LIVE: Zoë Lewis @ the Eighth Step at Proctors, 12/3/11
With a strong British accent, English-born singer-songwriter Zoë Lewis apologized, tongue-in-cheek, for her “Brooklyn” accent. When the laughter subsided, the Eighth Step audience knew they were in for a treat.
In the cozy Underground at Proctors theater space (the home of the improv comedy troupe Mop and Bucket Company), the Cape Cod-based Lewis sang up a storm and told captivating stories while pulling triple instrumental duty on the guitar, ukulele and acoustic piano.
Playing selections from a half-dozen of her CDs, including the brand-new “Rotary Phone,” Lewis’ sound was all over the musical spectrum. Some tunes were straight contemporary British-Irish-American folk, while others drew on Latin, jazz, funk, swing, cabaret and pop influences.
However, it’s Lewis’ superb sense of humor that brilliantly shines through in any performance. Like her spiritual folk-music sisters, Christine Lavin and Cheryl Wheeler, she’s a natural-born comedian, both as a song lyricist and with her between-tune patter.
And that’s why the Eighth Step was nicely packed with fans on that recent Saturday night.
Review and photographs by Andrzej Pilarczyk
Not to be too picky, but Zoe is based in Cape Cod (Provincetown), not Rhode Island (Providence)! Otherwise a fine, fine review – Zoe is a true treasure!
That’s not too picky, Fred. Thanks for the proof reading. The correction has been made. Hope you enjoyed seeing YOUR photo, too.
Nice little review! For ages, I thought that really was Zoe’s Brooklyn accent, but then again I’m from Australia and what would I know 🙂 A performance by Zoe is always a treat, and I can’t wait to see her live again. In between I have to console myself with her CDs.