DENNIS COURTNEY Blues Reviews

Florida Studio Theatre's 'Nothin' But the Blues' can make you happy

By JAY HANDELMAN
jay.handelman@heraldtribune.com

SARASOTA --

There's more to The Blues than the blues. If you're oppressed, the songs can help you realize you're not alone, and if you're just down for the moment, they can bring a smile to your face.

With its strong singers and historical sweep, the musical revue "It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues" can help wipe away any feelings of misery you may have, at least temporarily.

This fun, often toe-tapping, hand-clapping show at Florida Studio Theatre traces the roots of a musical style that helped people shoulder their burdens from Africa to the Mississippi Delta and Southside Chicago, then on to juke joints and nightclubs around the world.

Traditional African chants, accompanied by drums, lead to a depiction of the capture of slaves, and stories ebb and flow between and through about 50 songs.

The strong cast, led by Jannie Jones, Richie McCall, Jim Weaver, Forrest Richards and Joliet Harris, brings passion, sorrow, pain and humor to the songs. Singer and guitarist Jon Rosen has an unusual stage presence, and his guitar sounds too muted for such a prominent role, but he's funny singing the double-entendre lyrics of "Candy Man Blues."

Blues fans will likely recognize many of the songs and the major names behind them, including Jimmy Rogers and Robert L. Johnson. Others may be entertained if not moved.

The first act is more traditional, with light accompaniment by Rosen and a few backup musicians (led by musical director Michael Sebastian) hidden backstage. The women wear no makeup and simple dresses (designed by Marcella Beckwith). The tone changes for the jazzier second half, with a dash of sparkles, glitz and fine suits to accompany the funkier and more modern sounds.

Director and choreographer Dennis Courtney brings a breezy pace to the show, and keeps the audience engaged in light stories that link the songs.

Some songs highlight deep-rooted spiritual beliefs, such as "Cross Road Blues," "I Know I've Been Changed" and the rousing "Catch on Fire." Others emphasize a bluegrass sound, such as Richards' singing of "My Home's Across the Blue Ridge Mountains."

The music mixes sex, anger, romance and frustration. Jones is a powerful force in "Danger Blues" and "I Put a Spell on You," and she puts sass into "My Man Rocks Me."

Richards turns from sweet to spicy in "Now I'm Gonna Be Bad" and proves it later with a fiery version of "Fever." Weaver shows off a ribald side in "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man" and joins McCall for the humorous "Who Broke the Lock?" about a human rooster raiding the hen house.

The songs are accompanied by black-and-white photographs flashed on a screen, giving them a sense of place or history. It's part of what adds to Harris' almost overwhelming performance of "Strange Fruit," about the devastating impact of racial hatred in the South.

It is in such moments that you discover a new sense of feeling in a musical style that almost had to burst to life.