Shaynee Rainbolt

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CRITICAL ACCLAIM HIGHLIGHTS

FULL REVIEWS

2008 MAC AWARD WINNER
For "I REMEMBER'
MUSIC BY RUSSELL GARCIA
LYRICS BY RUSSELL GARCIA AND SHAYNEE RAINBOLT

Shaynee Rainbolt

Critical Acclaim - Highlights

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Jazzwise Magazine (UK)
"....Rainbolt's golden tone and interpretative intuition are undeniably seductive."

Jazz Times Magazine
"One of the most enjoyable singers around...pure poetry."

Jazz Improv Magazine: New York Jazz Guide
"...We're reminded of the power that a song can hold. Without a moment's notice, we're transformed....Swingin' jazz [that] relates to us all."

Sound Advice by Rob Lester: www.talkinbroadway.com CD Review
" Shaynee sounds so very confident and in charge, comfortable in her musical skin. She is At Home indeed! Terrific."

Cabaret Scenes (Performance Review: Jazz Standard, NYC)
" Shaynee Rainbolt's on a roll...I Only Have Eyes For You, left no doubt that this songbirdis as much as home in the jazz world as she is in cabaret...Rainbolt's attractive way with her songs shone through."

Bopndicks 20 Picks May 2006
Dick Crockett, The Voice, 88.7 FM, Sacramento CA
"She has vocal command, a distinctive tone with an intimacy and depth of meaning. It doesn't just stop there. For a jazz singer it's very much interpretation to go along lyricism. Shaynee Rainbolt is all the above."

www.allaboutjazz.com
" "Rainbolt's convincing interpretations combine a warm and personal approach with immaculate vocal authority....She’s At Home with vocal jazz from many different perspectives....a fresh outlook that works wonders for the soul."

Time Out New York
Critics' Pick
“In her capable hands, even the most standard of standards seems as if it's being sung directly to you. Whatever you want to call it - talent, charm, sheer magic - Rainbolt's got it."

JazzNow.com
“... her voice draws you into a world of innocence and tenderness; a nice
place to be..”

Cadence Magazine
The Review of Jazz & Blues Creative Improvised Music
Rainbolt's strength lies in her caressing, lullaby-like forms of persuasion...the familiar mood she appends to these timeless songs settles in as deeply as desired."

Backstage.com
“...If this were the '30s or '40s, she would be a household name fronting a big band in a slinky number......one of today’s bright lights who’s on her way to more recognition...”

www.theatermania.com
“San Francisco’s loss is New York’s gain. The arrival here of the memorably named singer Shaynee Rainbolt is cause for celebration.”

Cabaret Scenes Magazine
“Shaynee Rainbolt has it all together...a show that starts on the front burner and stays there.... an outstanding interpreter of song.”

Local jazz singer passes ‘Gershwin test’ — with style
"J" The Jewish News Weekly
“.. an effortlessly smooth, sweet voice and a sense of humor.......Rainbolt’s delivery is velvety smooth, intelligent and compliments rather than commandeers.. Rainbolt also demonstrates an actress’ range, adopting myriad emotions...”

Time Out New York
Critics' Pick #2
“Her smooth, confident voice draws you in at once, creating an intimate bond”

The Buzz Starts Here
Celebrating CDs from SF songbirds
The Bay Area Reporter
“...Emotionally sophisticated vocalizing ... refreshing sense of self-assurance...this one is a keeper.”

San Francisco Bay Times
“Shaynee Rainbolt, a terrific vocalist... dreamy.”

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Click on a link to read the review:

Jazzwise Magazine (UK) September 2006 At Home Review
Jazz Times September 2006 At Home Review
Jazz Improv New York Jazz Guide AT HOME CD Review
Sound Advice, Talkinbroadway.com CD Review
'At Home' CD Release Tour (Jazz Standard Review)
Bopndicks 20 Picks May 2006 Dick Crockett, The Voice, 88.7 FM, Sacramento CA
'At Home' CD Review on Allaboutjazz.com
Performance Review Backstage
Performance Review: Cabaret Scenes
Perfomance Review: Seattle Gay News
Performance Review: Cabaret Scenes
Performance Review: The Siegel Column, Theatermania.com
Performance Review: Cabaret Hotline Online
Performance Review: www.MNnyc.com
Performance Review: SF Bay Times
CD Review from www.JazzNow.com
CD Review from J Magazine
Time Out New York Critic's Pick #1
Time Out New York Critic's Pick #2
CD Review San Francisco Bay Area Reporter
CD Review Cabaret Scenes Magazine
CD Review Cadence Magazine
On Air: Joe Franklin (Memory Lane)
Show Review: Cabaret Hotline Online
Cabaret Hotline Award

Jazzwise Magazine (UK)
Peter Quinn
September 2006

Occupying a niche somewhere between cabaret singer and jazz chanteuse, At Home is the follow-up to Shaynee Rainbolt's excelent debut From This Moment On. Released on UK label 33 Records, the new CD sees the NYC-based singer's backing band augment from a quartet to an octet, and the greater textural possibilities that the expanded palette offers is utilised to maximum effect. And what a band this is, led by Lee Musiker (Tony Bennett's musical director) and including the likes of ace guitarist Gene Bertoncini. Musiker takes on the lion's share of arranging duties and gives a masterclass in how to vary mood, tempo and perspective.

The collection crackles into life with the deliciously sustained, long-lined phrasing of "I Only Have Eyes For You" and reaches a high-water mark with Musiker's otherworldly medley arrangement of "Never Never Land' and "Pure Imagination" - Peter Pan in the embrace of Willie Wonka - which is all open-ended harmonies and shimmering impressionism. "Moonglow" in a superior reading complete with opening verse, tricks you into thinking it's an intimate guitar-vocal arrangement before bass and drums unobtrusively slide into the frame. Elsewhere, the brooding "I Can't make You Love Me" the tongue in cheek 'In These Shoes' and a barnstorming 'Stuff Like That There' illustrate the exceptional range of material on offer (and that's not to mention Bud Burridge's excellent wah-wah trumpet work on 'Mink Schmink'). Throughout, Rainbolt's golden tone and interpretative intuition are undeniably seductive.

Jazz Times Magazine
Harvey Siders
September 2006

One of the most enjoyable singers around, Shaynee Rainbolt's second album will appeal to a very wide audience. She's jazz-flavoured and dramatically believable, at home perched on a stool in a dimly lit jazz bistro or cabaret venue. And she can still handle any comic-patter novelty that comes along. They're all included here, and she greets them with a high, thin voice, a firm falsetto that extends her range and great enunciation. That diction clearly imparts Dave Frishberg's wit on 'Blizzard of Lies."

Rainbolt's strength lies in ballads. Her most impressive are "The Summer Knows" backed only by the guitar of Gene Bertoncini, and "Easy to Remember," accompanied mainly by pianist Lee Musiker (Tony Bennett's Music Director). "Moonglow" with guitar joined by bassist Tom Hubbard, is uncomplicatedly soothing. "Never-Never Land" is pure poetry. She handles the pulsating mambo "in These Shoes" with bilingual authority. The way, way, up "I Only Have Eyes For You" finds Rainbolt scatting precisely on the final unison with trumpet and alto.

Jazz Improv Magazine
New York Jazz Guide
June 2006

Swinging standards and rare gems give Shaynee Rainbolt plenty of room for expressive adventure. She sings ‘em with a communicative spirit that leaves no doubt as to each selections meaning. Each song contains a story, and she makes sure that we have the pleasure of its company long enough to get it. Her comfortable vocals move seamlessly over each one with a simple caress.

“Moonglow” and “The Summer Knows” feature the delicate guitar of Gene Bertoncini along with Rainbolt’s convincing stroll. As she moves effortlessly through several vocal octaves, you can feel the emotional pull. Dave Frishberg’s “Blizzard of Lies,” which comes with built-in smiles all around, gets a swinging big band treatment that features Cliff Lyons on alto. As Rainbolt interprets the song’s humorous lyrics, we’re reminded of the power that a song can hold. Without a moment’s notice, we’re transformed.

Bud Burridge’s wah-wah trumpet gives “Mink Schmink” a traditional flavor, as vocalist and piano trio present us with another poignant message. The blues runs through this interpretation with class. “I can’t Make You Love Me” comes with a heartfelt ballad spirit, while “in These Shoes” seems to be made for lively dancing. Stephen Sondheim’s “Another Hundred People” Brings an interesting lyrical Message to the forum, as Rainbolt extends her timeless adventure. The songs that she’s chosen for this, her latest album, reflect upon society’s trials and tribulations: the daily grind. We’re all exposed to it. Couched in terms of swingin’ jazz, the singer’s program relates to us all.

Sound Advice
AT HOME CD Review
www.talkinbroadway.com
Rob Lester

If you know Shaynee Rainbolt's first CD, From This Moment On, you already know she's a fine singer who is a pleasure to hear, with a clear, clean sound. No complaints on that album. But with her sophomore effort, she has taken a giant step. Shaynee sounds so very confident and in charge, comfortable in her musical skin. She is At Home indeed!

Some of the best elements of her first CD have their counterparts in the new one. The first ended with a Harry Warren melody, the new one opens with another (a hard-driving full-steam-ahead "I Only Have Eyes for You," letting Shaynee race through the Al Dubin lyric unrestrained). Both have a smart balance of uptempo charts and ballads. Each has a clever Dave Frishberg selection ("Let's Eat Home" on the first, "Blizzard of Lies," co-written by Samantha Frishbert, on the new one). Each has a medley of two effectively intertwined songs. Mike Greensill, arranger (and pianist) on the the first is represented here on three charts, with additional work by this CD's pianist, Lee Musiker, who did five other arrangements on his own. (How lucky is Shaynee to get the creative Musiker between his gigs with Tony Bennett?) This time out, she has twice as many musicians: eight instead of four.

The musicians on At Home include the world class guitarist Gene Bertoncini (any album featuring him has a major head start), who is featured on an arrangement co-credited to him and Shaynee. It's a thoughtful version of "The Summer Knows," the bittersweet and haunting theme from the film The Summer of '42. Shaynee sounds wise and knowing in her reading of the Marilyn and Alan Bergman lyric that adorns the Michel Legrand melody, accompanied just by Gene who leads into it with the same composer's "Once Upon a Summertime." Shaynee ends perfectly with a held, high, pure note. The two also collaborate on "Moonglow" with its rarely included verse. This particular "Moonglow" has more of an "afterglow" feel with its warm sense of contentment. Gene gets a tasty solo on each, longer on this one.

Whereas From This Moment On has a lighter, relaxed, easy-going vibe for the most part, At Home has more of a sense of grown-up drama, some intriguing tension. "I Can't Make You Love Me," familiar from the Bonnie Raitt version, is a major highlight here. It's a heartbreaker, but done without histrionics or wallowing knee-high in tear-stained Kleenex. Shaynee radiates an intelligence on this track without sacrificing emotion. Two Sondheim songs are among the varied choices: "The Girls of Summer" and a non-frantic "Another Hundred People." Rodgers and Hart are represented by "It's Easy to Remember," one of the treatments most steeped in jazz. The aforementioned medley is a dreamy one and has youth on its mind: Peter Pan's "Never Never Land" and "Pure Imagination" from Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The album is also notable for some hip humor, notably the attitudey "In These Shoes." On this track, she has fun cutting up with Judy Barnett, the smashing jazz singer who co-produced the CD with Scott Noll. Clearly, they knew what they were doing, and the sound is terrific. So is Shaynee Rainbolt.

Performance Review
At Home tour at The Jazz Standard
Peter Leavy
Cabaret Scenes
May 22, 2006

Shaynee Rainbolt’s on a roll. Following her well-received cabaret shows in New York this past year, her new CD, At Home, is being published by the U.K.’s 33JazzRecords, and she’s celebrating its release with an international tour. We caught her in New York at The Jazz Standard, midway between the initial jumping-off point, L.A.’s Catalina Jazz Club and the wind-up destination in London at Soho’s Pizza Express Jazz Club. The showcase performance was short only the guitar and flute of the eight-man crew on the CD.

Rainbolt’s band is impressive, led by Lee Musiker, who’s also Tony Bennett’s music director. The opener, the Warren/Dubin standard, I Only Have Eyes for You, left no doubt that this songbird is as much at home in the jazz world as she is in cabaret. However, the numbers that followed displayed much of the versatility that brought her the earlier kudos in cabaret venues. True, Musiker’s arrangements often turned several corners from the original compositions, and in good jazz fashion, the six instrumentalists got plenty of solo time. But there were several numbers that would play well with a cabaret crowd. With Russell Garcia and Ned Kronk’s Go Slow, the jazz overlay notwithstanding, Rainbolt was sensuous. Turning to a novelty number with a Latin beat, In These Shoes?, she followed it with a slow blues, I Can’t Make You Love Me. Never Never Land was treated lyrically. Musical composer/humorist Dave Frishberg got his proper due with Blizzard of Lies, and Mink Shmink needs no explanation. On the other hand, Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein II would probably have been astounded to discover what musical fantasies a jazz ensemble can create out of Softly as in a Morning Sunrise.

Regrettably, The Jazz Standard was inadequately attentive to its vocalist. For the band, the room’s acoustics were good, but Rainbolt’s mike needed more gain to provide appropriate focus. And inexplicably, the saxophone player, not Rainbolt, was spotlighted throughout the show. Luckily, the problems managed to be only moderate distractions as Rainbolt’s attractive way with her songs shone through.

Bopndicks 20 Picks May 2006
Dick Crockett, The Voice, 88.7 FM, Sacramento CA
SHAYNEE RAINBOLT AT HOME 33 Jazz Records:

She has vocal command, a distinctive tone with an intimacy and depth of meaning. It doesn't just stop there. For a jazz singer it's very much interpretation to go along lyricism. Shaynee Rainbolt is all the above, with a very easy going style and the irony jumps out with her version “In These Shoes,” (Carmen Miranda should' ve had such a good day.) One of those days you never get tired of, especially with guitarist Gene Bertoncini on “Moonglow.” She has that post Yiddish vaudevillian angle with “Mink Schmink.” They love ya in Brooklyn, darling! Onto Frishberg's “Blizzard Of Lies” and you get more of a composite Rainbolt confunction. This CD provides you with the kind of show that Shaynee does live, from the Plaza on Park Avenue to Yoshi's in Jack London Square. She'll work both rooms with an energetic frenzy. PS: The Plaza hasn't gone karaoke? A myth Shaynee Rainbolt will diffuse with a superb performance in a sing along that no silly machine will duplicate like this lady can with ”Stuff Like That There, “ in a New York minute!

Review Courtesy AllAboutJazz.com
At Home
Shaynee Rainbolt | 33 Jazz

With a “little big band” accompanying her comfortable program of favorite standards from the Great American Songbook, Shaynee Rainbolt reminds us why vocal expression remains so near and dear. With every tale of adventure, she takes her audience on a trip. Rainbolt's convincing interpretations combine a warm and personal approach with immaculate vocal authority. She likes to complement her lyrical stories with wordless vocal lines that interact with her sidemen as an instrumental voice. Hence, vocalist and accompaniment synchronize on all levels.

With guitarist Gene Bertoncini, she offers a convincing interpretation of “Moonglow.” Michel Legrand’s “The Summer Knows” pairs the two artists in a sensitive duet that employs the emotional impact of acoustic classical guitar along with her storytelling charm. Dave Frishberg’s “Blizzard of Lies” comes complete with all the humor that the composer intended. “Mink Schmink” also includes a special brand of humor, sent home by Rainbolt with hugs and kisses. Piano, bass, drums and a stellar trumpet voice give the singer a big assist.

Latin jazz comes to the fore on “In These Shoes,” which she sings in both English and Spanish. The band fulfills its promise of adventure with this arrangement, and Rainbolt comes up with a winner. She’s At Home with vocal jazz from many different perspectives. Deeply felt blues, comfortable swing, searing ballads, and a fun-loving playfulness give Rainbolt’s newest album a fresh outlook that works wonders for the soul.

Read this review at www.allaboutjazz.com

John Hoglund
Backstage.com
March 03, 2006
Shaynee Rainbolt Live! @ Helen's

Stuff Like That There
In the musical scheme of things, girl singers have always had it over boy singers. After all, gals can get away with being button cute with a twinge of country wrapped in one package and it all flies. Give all this a jazzy twist and you’ve got Shaynee Rainbolt who has another show left on March 4, at the Hideaway Room @ Helen’s. If this were the '30s or '40s, she would be a household name fronting a big band in a slinky number. But, alas, it is 2006 and the musical scene looks grim with ear-splitting rap crap leading the parade on the airwaves (how did Eminem become the blackest person in the music industry?!)

Fortunately, this pert thrush from San Francisco has found a home on the cabaret and jazz club circuit on both coasts. Kicking off with Cole Porter’s “From This Moment On” (used as an opener by Garland for years,) she displays a feathery, sweet voice that is at once girlish and mature. She injects colorful shadings that, at times, recalls girl singers from the distant past. It is this quality that makes her very appealing to an audience. Sincere and likeable, she stood out on some not so familiar and interesting songs like Sondheim’s “The Girls of Summer” which was originally written as incidental music for a Richard N. Nash show and ended up in “Marry Me a Little”. That, and a silly ditty called “Stuff Like That There” (Livingston-Evans) made the show percolate with light hearted personality that captured the bubbly charm of this performer. Proving herself on novelty numbers like Dave and Samantha Frishberg’s kinetic “Blizzard of Lies” or a great reading of “Stuff Like That There,” highlighted one of today’s bright lights whose on her way to more recognition. Her three-piece band sizzled throughout the hour.

Peter Leavy
Cabaret Scenes
December 4, 2005
Shaynee Rainbolt
Holiday Madness
The Hideaway Room @ Helen's

Shaynee Rainbolt’s new show, Holiday Madness, is perfect fare for the season, a blend of serious and lighthearted songs delivered with both humor and sincerity, and guest stars who delightfully augment the good spirits of the show. Opening with a jazz-tinged and seductive Santa Baby intertwined with Peel Me a Grape, Shaynee sets the mood of the evening: jovial, witty, and eminently enjoyable. Santa would have a hard time resisting Shaynee’s entreaties.

Shaynee had a Jewish mother and a Christian father, so that for her the holiday means Chanukah songs as well as the traditional carols. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is followed by Ocho Kandelikas (Eight Candles), a Sephardic Chanukah song that Shaynee and her trio—pianist Tedd Firth, bassist Tom Hubbard and percussionist Marshal Rosenberg on Conga drums—deliver with a Latin beat. On the Christmas side was a spoof of the Brecht/Weill Surabaya-Johnny, Jason Robert Brown’s Surabaya-Santa, with Mrs. Claus getting anguished and angry. On a more serious note, Shaynee gives the wartime I’ll Be Home for Christmas its proper seriousness, voicing the sentimental and universal wish to be among family and loved ones during the holiday.

Shaynee’s guest vocalists add a further reason to catch Holiday Madness. Judy Barnett duets with Shaynee on a smashing Baby, It’s Cold Outside, and Colm Reilly briefly turns the show into a genuine Christmas concert with his lovely tenor voice and a stunning, O, Holy Night.

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Friday
December 09, 2005
Seattle Gay News
Bits and Bytes by Milton W. Hamlin

SHAYNEE RAINBOLT CHARMS WITH MADNESS
Just in case anyone is heading to New York City this week, Shaynee Rainbolt, one of Bits&Bytes's favorite cabaret performers, is offering her Holiday Madness show on Sunday at a new Gay-owned restaurant and cabaret in Chelsea, one of the predominately Gay districts in the City That Never Sleeps.

Holiday Madness, which Bits&Bytes saw on his annual New York trip for SGN last week, is a tongue-in-cheek salute to Christmas, Hanukkah and whatever else music and cabaret fans might want to celebrate. The Sunday brunch show features a wide assortment of very personal holiday favorites that reflect Rainbolt's Jewish and Christian upbringing. While much of the show revolves around holiday titles, a wide assortment of "winter-ish" standards creep into the mix-"My Favorite Things" in an untypical, almost dissent arrangement, "Come To The Supermarket In Old Peking," a Cole Porter rarity from his original late-1950's television musical Aladdin, represents "shopping for the holidays." The highlight of the show for GLBT audiences is the butch-fem faux-Lesbian duet on "Baby, It's Cold Outside." Rainbolt teams with Judy Barnett, a well established New York jazz singer with her own following, for the comic send-up that literally stopped the show. Rainbolt is always a terrific singer, and this Holiday Madness spotlights her vocal talents and comic adeptness.

Rainbolt offers Holiday Madness at Helen's, a Gay-owned and operated spot in Chelsea. Brunch seating is at 1 p.m. with Rainbolt's show at 2 p.m. The $15 fixed-price brunch menu is one of the best food bargains in New York. It offers a wide assortment of traditional brunch items (Bits&Bytes had the delicious "pulled pork" hash with poached eggs-a spicy spin off of the usual cornbeef hash) with a choice of a Bloody Mary, Mimosa, champagne or wine plus tea or coffee.

Rainbolt-a good cabaret buddy of this scribe-sings each week at a Times Square restaurant and offers periodic cabaret shows in various clubs in town. Watch this space for details in the upcoming two-part SGN Visits New York articles. Check with Helen's at (212) 206-0609 for details. The popular restaurant and cabaret offers dozens of cabarets and music events each week. And, yes, tell 'em Bits&Bytes sent ya.

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Shaynee Rainbolt
Live! At The Encore
Cabaret Scenes
Peter Leavy
June 8, 2005

Shaynee Rainbolt has it all together. A recent import to New York from the City by the Bay, for her show at The Encore, she’s assembled a princely trio to play for her, an engaging song list and arrangements to catch your attention and hold it. She quickly advises everyone that there will be no theme—the program will be a sampler of songs she likes, and begs forgiveness of “the cabaret police.”

Admittedly, a theme often provides “a hook” or cohesiveness to a show, and the lack of one has frequently diminished a program’s effectiveness. Shaynee, however, rises to the added challenge nicely, and comfortably holds her audience as she saunters from piece to piece. Her opener, Cole Porter’s From This Moment On, is well chosen and provides a foreshadowing of a show that starts on the front burner and stays there.

Among the treasures Shaynee may have brought east with her, are the arrangements of San Franciscan jazz master (and husband to Wesla Whitfield) Mike Greensill. The jazz idiom receives appropriate priority, but Shaynee varies her numbers to include standards and a small handful of novelties as well. Tedd Firth on piano, bassist Tom Hubbard and drummer Warren Odze treat them with respect and enthusiasm, and with Shaynee’s fine vocalizing, Live! At The Encore is a treat. Whether upbeat, as with her opener, becoming moody with Livingston and Evans’ Never Let Me Go, or out-and-out playful with the Frishbergs’ Blizzard of Lies, Shaynee Rainbolt establishes herself as an outstanding interpreter of song.

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The Siegel Column  Jun 14, 2005
A Rainbolt from the Blue
By: Barbara & Scott Siegel

San Francisco's loss is New York's gain. The arrival here of the memorably named singer Shaynee Rainbolt, who is currently appearing at The Encore, is cause for celebration. Her act falls somewhere on the continuum between cabaret and jazz; her warm and resonant voice, highly developed musicianship, and onstage confidence are on full display in an expansive, engaging hour of entertainment.

Give Rainbolt a good lyric -- either dramatic or comedic -- and she uses gentle jazz riffs to get underneath their meaning and make you feel what she feels. "Softly as in a Morning Sunrise" benefited mightily from her combination of delicacy and intelligence, while her dry, understated delivery of "The Boy From?" was a hilarious triumph. The act also included such diverse songs as "Blizzard of Lies," "The Summer Knows," and "Honeysuckle Rose."

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CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE #050604 - Monday, June 13, 2005
Stu Hamstra
http://www.cabarethotlineonline.com/

'Shaynee Rainbolt is at THE ENCORE at 9:30 pm, with her official debut in NYC along with her trio, tonight led by the amazing Lee Muziker. This delightful lady, fresh in town from great cabaret successes in San Francisco, is full of sparkle and energy. Her vocals are silky smooth, with a tinge of jazz and dollops of fun. This is the last night of her run - don't miss this one.'

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www.MNnyc.com
Shaynee Rainbolt
LIVE! at The Encore
Wednesday, June 15, 2005 at 9:30pm

Thank you San Francisco for sending us Shaynee! She calls herself a "chick singer". This, of course, does not do her justice. She's a vocalist extraordinaire. Shaynee serves up selection of songs that range from classic standards to the obscure, all served up with zest and style, putting her stamp on all of them.

Among the standards Shaynee sings, are Porter's From This Moment On, Gershwin's I've Got a Crush On You and Razaf/Waller's Honey Suckle Rose; each sounding fresh and new. Particularly moving is her version of Hammerstein/Romberg's Softly as in a Morning Sunrise from their operetta, THE NEW MOON.

And there are a number of jazz standards, like Livingston/Evans' Never Let Me Go or less performed Stuff Like That which is a signature song of Shaynee's. She also does justice to a little do Frishberg song, Blizzard of Lies. And for a touch of contemporary, there is a rousing Carol King tune, Way Over Yonder and the Bergman/Legrand's deeply moving The Summer Knows.

The obsure includes the Eartha Kitt song, Mink Shmink, and a novelty number, Take It Off the E String, from an obsure and delightfully camp Barbara Standwyck film, LADY OF BURLESQUE (based on a book by Gypsy Rose Lee). I'll bet not many of the audience have ever heard this song preformed live.

My two favorite songs from the show are from the "Master", Steven Sondheim. One,The Girls of Summer from a 1957 film, has a haunting and melancholy quality to it, while the other, The Boy From..., is a New York cabaret standard but I can honestly say, I've never heard sung better. Shaynee captures the usual naiveté but she also layers a sense of frustration combined with the anger which grows from this lack of understanding and frustration.

I highly recommend you catch Shaynee's show which has one more performance, Wednesday night at The Encore, 266 West 47th St. (btw 8th Ave & Broadway) in the heart of New York's Theatre District. For reservations, call 212-221-3960. There is a $12 cover ($8 for MAC and CabHotline members) plus a $12 minimum. The food is great so you can either eat or drink your minimum, or both!

Michael Nelsen
www.MNnyc.com

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San Francisco Bay Times
volume 25 #30 (April 22, 2004)
Performance Review: "Viva Variety Turns Five"

"One of the best cabaret performers in town, pianist Mike Greensill, returned to the Viva stage, unfortunately without his longtime partner, Wesla Whitfield, who was a little under the weather that night. So after he played a dynamite "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" on the piano, he brought up Shaynee Rainbolt, a terrific vocalist who has played the Plush Room many times. She sang the hell outta that Bette Midler hit, "Stuff Like That There" and finished with a dreamy "At Last."

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Shaynee Rainbolt
From This Moment On
33JAZZ077
by Ferdinand Maylin, www.jazznow.com
Shaynee Rainbolt, vocals; Mike Greensill, piano; John Wiitala, bass; Colin Bailey, drums; Noel Jewkes, reeds/horn/flute

Shaynee Rainbolt, on her debut album sings with the sparkle of life within her, she uses her voice effectively to lightly squeeze the emotions. At times she offers the taste of fragile vulnerability, she can give the feeling of the girl next door; her voice draws you into a world of innocence and tenderness; a nice place to be. Mike Greensill offers a supporting shoulder and plays inspirational piano throughout, Noel Jewkes seems to play everything you blow into with style, and bassist John Wiitala and drummer Colin Bailey are just about perfect. "Just Friends/Can't We Be Friends", and "He Touched Me" establish Shaynee's style. She bounces lightly through "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" and Fat's Waller's "Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now" is sung with wonderful freshness and heartfelt delight. With songs by Gerswhin, Porter, Warren and Waller this makes for an excellent CD debut.

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Local jazz singer passes ‘Gershwin test’ — with style
By joe eskenazi
staff writer, "J" The Jewish News Weekly

San Francisco hotspot regular Shaynee Rainbolt doesn’t have Ella Fitzgerald’s stunningly perfect voice (who does?) nor does she possess the sultry soul of a Billie Holiday (again, who does?).

But what Rainbolt does have is an effortlessly smooth, sweet voice and a sense of humor. You really can hear the joy — and even the hint of a chuckle — when she delivers lines like “He’s real and the world is alive and shining/I feel such a wonderful drive towards valentining” on her debut CD, “From This Moment On.” Rainbolt — a Jewish San Rafael resident whose family escaped the Holocaust in Yugoslavia — also possesses the incredibly underrated ability to deliver a jazz standard without trilling every third note, breaking into extraneous vocal gymnastics or pulling other look-at-how-good-my-voice is-type of behavior. Instead, Rainbolt’s delivery is velvety smooth, intelligent and compliments rather than commandeers the great old George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter or Duke Ellington numbers.
Rainbolt fronts a fun, bouncy quartet that’s a dead audible ringer for Vince Guaraldi’s boys on the “Charlie Brown Christmas” or “Black Orpheus” albums (veteran drummer Colin Bailey was one of Guaraldi’s boys on both of those albums).

Rainbolt also demonstrates an actress’ range, adopting myriad emotions on songs ranging from ecstatic (“He Touched Me”) to sassy (“Just Friends/Can’t We Be Friends”) to morose (“Cry Me a River”). But, does she pass the Gershwin test? The music of Jewish composer George Gershwin has something of a “magic lamp” quality. In the right hands, it can magnify a performer’s grace, beauty and passion. But in the wrong hands, it can be some of the most cringe-worthy, dated music on God’s green earth. Rainbolt does pass the test, and with style. One can only wish there were more Gershwin on this album. But her version of “Someone to Watch Over Me” is emotional without being maudlin, and she’s an impish delight on “I’m Getting Sentimental Over You.”

Rainbolt’s voice would more accurately be described as “smooth” than “powerful” — she’s no shouter — but both the singer and the band do push the volume up a touch for the album’s big finish, “At Last.” In truth, a little more shouting and less smoothness would have been a good thing on this number, but this is nitpicking.
For anyone who enjoys the jazz standards and female jazz vocalists, “From This Moment On” is worth a listen. “From This Moment On” (33 Records).

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David Murphy
Time Out New York
Critics' Pick Week ending Jan 31 2003

The Rainbolt Connection
"When you hear a name like Shaynee Rainbolt, you might envision a blissed-out hippie from the Left Coast channeling past lives through a magic crystal. And even though this singer does hail from San Francisco, Rainbolt sounds much more Brooklyn Bridge than Golden Gate on her debut CD, From This Moment On. Her smooth, confident voice draws you in at once, creating an intimate bond, and when she launches into Harry Warren's "At Last" or the Gershwin's "Someone to Watch Over Me," you can't help but be captivated (maybe there is something to all that New Age stuff). Rainbolt Plays Danny's Skylight Room Tuesday 4 and Thursday 6, backed by the terrific Tedd Firth Trio."

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Time Out New York
Critics' Pick Week ending Feb 6 2003

Shaynee Rainbolt's no flower child, but rather a singer with a terrific voice and an ineffable sense of connection. In her capable hands, even the most standard of standards seems as if it's being sund directly to you. Whatever you want to call it - talent, charm, sheer magic - Rainbolt's got it."

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The Buzz Starts Here
Celebrating CDs from SF songbirds
By Jim Van Buskirk
The Bay Area Reporter
December 2002

    "Sometimes it seems San Francisco's local jazzbirds don't get celebrated the way they should. Now comes a new batch of excellent CDs by songstresses who may not be as well-known as they should be, or as they likely will come to be. Maye Caballaro, Kim Nalley, and Shaynee Rainbolt have all been on the local scene for some time, paying their dues and playing gigs here and there around town. In-between their local engagements, you can take these gals home with you to assist in setting that special seductive mood."
......"Shaynee Rainbolt's from this moment on (33 Records) mixes Broadway with jazz standars and makes them her own. The Founder of Rainbolt Hampton Arts, a nonprofit supporting arts education and community service programs, Rainbolt also runs eCabaret-SF.com, a free e-mail resource for Bay Area performers. For her debut recording, Rainbolt is backed by some of the Bay Area's very best: Mike Greensil contributes the excellent arrangements (some with jazz singer Wanda Stafford) and plays piano along with local sidement John Witala, Colin Bailey and Noel Jewkes. Rainbolt's romantic set ranges from fun (Dave Frisberg's "Let's Eat Home") to vidictive (Arthur Hamilton's "Cry Me a River.") Rainbolt's emotionally sophisticated vocalizing caresses these 10 songs with a refreshing sense of self-assurance. Her spot-on version of Cole Porter's title tune and a poignant Warren and Gordon's "At Last" ensure that this one is a keeper.

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Cabaret Scenes Magazine

"Shaynee Rainbolt's debut CD From This Moment On is as delightful as its star. The carefully chosen material includes Dave Frishberg's Let's Eat Home, Arthur Hamilton's Cry Me a River, and Harry Warren's At Last, among many treasures."

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Jim Santella
Cadence Magazine
The Review of Jazz & Blues Creative Improvised Music

"Shaynee Rainbolt is the girl next door. Every town has 'em. Thank goodness that part of our world hasn't changed. Her leisurely manner and cool vocal strides turn this gentle session happy, sad, distant, near, this way and that. Fortunately, each of the vocalist's interpretations comes from her heart...Rainbolt's strength lies in her caressing, lullaby-like forms of persuasion...the familiar mood she appends to these timeless songs settles in as deeply as desired ."

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Legendary TV & Radio Personality
on air, Memory Lane, 2/1/2003

"Here's a name for you, Shaynee Rainbolt. There's a pretty voice, what a bolt out of the blue!" Joe Franklin

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Stu Hamstra
Cabaret Hotline

"I saw this show on Tuesday night and was captivated by the vocals. It is jazz in the Wesla Whitfield style - the kind of jazz show I enjoy."

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Cabaret Achievement Award from Cabaret Hotline Online:

Each year the cabaret community honors its own through several award processes. The awards all mark excellence in the field of cabaret, jazz and comedy.

THE CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE AWARD is presented to a number of individuals and organizations who have achieved something outstanding in the year previous the award.

GREAT SHOWS SEEN ON THE ROAD 2003
(NOT ELIGIBLE FOR NYC TOP 25)
SHAYNEE RAINBOLT
WESLA WHITFIELD
IDA ZECCO & JIM PORCELLA

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