Reviews
“A smart, polished show. Karen Oberlin is a pop-jazz singer who radiates a subdued glamour… Beyond having a pretty voice, poise and interpretive insight, Ms. Oberlin is a thorough researcher... She has impeccable pop style...Ms. Oberlin brought a steady musical intelligence and delicately voluptuous phrasing to her songs. In the show’s perfect moment, Ms. Oberlin’s beautifully shaped reading in the classic pop tradition was one that (Doris) Day in her prime might well have envied.”
“Thrilling! Oberlin is as lovely to look at as she is to hear… A Christmas tree angel named Karen Oberlin is lighting up the Algonquin’s Oak Room with a show that sends you out humming. Subtle, elegant and musically spot on, Karen Oberlin is such a welcome addition to the often noisy and pointless cabaret scene that one can even imagine her accompanied by a celesta without causing the slightest hint of boredom... Breathless when the song is as romantic as a country road, then forceful and full- speed-ahead when the mood turns onto a musical freeway, (her singing) rings true and funny and flawless. She’s a keeper!”
“How would you like your own private one-to-one performance by a sophisticated singer? All right, so there are other people with you in the Oak Room of the Algonquin Hotel. But everyone seems to fade away as Karen Oberlin has a love affair with the music and lyrics she has chosen and sings so intimately that it’s as if her songs are meant only for you. She sets the bar for her purity of tone and interpretation at the outset with songs sung with utmost clarity and attention to detail. Honoring the prolific composer and lyricist could not be in better hands.”
“Warm intimacy, pitch perfect, funny, poignant, mellow, sexy and spirited (with) a sophisticated sense of phrasing... Her voice warms like melting butter to infuse her love songs with emotion and passion. Few of today's singers elicit the sense of rapture as naturally and intimately as Karen Oberlin. She has followed a straight upward path since she began her career. In a three-week engagement in the Oak Room, Karen Oberlin proves her audiences were right and her critical acclaim is well- deserved.”
“Karen Oberlin is a soulful, swinging scholar of the Great American Songbook. She reaches into the minds and muses of our golden repertoire to teach us, dazzle us, and send us to a Tin Pan Alley nirvana, as deep as the ocean and high as the sky. She is truly a marvel. Accept no substitutes.”
“How much duller Palm Beach would be these days without Karen Oberlin’s sparkling interpretations! This is a singer who obviously believes every word counts. At the conclusion of at least two numbers, a woman in the audience could be distinctly heard saying "Beautiful.” It would be hard to argue with that assessment.”
“Like a breath of spring, Karen Oberlin’s lush vocal renditions of the songs of one of America’s foremost writers of the American theater filled the air of the historic Oak Room. Oberlin, always in control, cleverly weaves lyrical wonders, meticulously sung. It feels as if she hugs each lyric; Oberlin is joyous to behold.”
See Page 12 for Karen Oberlin’s inclusion in 16 photos chosen for The New York Times, "The Week in Culture,” October 30th, 2009
“Because singer Oberlin is an artful straddler, moving gracefully between show tunes, jazz and pop, it comes as no surprise that on 'My Standards' the definition of 'standard' is pleasantly fuzzy. On this velvety song set, she offers moving versions of tunes by Elvis Costello, Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman, and even the 'Theme From "Valley of the Dolls."' On the jazz-standard tip, she also shows a wise take on 'How Deep Is the Ocean' backed by ever-tasteful pianist Fred Hersch. Her standards are high, and her ears are open.”
“A bright, clear voice and sensual charm… Oberlin has a distinctive sound and phrases sumptuous evergreens with a fresh and appealing approach. (She) invests ballads with a breathless intimacy and lays the allure at the listener’s feet.”
“Riveting… Exciting… Poignant… Oberlin mixes exquisite singing with pithy and charming patter. A gifted writer and performer… (She) is gorgeous enough to be a movie star...but no posing, no posturing, no faking for her. There is a fundamental honesty and confidence in Oberlin's persona that comes through not just in her attitude but in her approach to the music. Oberlin sings (her songs) with full attention to the lyrics.”
“A superb production...(Oberlin has) a deep understanding and appreciation of the lyrics. She has a great feeling for Harburg songs and the style and talent to perform them. Meanwhile, the show reviewed here could easily be reprised (at the Metropolitan Room) or many places out of New York. It is strong enough to have a good long life.”
“Because singer Oberlin is an artful straddler, moving gracefully between show tunes, jazz and pop, it comes as no surprise that on 'My Standards' the definition of 'standard' is pleasantly fuzzy. On this velvety song set, she offers moving versions of tunes by Elvis Costello, Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman, and even the 'Theme From "Valley of the Dolls."' On the jazz-standard tip, she also shows a wise take on 'How Deep Is the Ocean' backed by ever-tasteful pianist Fred Hersch. Her standards are high, and her ears are open.”
“Karen Oberlin's terrific new recording, Secret Love — The Music of Doris Day, is an inspired tribute to one of the greatest singers who ever stepped in front of a microphone or an audience...(her) jazzy homage makes clear what a lovely artist Oberlin is with a lilting, light voice that is clean, honest and refreshing free of artifice.”
“Karen Oberlin is my favorite vocal discovery of the year! Oberlin is one of those rare singers blessed with a clear, gorgeous, evocative voice...there is nothing to distract from the purity of tone, nor her connection to the lyric and the audience. Oberlin treats each number with the care of a master jeweler handling a fine gem.”
“Not only does the variety of music make this album ("My Standards") bracing, but so does the way it is presented. Oberlin's primary genre is cabaret with a smattering of musical comedy. Yet she takes fascinating turns with the music within that framework. Her pure and crystalline-like-a-mountain-lake voice comes in loud and clear... A 16 year veteran of the singing scene, one can say with the release of this album, 'it's about time'. Recommended.”
“After the show I was so warm from Karen's spectacular performance and delightfully heartwarming show, it took me the 8 blocks (nearly 1/2 mile) to cool down to the reality of the outdoor temperatures. You simply must see this finely crafted and elegantly presented performance!”
“The Algonquin gave Karen Oberlin a chance to show off her polished style and intelligent approach to singing via 'My Standards' (which she also pressed as a CD). She is courageous… lithe, friendly and a great singer. No gimmicks. Just good songs purveyed with sincere interest and understanding.”
“Karen Oberlin is as appealing as they come.”
“This well-crafted and decidedly engaging act is a superb introduction to the composer-lyricist's talent for tunefulness and witty wordplay. The 20th Century was lucky to have Loesser, and the 21st Century is equally lucky to have singers like Karen Oberlin making sure his work lives on.”
“Oberlin displayed exceptional phrasing and vocals.”
“(At the Algonquin) she was self possessed, good with repartee and possessed a voice that makes one want to stop and listen.”
“She is quite charming and very talented. She dazzles me from the moment she steps onstage. Audiences are captivated by her rich voice and her charm.”
“I’m so enjoying your CD! You have a beautiful sound and tone so I am very flattered that you have enjoyed my work. You brought me to tears.”