Garter Belts & Bathtub Gin

In my continuing saga of fledgling musical journalism, I bring to your attention The Sob Sisters. These three feisty flappers play from a repertoire of jazz standards culled from the Roaring Twenties. I was fortunate to catch them recently at the nefarious Ukulele Noir.

Karen & Renée flank the stage on artful cellos. Haven't quite figured out their musical modus operandi, but I'm under the impression that Renée is mostly responsible for the grunts while Karen takes care of the swoons. Meanwhile, Kitty in the middle bows her singing saw, coaxing out warbles like a ghost on a wire. She's also adept on kazoo & a variety of tiny wooden instruments that go plonk. Karen doubles on ukulele & Renée blows a mean pennywhistle. All of the Sisters take a turn on vocals.

This night they took to the stage with fleurs in hair & pearls around necks, & launched into a mischievous version of "I'm Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover." Karen sang "Paper Moon" in a husky voice full of aplomb. Renée treated us to a devastating rendition of "Am I Blue." Kitty sang a ditty about a magician making her inhibitions disappear. Ukulele maven Craig Robertson tilted his fedora & joined them for "My Blue Heaven," an original called "The Hypnotist," & several others. They capped the evening with a rousing "Mister Sandman."

It was a fabulous show. I spotted F Scott & Zelda at a table in the front tapping their feet along in merriment. Harry Houdini, that sly scoundrel, hovered near the side of the stage behind a potted plant, sneaking glances at Renée's pulse-quickening gams. Near the bar, Clara Bow couldn't help but break into the Charleston during Kitty's swinging kazoo solo. TS Eliot hunched over a table, scribbling a mellifluent ode to Karen on a cocktail napkin. I'm fairly certain that was Lady Brett Ashley I saw lurking near the door with a frumpy look on her face because all the male attention was devoted stagewards instead of on her. The RCA Victor dog even left his post at the victrola to waggle over & give a listen.

So again, that's The Sob Sisters - keeping the romance alive & now appearing at a speakeasy near you.