If Gary Negbaur says he keeps one foot in New Orleans and the other in his native New York City, believe him. On the jazz pianist’s right ankle is a “Big Apple” tattoo, and on the left, a “Fleur-de-lis.” When he’s hanging Crescent City style, you’ll likely find him holding court at any of the city’s finer establishments (Three Muses, Dos Jefes, The Columns Hotel). He even recorded a live album at Cafe Istanbul in 2017.
His follow-up to Alive in New Orleans still keeps a foot in The Big Easy, especially with the album cover of the decapitated Robert E. Lee statue. When momentum was mounting for the statue’s removal, then-mayor Mitch Landrieu referred to Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific show tune, “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught,” which became the title track of this recording. Just as the song pushed the envelope by addressing racial prejudice, its fundamental concept is still topical today: children learn to hate, it’s not innate.
Besides being in touch with his adopted New Orleans, Negbaur also reveals how New York is such a huge part of his identity. He’s one of the few to interpret Broadway show tunes in a genre that draws its standards from classic films. Besides the title track, there’s the prancing “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” from My Fair Lady and the twisted, Randy Newman-recalling “You’ll Be Back” from Hamilton.
From Broadway, he bounces to the Beatles, interpreting two tunes from its canon. Towards the end of “For No One,” Negbaur launches into a crazy salsa groove that’s all too brief but innovative, nonetheless.
Yet, do not take him too seriously because sly humor is often around the corner. He throws the ’20s swingy “I Want to Be Happy” into a minor key and croons with a droll, depressed-sounding voice as if to satirize its co-dependent lyrics: “I won’t be happy until I make you happy.”
Of Negbaur’s delightful originals, “Chemistry” is practically a mini-musical with a happy ending while “I Keep Missing My Cue” finds a protagonist—always a beat behind. “Dressing for Yesterday’s Weather” follows a similar suit of another misfit protagonist, except his outlook changes when good fortune strikes.
No doubt, Negbaur’s a clever songwriter, leaving the listener intrigued as to what else could be stashed away in his song bag. As a jazz pianist, he’s a monster, playing beautiful melodic arrangements with sparkling ornamentation. It’s so rich, in fact, his high-quality playing could easily overshadow his songwriting, but overall, it’s a great combination from an artist who puts it together seamlessly.
