Music / Because, Reginald Mobley & Paul Grabowsky. At The Street Theatre, April 16. Reviewed by NICK HORN.

As the first notes issued from Reginald Mobley’s mouth, the shiver started in my head and worked down to my boots.

His performance, accompanied by Paul Grabowsky, had me wishing to suspend time, to let that feeling just flow. My Lord, sang Mobley, what a morning, when the stars begin to fall!

Truly, here was music to hold the heart, in Mobley’s words describing the traditions revived and celebrated in this recital. Mobley and Grabowski presented spirituals published in the late 19^th and 20^th centuries as art song, with original songs by African American composers (Harry Burleigh and Florence Price). Both in Mobley’s informal commentary and through the duo’s powerful performance, a persuasive case is made for placing gospel at the heart of the American musical tradition.

Mobley is an internationally celebrated African-American counter-tenor performing the baroque repertoire for his high, male alto voice. After engagements with Bach Akademie Australia, he is touring the country with legendary jazz pianist Paul Grabowsky to showcase his album of black American songs, Because. A full house paid rapt attention in the intimate rehearsal space of the Street Theatre.

Mobley sings with beautiful control and tone, each note perfectly placed, each word clearly enunciated, even in heavily ornamented passages, at once free and beautifully shaped. His voice sweeps from low to high with nuance and power. When he pulled back from the microphone at the climax of Deep River we held our breath as the promised land was called out with full force. His a capella storytelling was entrancing in Were You There? and we were transported with joy as Mobley shouted all over God’s heaven in I’ve got a Robe (after a magnificent introduction from Grabowsky channelling Keith Jarrett).

Mobley’s interpretations were subtly adapted to reflect broad emotional shifts between sorrow, contemplation and joy, as well as changes of style between straight-ahead gospel (A Great Campmeetin’ , Save me Lord) and a more refined classical approach for other songs (Steal Away, Jean), with, as an encore, a stunning jazz interpretation of Duke Ellington’s In My Solitude.

Grabowsky was with Mobley all the way, sensitive to the feel of each piece, perfectly matching his mood. At one moment he was sounding out a repeated note insistently until the singer could Steal Away; at another he was stomping out a gospel blues prelude to Because. In Motherless Child, the drama of the well-known standard was freshly evoked with an ominous descending chord progression. Grabowsky’s classical training showed through, but always with a jazz sensibility. Grabowski’s sensitive improvisation on Hoagy Carmichael’s I get Along Without you Very Well was a highlight.

In Price’s Because, Mobley sings achingly that God in His Great Compassion Gave me the Gift of Song. Last night, in a small room in Canberra, two master musicians generously shared their gifts in a concert that this reviewer, for one, will long remember.