For one night only at the Perth International Cabaret Festival, jazz cabaret artist Mama Alto graced the stages of His Majesty’s Theatre with the Australian premiere of her New York Joe’s Pub debut cabaret Transcendent. She took the inauspicious “4 pm on a Saturday in Perth” spot in the lineup but made the absolute most of it with a sold-out and adoring crowd Downstairs at the Maj.
She was joined by Boorloo-based pianist/composer/musical director Joshua Haines on piano, whom, she tells us, she had met only the day before. Such an admission from less talented or experienced artists could have served as a warning; but not so in Mama Alto and Haines’s case. Mama Alto’s confession was a lowkey flex because honestly, it sounded like they’d been performing together for years.
Mama explained that this cabaret was a retrospective of her most favourite repertoire from over a decade of performance. As it turns out, her favourites are our favourites too: “Autumn Leaves”, “Wild Is the Wind”, “Tea for Two”, and “‘Round Midnight”, just to name a few. She makes these standards her own with her unique “gender transcendent” vocals, her warm wit and storytelling, and her mesmerising presence. Each tune was a musical painting and a masterclass in interpretation.
She took time to connect with her audience, tailoring the spiciness of her banter to fit the temperature of the room, and led us on a timeless reverie through torch songs with a side of chips. With regal insouciance (and probably not a little road hunger) she ordered a bowl of chips from the bartender mid-performance, snacked on a few between songs (apologising to those who experience misophonia from others’ chewing), and carried right on with her soaring melodies without a trace of aspiration.
You see, Mama was in such high demand as she blew in for the final evening of Boorloo’s cabaret festival, she had to fit in a bite and a nap in between three appearances that evening. After her “4 pm on a Saturday in Perth” performance, she ascended from the basement stage to the main stage to perform “Tea for Two” and “‘Round Midnight”, this time with horns and percussion, as part of the closing night gala. Then she made her way back Downstairs for the late-night (9.30 pm is late for Perth) cabaret alongside other festival artists.
Here’s hoping Mama Alto’s next trip to Boorloo/Perth comes soon and lets her settle in for more than just a day. Such magnificence deserves a much longer stay in our town’s biggest spotlights.
CICELY BINFORD
Mama Alto: Transcendent appeared at Perth International Cabaret Festival on June 22, 2024. For more information about Mama Alto, visit her website here.
