Ellen Greene

What makes a great singer? That's a question I've pondered many times throughout the years. With few exceptions, someone cannot be a great singer at 18. A performer can have a great voice, a great instrument, at a young age, but it takes a certain amount of living to become a great singer.

She must know great joy and love as well as loss and heartache firsthand. I don't know Ellen Greene's life story, but I would venture to guess that she's experienced her fair share of all of these. For Greene is a great singer — make that an exceptional one. She is that rare breed who can make a song come alive and move a listener profoundly.

Over the past few years I've had the pleasure of watching Greene and her musical director-accompanist (and husband) Christian Klikovits perform at Joe's Pub, the intimate cabaret space within the Public Theater. In performance, Greene is never less than riveting, one of the finest song interpreters of her generation. And, on her debut solo recording, "In His Eyes," she manages to do the near-impossible: Greene imbues her studio recording with the wide range of emotion that fills her live performances.

"In His Eyes," which features Klikovits on piano, organ and synthesizers, employs a host of other musicians who bring to life Klikovits' beautiful arrangements. The cello, the viola, and the violins all surround Greene's voice with dazzling effect. Bernie Kirsh has also mixed the recording magnificently — there is a perfect balance of voice and accompaniment.

The 13-track disc begins with Sarah McLachlan's "I Love You," and from the moment Greene sings "I have a smile stretched from ear to ear to see you walking down the road," she completely hooks the listener and proceeds to take him or her on a 58-minute emotional journey.

That roller-coaster-ride-of-a-journey follows with a haunting rendition of Kate Bush's "The Man with the Child in His Eyes" before venturing into tunes by Peter Allen, Alice Cooper, Paula Cole, Tori Amos, Queen, Tom Waits, Freddie Mercury as well as a new piece by Klikovits, "When Love Is Gone." Although the disc includes just one theatre song — a bonus track of Weill and Brecht's "Pirate Jenny" — Greene is such a terrific storyteller that each song becomes a theatre piece in itself. As I've written before, Greene's emotional nakedness and fragility comes across in everything she sings. Just listen to her delivery of Simpson and Miller's "Ready for Love": Like the greatest of theatre ballads, in Greene's hands (and voice) the longing she expresses is completely heartbreaking.

Other highlights include fiery renditions of "Nothing Blues" and "Throwing Stones"; a reading of Alice Cooper's "Only Women Bleed" that includes some humorous, off-the-cuff remarks by back-up vocalist Maiya Sykes; the best version of Peter Allen's "Pretty Pretty" I've heard; a touching take of "Too Much Love Will Kill You"; and the aforementioned Klikovits ballad, "When Love Is Gone."

Two of my favorite tracks are Tori Amos' ravishing "Winter" and the wrenching "Love Is Everything" by Jane Siberry. It's impossible not to be moved as Greene pours her heart out in the Siberry lyric: "Love is everything they said it would be/ Love did not hold back the reins/ But love forgot to make me too blind to see/ You're chickening out aren't you?/ You're bangin' on the beach like an old tin drum/ I cant wait 'til you make/ The whole kingdom come/ So I'm leaving . . . I gave my love didn't I?/ And I gave it big sometimes/ And I gave it in my own sweet time/ I'm just leaving."

The recording is simply sensational, songs delivered with honest emotion by a multi-talented artist. With only a few months left until 2005, I believe "In His Eyes" is the solo vocal recording of the year.

[Though not yet in stores, "In His Eyes" will be available sometime next week via the internet. As soon as the website goes live, I will post the address. Those who can't wait for a copy, however, should head to Provincetown, where Greene is now playing through Aug. 30. The new CD will be available in the lobby before and after performances of her acclaimed concert, Torch. The actress and Klikovits are playing the UU Meeting House, located at 236 Commercial Street in Provincetown, MA. Call (508) 487-9793 for reservations; tickets are priced at $30.]

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