Too little jazz in Woodward’s eclectic program

Singer-songwriter Lucy Woodward presented a strange program Friday at The Smith Center’s intimate Cabaret Jazz, moving from jazz-rock to pop to music hall to several other modes but never focusing long on any one.

Although the program was billed as part of the center’s jazz series, most of the small amount of jazz offered was overshadowed by a seven-piece band that often obliterated the singer’s efforts.

Most of the songs were penned by Woodward. None seems destined to be long remembered, although some were light and bordered on being fun. Woodward appeared to be enjoying herself. But audience response was often no more than tepid.

The set began with “It’s Over” followed by “Please Break Up with Me.” Each probably could be done effectively as a torch song, but it was hard to tell because the words were completely covered up by the loud band. The closest thing to a jazz standard was the Ruth Brown tune “If I Let Myself Go,” but again, the vocals were overpowered.

Each of the first three songs was preceded by a conference of Woodward and her accompanying musicians, after which she informed the audience “I don’t have a set list,” thus the need for the discussions between tunes.

On Nina Simone’s “Be My Husband and I’ll Be Your Wife,” a stab at audience participation brought laughter when Woodward inadvertently flipped the text several times and had men singing the title and women doing the reverse.

After trying a cover of the Sinatra ballad “Over and Over,” again in a style and at a volume that conflicts with the point of the song, there came a startling change. Woodward brought to the stage two women to join her: Holly Palmer and Michelle Lewis. The three, dubbed a “girl band,” have been rehearsing and preparing material for some time, and when they began to sing, the energy in the room jumped several levels.

Woodward, who did not appear comfortable in the earlier part of the show, took on new life. Her eyes sparkled, her smile became genuine and she truly connected with the audience.

The three clicked together and with the audience. Their sound and the harmonic structure of many of the arrangements brought strong memories of the Andrews Sisters.

The three, now christening themselves “The Goods,” sang, among other titles, “So Far, So Good” and “Singing Lullabies to a Doll in My Arms.”

Woodward has a fairly recent CD out called “Hooked.” Her solo performance ended with “Rag Doll,” a vivacious romp featured on a video culled from the CD. The show’s finale brought “The Goods” back with the band on a rousing treatment of the Benny Goodman classic “Sing, Sing, Sing,”

The evening’s choice of material was eclectic and performance levels were spotty.

The bistro’s main floor was barely half full and only four tables on the mezzanine were occupied. Perhaps a return of true jazz would bring back its audience.