When Awa Sal Secka, clad in a strapless brown dress with a side slit, steps onto the stage and reveals that she once struggled with being a performer (in high school), it’s a surprising admission. As the evening unfolds, her charismatic presence is nothing short of remarkable. Secka sings fluidly between various emotional states — from glamorous “feeling pretty” and introspective “feeling misty” to politically charged and everything in between — demonstrating her versatility. She performs well-known songs by iconic female jazz artists such as Sarah Vaughan, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, and Nancy Wilson, skillfully blending personal stories and social commentary to infuse the lyrics with contemporary relevance.
The chemistry between Secka, who exudes warmth and cheer, and her musical collaborators, music director/pianist Joshua Jenkins and bassist/co-arranger Stephen Arnold, is palpable. Their synergy creates an inviting and friendly atmosphere in the room. Secka engages with the audience, compliments our appearance, and then tilts her head with a sheepish grin before asking “Guess what?” and launching into a rendition of “I Feel Pretty” (inspired by Sarah Vaughan’s performance).
Following this, Secka performs one of the songs she auditioned with in her early years, “My Funny Valentine/Embraceable You” (inspired by Sarah Vaughan’s performance), which she admits to having “zhuzh-ed” up with an uptempo beat. Jenkins’ piano solo in this number stands out, offering a moment of brilliance, which along with Arnold’s bass solo in “Summertime” (words and music by George Gershwin) delectably highlights an already beautiful evening.
Secka, who possesses an exceptional talent for capturing the style of various jazz artists, sings with a more piercing intensity when she transitions to “I Put a Spell on You” (inspired by Nina Simone’s performance). She explains that Simone “really taught me how to be a musician without extending myself in a way that felt uncomfortable.” Sometimes, Secka’s voice is airy, sometimes breathy, and this is evident in “Guess Who I Saw Today” (inspired by Nancy Wilson’s performance). She uses a lot of scat singing in “How High the Moon” (inspired by Ella Fitzgerald’s performance) throughout the evening, accompanied by finger snapping and foot tapping.
Other highlights of the evening include “If I Were a Bell” (inspired by Dinah Washington’s performance). In this number, when Secka sings “If I were a duck, I’d quack,” she puffs out her chest for emphasis; “If I were a goose, I’d be — ” she pauses — “cooked.” She also quips, “If I were a salad, I’d be Caesar,” before continuing with the original lyrics. Though she says she means every word of it, she maintains a lighthearted, humorous touch in “Mississippi Goddam” (words and music by Nina Simone, inspired by her performance) with lines like “…and the news about the presidential election gon’ make me lose my rest…,” and in “My Baby Just Cares for Me” (inspired by Nina Simone’s performance), adding “Beyoncé’s not his style.”
Signature Theatre’s Summertime: Awa Sal Secka Sings Ladies of Jazz was not only entertaining, but demonstrates considerable talent while also honoring the aforementioned jazz greats. At the end of the evening, Secka says, “I’d stay here all night if I could,” and judging by the standing ovation and applause, it’s safe to say most of us shared her sentiments.
Running Time: Approximately 75 minutes, no intermission.
Summertime: Awa Sal Secka Sings Ladies of Jazz plays through August 4, 2024, in the ARK Theatre at Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA. For tickets ($46) call (703) 820-9771 or purchase online. Information about ticket discounts is available here.
Song List
TAKE THE A TRAIN
Words & Music by Billy Strayhord
Version originally sung by Sarah Vaughan
I FEEL PRETTY
Words & Music by Leonard Bernstein & Stephen Sondheim
Version originally sung by Sarah Vaughan
MISTY
Words & Music by Erroll Garner
Version originally sung by Sarah Vaughan
MY FUNNY VALENTINE/EMBRACEABLE YOU
My Funny Valentine: Words & Music by Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart
Embraceable You: Words & Music by George Gershwin
Version originally sung by Sarah Vaughan
I PUT A SPELL ON YOU
Words & Music by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
Version originally sung by Nina Simone
BLUE SKIES
Words & Music by Irving Berlin
Version originally sung by Ella Fitzgerald
BEWTICHED, BOTHERED AND BEWILDERED
Words & Music by Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart
Version originally s by Ella Fitzgerald
IF I WERE A BELL
Words & Music by Frank Loesser
Version originally sung by Dinah Washington
SUMMERTIME
Words & Music by George Gershwin
Version originally sung by Sarah Vaughan
WORK SONG
Words & Music by Oscar Brown, Jr. & Nat Adderley
Version originally sung by Nina Simone
MISSISSIPPI GODDAM
Words & Music by Nina Simone
Version originally sung by Nina Simone
MY BABY JUST CARES FOR ME
Words & Music by Gus Kahn & Walter Donaldson
Version originally sung by Nina Simone
GUESS WHO I SAW TODAY
Words & Music by Murray Grand & Elisse Boyd
Version originally sung by Nancy Wilson
THE SONG IS YOU
Words & Music by Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein II
Version originally sung by Nancy Wilson
HOW HIGH THE MOON
Words & Music by Morgan Lewis & Nancy Hamilton
Version originally sung by Ella Fitzgerald
FLY ME TO THE MOON
Words & Music by Bart Howard
Version originally sung by Sarah Vaughn
