The Songs That Got Away: The Music Of Harold Arlen

Harold Arlen never became a household name to the same extent as Irving Berlin, George Gershwin or Cole Porter, but he had a hand in writing some of the most iconic tunes in The Great American Songbook, and Johanna Allen does a marvellous job of shining the spotlight on this often overlooked talent, whilst showcasing her own considerable interpretative skills.

Pretty much all of Arlen’s standards are here – “Stormy Weather”, “Come Rain Or Come Shine”, “The Man That Got Away”, “One For My Baby & One For The Road”, “Accentuate The Positive”, “Get Happy”, “That Old Black Magic”, “Over The Rainbow”… but in addition to the usual crowd pleasing favourites, Allen has chosen to include some more obscure, quirky gems in her set (such as “Lydia The Tattooed Lady”) which show a depth and range to Arlen’s talent that might surprise those who know only his biggest hits. Allen’s singing is both emotionally and technically impeccable, and she wisely chooses not to imitate the most famous renditions of his popular songs, her vocal style throughout is uniquely her own. Michael Tyack’s virtuoso piano accompaniment is the icing on a most delicious cake.

In between songs, Allen assumes the persona of a Cotton Club MC recounting Arlen’s life story. Allen’s impersonations of various famous people sometimes slip into gratingly exaggerated caricature, yet her energetic stage presence is consistently engaging and humorous.

Simply put, this is everything cabaret should be – brilliant songs, brilliantly performed, with mostly amusing patter in between. Highly recommended.

Benjamin Orchard