Billie remembered...and Al remembers...

Submitted by Al Kanovsky 3/25/13

Yesterday, I went to the Miami Beach Stage Door Theater. The reason, to see a performance by Paulette Dozier in a play titled "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill". If I used the word great, to describe Ms . Dozier's portrayal of Billie Holiday, it would be a gross understatement. Dramatically, Paulette, conveyed every one of Billie's mannerisms, moods, feelings, mental anguish and frailties. (Hey Al, you write about JAZZ & BLUES. What do you know about the art of theater?) Yo! I'm a person. I can see. I can hear. I can feel. If an actor can make me feel the way Paulette did yesterday than I know what acting is all about. It's true that I've listened to tens of thousands of hours of "live" music. I've seen less than 125 plays. You needn't be an expert to be a witness.

The time frame of the play is the late "50s", at the tail end of Billie's life. Paulette sings 13 of the numbers that highlighted Miss Holiday's   career. She does it in her own voice and style and yet makes you envision "Lady Day".

She takes you through Billie's life, from the glitter to the gutter. From the joy of singing with the big bands to the anguish over the racial inequalities of the time. From making her first record to the ravages of drug and alcohol addiction.  I remember New York City lifting her Cabaret Card so she could no longer work the clubs. I saw and heard Billie Holiday at the height, filling Carnegie Hall, and then at the depths. The last time was at a club, way out in Queens. I don't remember the name but it wasn't famous or even notable. The place was packed. Billie came on stage and started to sing. It wasn't the Lady Day of "ooh-ooh-ooh" or "Easy Livin'". This was a woman who had suffered the heartaches of too many bad relationships and the degradation of incarceration and drug addiction.  The audience started talking among themselves and soon you couldn't even her Billie. Paulette Dozier, the ACTRESS, brought me back to those days. Thank you Paulette.

Accompanying Ms. Dozier was a rhythm section which had David Nagy (acting as Jimmy) on piano, Brian Sayre on drums and a familiar face, Kai Sanchez on bass. I found out that Paulette is a member of ASCAP & SAG. Quite a gal-----and absolutely gorgeous!!!!

*Editor's note - This was the finale show of this run of Ms. Dozier's show. There will be more, as the show is in high demand in many places. Stay tuned!

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