The Other Side of Eden

Photos by Nate Jensen at INN8creative.com
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Eden Espinosa’s career is like the childhood fantasy of being on Broadway come true.  Plucked out of theme park shows and into the original company of Wicked, she could never have known as a standby and ensemble member during the rocky rehearsals and previews in San Francisco that in just a couple of years her name would become synonymous with the starring role of Elphaba on the West Coast (or that the writers would hone the sprawling, disjointed show into a generation defining spectacle!).  She left the Broadway production of Wicked to star as the title character in the Broadway premiere of Brooklyn.  That unjustly short-lived production served as the catalyst for her acclaimed return runs in Wicked; two in San Francisco, multiple re-engagements on Broadway, and finally originating the third U.S. company in L.A. at the Pantages Theatre.  Crown all this with her starring as Maureen in the final Broadway company of Rent (which is available on DVD) and it’s clear that her first five years in New York were the actualization of that childhood fantasy. 

Unlike other women of the theatre with her voice type Eden possesses a sound that is truly beautiful and completely even in all registers.  Her belting is like a laser beam that cuts through the biggest orchestrations, but she also has a rich and velvety chest register, and a surprisingly strong and lovely head voice.  In the old days she would have been classified as a Mezzo Soprano, but make no mistake, unless she’s pulling back for a musical effect there is nothing “mezzo” (half) about Eden.  

All of these vocal qualities were in full force when she performed her show “Celebrating Life: Remembering Eva Cassidy” at New York’s newest and classiest cabaret Below 54.  Even though we have friends in common her final show there on September 17 was my introduction to Eden in live performance and it was remarkable for several reasons.  First I’d like to ask “How could I possibly not have known about Eva Cassidy my entire life”? Well it seems that many people didn’t, and it was only posthumously that her musical legacy gained popularity with the masses.  She was primarily a cover artist who recorded many genres of music – folk, jazz, pop, country, and blues – and had a purity of sound that was uncommon.  For further info I will suggest to you what Eden said to me after her show, “Go look her up on youtube.com and discover her for yourself, it will change your life”.  I did look her up and it did change my life, but that’s for another review.  

 

Another remarkable thing was Eden's encyclopedic ability to represent each style of music with authenticity and musical meaning (something Cassidy has been heralded for) throughout the entire evening.  She was supported by a terrificly versatile band of four who I am certain any singer in the city would commit a felony to work with.  I’ve seen my share of Broadway women perform in concert or cabaret and witnessed many an attempt by said women to 'contemporize' their image with pop/rock music.  Sometimes it works, but frequently stylistic limitations don’t allow the artist complete fruition of musical ideas; basically they just belt it.  Eden’s performance was based soundly in musical ideas, and in such a chameleon-like way she altered her own vocal production to serve the music fully.  And even though she used all of Eva’s original arrangements Eden did not straight jacket herself into replicating the other singers mannerisms or style, but as a true artist would, she discovered the musical subtleties and meanings herself while staying true to the spirit of the woman she was paying tribute to.  The breadth of style she presented would confound another singer but there was success with every number throughout the 90 minute program. 

A funky and bluesy “Drowning in the Sea of Love” opened her 10 song set, and it immediately set the tone.  No Mr. Schoenfeld, we won’t be singing any show tunes tonight!  With all the instinct of a great musical actress, no, a great musician, she was right on the beat, every musical change given correct emphasis…basically Eden GOT DOWN!  Then she went right into a cigarette smoke and Manhattan cocktail tinged version of  "Wayfaring Stranger" and a juicy arrangement of the R&B "Time is a Healer" (with her all male band providing nice back up vocals too).  She told the audience she was suffering from allergies, perhaps to excuse any rough singing that might come up, but she needn’t have worried because there wasn’t a wrong note to be heard.  It was then on her fourth number “I Know You by Heart” where the magic really began.  It’s one of those ballads that can transfix you with the beauty of the lyrics and the melody and the meaning, and it brought out the most beautiful part of Eden’s voice, a burnished, tender sound infused with the bittersweet sentiment of the song.  It was during this song that a transindental moment occurred where she seemingly made time stand still as only the truly gifted are able to do.  In pin-drop silence we all breathed every word together, and everyone at my table surreptitiously brought hand to cheek to wipe away tears by the end of it.  It was exquisite.  Then off came her high heels and she planted herself comfortably kneeling on the floor to sing a gleaming “Fields of Gold” delivered in a sort of half-lit, soft sound that gently rode the arpeggios in the accompaniment; the epitome of “heart-felt”.  Her song set rounded out with The Beatles “Yesterday”, Fleetwood Mac's “Songbird” (my personal favorite),  and a sexy/sassy riff on the Peggy Lee standard “Fever”.   But then Eden pulled off something that impressed me greatly; she got her audience to participate vocally and rhythmically in the most comfortable way, devoid of the usual embarrassment that we often feel when clapping or singing along at a live show, as she delivered a swingy “Wade in the Water”.  When introducing the song she casually instructed the audience about how to participate and I am certain by the end of the number she made even the most uneasy audience member feel fully a part of that song through finger snapping and back up singing.  After her final selection, a Sunday Sermon-like “Oh, Had I A Golden Thread” which brought out her exciting big voice, she pulled off another feat I could not have foreseen – a pop/folk version of “Over The Rainbow” (a Cassidy classic that would ultimately begin her posthumous fame in England) that made me want to listen anew since it usually is a bleak comparison to Judy's original, but here as with the entire set it was full of musical surprise and variety.   

Eden broke a predetermined stereo type with this show; I could see a few of her fans who weren’t expecting such an evening making a mental adjustment as she announced right off the bat she would not be performing Broadway music - "No 'Defying Gravity' tonight folks", and she told an anecdote about a band member questioning if she was really a “Broadway” performer because of how much feeling she had for the different styles in the program.  I came away from this cabaret concert definitely enriched by Eden’s choice of material, and true to her word I have been a bit obsessed with Eva Cassidy ever since. 

In this day and age of electronic music when not only the instruments are synthesized but voices too, when people think that the beat of a song is all that matters and we don’t have many popular voices valued for interesting, skilled singing, it is a true ray of light and a breath of fresh air to have an artist such as Eden Espinosa perpetuate the sacred flame of true live performance and illuminate the greatness of the one and only Eva Cassidy.

 

Eden’s first solo album is due out in time for the holidays and interestingly enough it is a selection of modern Broadway tunes performed with a pop sensibility.  She is recording it on the heals of these shows so she is sure to be in top form, and the concept of treating each of them as a stand alone song that you might hear on the radio sounds intriguing.  I will try my best to get any advanced information on the song list, but we all might just have to wait and be surprised upon it's release.  Either way I think I’ve found my stocking stuffer gifts for this Christmas!

And if you'd like to know more about the incredible story of Eva Cassidy you can see The Eva Cassidy Story on ABC Nightline here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXU219b3Zdw