Shaw Breathes Life Into Old Standards

Never judge a book . . . , at least not in the case of jazz singers. Ian Shaw looks a lot more like the kind of guy with whom you’d like to lift a pint or two at the local pub than an English singer who can deliver a first-rate jazz performance.

Shaw, who made his L.A. debut opening a three-night run at the Hollywood Roosevelt Cinegrill on Monday night, somewhat resembles Van Morrison in both appearance and sound. But Shaw has moved well beyond Morrison’s urban jump band blues style. And he has done so in an unusual fashion, incorporating blues and pop references, a wide range that escalates up to a piercingly high falsetto and solid R&B; phrasing into harmonically sophisticated, rhythmically urgent interpretations.

Shaw’s program had few surprises in its choices. Rich with standards, it included such familiar items as “I Concentrate on You,” “Until the Real Thing Comes Along,” “Dearly Beloved” and “All or Nothing at All.” But almost every reading was approached with imagination and insight. The most appealing aspect of Shaw’s talent, in fact, is his capacity to exercise his musical ideas without sacrificing either the lyrics or the message of the songs.

His rendering of “Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most,” for example, a tune that has been mercilessly overdone by lounge acts, restored some of its inherent tenderness. And, when he reached the songs’s final phrase, a point at which most male singers predictably follow the melody down to the bottom of their range, Shaw mischievously tossed the line up to the top of his falsetto. Gilbert O’Sullivan’s 1972 hit, “Alone Again, Naturally,” was done as a slow, almost mournful dirge, powerfully capturing the song’s dark subtext. And “I’ll Be Seeing You,” performed with piano accompaniment alone, was a perfect combination of soul and rhythm.

Shaw was accompanied, superbly, by pianist Cecilia Coleman’s trio, with drummer Willie Jones III and bassist Danton Boller. Generous with his space, Shaw gave the musicians ample opportunity to solo. The result was a musical interaction before a moderate but enthusiastic crowd that provided the ideal setting for this talented English artist.

* Ian Shaw at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel Cinegrill, 7000 Hollywood Blvd., (213) 466-7000. Tonight at 8, $12. In addition, there is a $10 per person minimum purchase. Appetizers and desserts available.