Music fans in the 21st century have all but forgotten the art of cabaret singing. But that performance style –– in which a vocalist with minimal accompaniment interpets a collection of personally significant songs for a small audience –– is well-suited to the age of iPod songlists and YouTube song covers: Cabaret is low-budget, lo-fi, but also highly individualistic and theatrical. Cabaret singers take audiences on a psychological journey with them via a set of beloved compositions. You don’t have to be a technically brilliant vocalist to score –– the great Elaine Stritch is a master of the form, and a raspy sing-talk style is her signature. But it certainly doesn’t hurt to have the vocal chops of someone like North Texas actor-vocalist Denise Lee. Currently a cast member of Stage West’s Avenue Q, Lee offers a one-night-only performance of her cabaret show Divas of American Music 6:30pm Sun Feb 9 at Stage West, 821 W Vickery Blvd, FW. Tix are $25. Lee will deliver her own takes on tunes made famous by Nina Simone, Billie Holliday, Aretha Franklin, Carole King, and other musicians, songs she covered on her Kickstarter-funded album Divas of American Music Vol. 1. Lee’s rich, crisp voice mixes the high notes of Sarah Vaughan with the sexy lower register of a Dionne Warwick.
