berlin to broadway
Bremner sings the cabaret songs of kurt weill
"A FANTASTIC SHOW - OUTSTANDING SINGING. IT WAS SLEAZY. IT WAS STIRRING. IT WAS UTTERLY MEMORABLE."
ANDREW CLOVER, SUNDAY TIMES , UK
ANDREW CLOVER, SUNDAY TIMES , UK
Take an assured vocalist, an award-winning pianist and arranger, a veteran wind player and a monster of a bass player, arrange a set of Kurt Weill songs that celebrate love, hope and struggle, turn on the microphone and it all comes together wonderfully. Vocalist Bremner Fletcher has made a specialty of unearthing the songs of Kurt Weill. Fletcher is assured, funny and in full command of his audience, his stage, his players, and his material. A star singer with a fine-tuned sense of drama.
He was granted an extended run at a prestigious Edinburgh jazz venue, so the ebullient, entertaining Fletcher stepped into a fourteen-night run at the venerable 'Jazz Bar'. Singing songs from his new album Moon Faced, Starry Eyed, the evenings are masterpieces of band interaction, musicianship, attention to detail, having fun onstage and being in the moment.
He was granted an extended run at a prestigious Edinburgh jazz venue, so the ebullient, entertaining Fletcher stepped into a fourteen-night run at the venerable 'Jazz Bar'. Singing songs from his new album Moon Faced, Starry Eyed, the evenings are masterpieces of band interaction, musicianship, attention to detail, having fun onstage and being in the moment.
‘The Ballad of Mackie Messer’ In the original 1920’s version, Mackheath is a bloodthirsty gangster. In the 1960’s American version, he is a swinging man-around-town. F;etcher's version updates him into a dangerous, seductive killer.
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Fletcher is a wonderful performer. He is witty, occasionally outrageous, and never fails to entertain. His massive personality – and love of music – shines through. His voice is both powerful, sensual and delicate. Fletcher has always worked hard to connect with his audience and at The Jazz Bar, he pushed the drama, using new arrangements to highlight Weill’s complex set of songs.
The evening demonstrates Fletcher’s incredible range, depth, and flexibility: his rich, expressive baritone drifts through ballads and stomps on up-tempo tunes. Fletcher blasted out of the gate with a blistering “Bilbao Song”, the breakneck pace continued through the swinging “Moon Faced Starry Eyed”, and into a heavily caffeinated “I’m A Stranger Here Myself.” Fletcher finally slowed to midtempo, entering Crooner territory for a nice, loose “My Ship” and a breezy lope through Weill’s “Lonely House”. All while the band swung hard around pianist David Patrick’s steady groove.
The evening demonstrates Fletcher’s incredible range, depth, and flexibility: his rich, expressive baritone drifts through ballads and stomps on up-tempo tunes. Fletcher blasted out of the gate with a blistering “Bilbao Song”, the breakneck pace continued through the swinging “Moon Faced Starry Eyed”, and into a heavily caffeinated “I’m A Stranger Here Myself.” Fletcher finally slowed to midtempo, entering Crooner territory for a nice, loose “My Ship” and a breezy lope through Weill’s “Lonely House”. All while the band swung hard around pianist David Patrick’s steady groove.
‘There’s Nowhere To Go But Up’ is about wild optimism
in the face of all obstacles. Fletcher and Stan Cramer had a blast recording this fun, swinging number.
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in the face of all obstacles. Fletcher and Stan Cramer had a blast recording this fun, swinging number.
Listen here:
Let’s talk about Fletcher’s singing: its range, depth, and warmth. On the Weill song, Surabaya Johnny, usually sung by a woman, and maybe the most intimate track on the album, he puts in an overwhelmingly emotional performance. Fletcher’s vocals slide between tenderness and emotional urgency, balancing on the fine line between song and speech, fully exploring the meaning of every word and line he utters. At times Fletcher’s voice feels like it could float anywhere.
Fletcher’s career in performance began, unusually for a jazz musician, on the Alternative Cabaret Circuit. Fletcher was spotted by the Edinburgh Fringe Review which said “Duthie’s classical training and background as a many-year veteran in musicals and jazz bands is evident from the outset. By the time we arrived at the chillingly Speak Low - calm on the surface, yet bubbling with undercurrents of febrile yearning - we were left with no doubt whatsoever that we were in the presence of a true master of his craft... a seamless blend of gripping entertainment and genuinely moving art.”
Fletcher’s career in performance began, unusually for a jazz musician, on the Alternative Cabaret Circuit. Fletcher was spotted by the Edinburgh Fringe Review which said “Duthie’s classical training and background as a many-year veteran in musicals and jazz bands is evident from the outset. By the time we arrived at the chillingly Speak Low - calm on the surface, yet bubbling with undercurrents of febrile yearning - we were left with no doubt whatsoever that we were in the presence of a true master of his craft... a seamless blend of gripping entertainment and genuinely moving art.”
'Pirate Johnny' (or Pirate Jenny), usually sung by a woman, is Kurt Weill and Bertold Brecht's ultimate revenge fantasy. The song for anyone who has ever worked a minimum wage job, with no benefits, terrible hours and an abusive boss. A song that delights in the darkness.
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In this series of live performances at The Jazz Bar, it becomes clear Fletcher has an uncanny affinity for connecting with people, is always ready to push his boundaries in the name of artistic expression and has the vocal technique to sing anything he likes. But most importantly, by the end of Fletcher’s show, something really special happens - he is not just an artist people love but becomes a friend people admire.