandro rang the changes and sang the praises of Autumn on a sold-out September evening at Pangea.

The popular dinner club boasted a full house as an enthusiastic crowd awaited the arrival of the legendarily charismatic crooner. In a gold vest and bow tie to match, Brian emerged from the back of the house crooning “This Could Be the Start of Something Big.” To rapt applause he made his way to the stage to join his band, including his longtime director, the multitalented Darnell White, on piano. We were embarking on an enjoyable evening of classic mid-20^th century standards, delivered by someone who makes them as fresh and alive as if they were written yesterday.

In between songs Brian regaled us with witty, astute, and moving observations on life and art.

“Life changes and sometimes it throws you a curveball,” noted Brian, reflecting on the theme of the evening. “And you don’t always catch it…but you might catch it later.”

Brian mesmerized all in attendance with his rich, soulful emoting and beguiling stage presence.

On “Love Me or Leave Me,” popularized by Doris Day in the film of the same name, he treated the crowd to a round of flawless scat singing punctuated by his uncanny imitation of a trombone, followed by a stirring hi-hat-heavy drum solo by percussionist Mitch Bowers.

Following a swinging version of Cole Porter’s “(You’d Be So) Easy to Love,” there was a poignant discussion of change at a higher, more important level. Brian reminded us that social progress has historically been a slow, uphill battle—and one that we will always be fighting. “Back in the day, so many talents such as myself and others who proceeded me were not always able to enter through the front entrance of restaurants and hotels,” he said, namechecking greats like Sammy Davis Jr. and Ella Fitzgerald. “Things are changing, but they need to change a little bit more. If something doesn’t affect you, don’t think it’s not happening.”

Before launching into the bossa nova beat of “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows”, Brian namechecked the most legendary artist to tackle that theme. “’I tried my damnedest to get over the rainbow but I couldn’t! No one can!’” Brian quoted Judy Garland lamenting. He explained how that has always stayed with him. “In life we seek out these things we thinkare going to make us happy,” he observed. “And sometimes they don’t, but you have to have hope. So, I’m still chasing rainbows!”

For Nat King Cole’s “Let There Be Love”, we were treated to a melodic solo by Sean Murphy on the upright bass. After the lyric “Someone to bless me whenever I see sneeze,” Brian let out a comedic “achoo!”

The familiar opening notes to “The Autumn Leaves” were met with recognition and applause from the audience. After a flawless verse in French, at the song’s climax Brian showered the crowd with actual fall-colored leaves he had skillfully concealed in his hands throughout the song. Then he turned things over to Diva LaMarr, prodigious stage star of Dream Girls and Jersey Boys, who appeared from the back of the room (“How do I get up there?” Diva laughed, eyeing the packed rows impeding the way to the stage). Diva wowed those enthralled throngs with a bluesy rendition of Ruth Brown’s “If I Can’t Sell It, I’ll Keep Sittin’ On It.” (Words to live by indeed.)

“Whenever you come to see me, you never know what you’re going to get,” said Brian after the warm and boisterous response to Diva’s powerhouse number. “But you’re going to get something, and it will be worth it!”

After a swinging “’Tis Autumn” continued the evening’s theme, Brian announced, “We’re going to do something a little in-ter-es-ante.” He turned lead vocal duties over to Darnell, who sang “Lush Life” while Brian sauntered from table to table adding hilarious asides after each lyric. After Darnell crooned “I used to visit all the very gay places/Those come-what-may places,” Brian quipped, “You’ve been there, and I have too darling!”

The crowd was singing along to a brisk “The Lady Is a Tramp”, when trumpeter Lauren Reilly, sporting a black bowler hat, suddenly appeared from a front table for a rousing solo, taking the already spirited proceedings up another notch.

The too-soon encore of “That Old Black Magic” brought down the house, fittingly for an evening where Brian Alejandro had the entire crowd under his spell.