In his show titled “Unfinished Business—A Love Story,” Bob O’Hare got swiftly down to his subject in his performance on April 27, 2018 at Don’t Tell Mama following a previous gig on April 15. No nonsense! In his refreshingly direct manner, he said the program would be about love past, present and future, and he proceeded to show what a fine singer he is with his very first number, the unusual, “No Mary Ann,” with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
O’Hare has an appealing voice, solid enunciation of lyrics and gets to the root of the songs he selects in a forthright manner. He has a feeling for the meaning of a song, and not trying for special jazz or pop effects, his approach is strictly to communicate what his songs are about.
He charmed with “I Met a Girl” from the show “The Bells Are Ringing” (music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green) and “Have You Met Miss Jones?” (from the Rodgers and Hart musical “I’d Rather Be Right’). He proclaimed love with “I’ll Tell the Man in the Street” (from another Rodgers-Hart show, “I Married an Angel”). He got the jaunty mood of “She Loves Me” (music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick), and eased into a more romantic tone with “Happiness” (from Sondheim’s “Passion ”) and also injected a romantic mood into “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?” (from the film “The Happy Ending”).
O’Hare celebrated married life with “I Do, I Do” (music by Harvey Schmidt, lyrics by Tom Jones), and he sang about the need to be alone sometime as well as enjoying togetherness with “My Own Space” (Kander and Ebb. ) He also expressed a marital lament with “Nobody’s Perfect” (Schmidt and Jones), and with “You and I” (music and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse from the film “Goodbye Mr. Chips”) he evoked special emotion when he sang of “growing older, growing closer.”
There were many more songs addressing aspects of love in his well-conceived program, and he provided much easy-listening pleasure with his self-confident delivery minus the sort of banter that many performers feel is required of them.
Extra strength was added by the Tom Nelson Trio, including musical director Tom Nelson on piano, Tom Kirchmer on bass and Peter Grant on drums. The show was directed by Eric Michael Gillett. At Don’t Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, Phone: 212-757-0788. Reviewed April 30, 2018.