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Jim Bailey: Unmasked and Low-Key

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SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

Jim Bailey has made his reputation via astounding impressions of Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand and Peggy Lee. So what was one to expect when Bailey opened at the Cinegrill on Tuesday, performing as Jim Bailey, singing a program of standards accompanied by a backup trio of musicians?

A surprisingly low-key show, for one thing. Without his superimposed personas, Bailey came across as a pleasant performer with an attractive voice (despite some occasional slips and slides in pitch) and an engaging personality.

Although he chose quality tunes, there was nothing particularly unusual about the selections. Leon Russell’s “A Song for You,” sung with a good feel for its phrasing, was perhaps the most unexpected choice. Bailey also rendered “Here’s That Rainy Day” and “It Never Entered My Mind” with a sensitive understanding of each song’s poignant lyrics. “Old Man River,” however, was an odd selection for a singer with a high range, and Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Meditation” never found its proper rhythmic groove.

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But the electric energy of Bailey’s impression performances rarely emerged. Granting Bailey’s desire to be judged as himself, his life as an impressionist surely represents a significant part of who he is as a performer. And his show would benefit from a more expansive view, even via anecdotal material, of those aspects of his career.

* Jim Bailey at the Cinegrill, Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, 7000 Hollywood Blvd. Tonight at 8, Friday-Saturday at 8 and 10:30 p.m. $20 cover, two-drink minimum. (213) 466-7000.

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