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Herald
Sun
Melbourne, Australia
Singing
In Her Supper
The
Fried Chicken Theory According to Jackie Gordon
(Cotton Lounge, South Yarra)August
1999 Reviewer:
Paul Stewart
Jackie
Gordon can move into my house any old time she pleases.
What a woman. She sings like a sassy diva with the hip shaking
moves to match and at the same time cooks like an angel.
She displayed both talents at her recent unique one woman
show. What a great idea for a show -soul music accompanied
by soul food.
Before she sang a note, Gordon prepared a feast of southern
American fare in the kitchen of The Cotton Lounge in South
Yarra.
We were offered a mouthwatering buffet that included her recipes
for smoked sausage and seafood gumbo, barbecue ribs, creamy
mashed potato, blackbottom banana cream pie, candied yams,
Pot Likker greens, southern fried chicken....and more.
Each course comes with an off-hand story by Gordon, who proudly
proclaims she is "from a family of great cooks."
After the crowd has well and truly indulged. Gordon-the-singer
takes control.
In a great piece of theater, she walks to the front of the
stage, whips off her apron to reveal a short dress and bangs
straight into classics from soul greats Etta James, Ray Charles,
Nina Simone and Aretha Franklin.
Gordon, from New York but based in Melbourne, is accompanied
by passionate female duo Caramelle and funky outfit Disasterware.
Gordon should be sponsored by the U.S. government - she is
a living breathing advertisement for American food and music.
There were several American couples in the audience on the
night I attended; no doubt she granted their wishes to be
transported back to the sounds and tastes of home.
Don't miss her tribute to some of America's great black women
singers, as part of the Melbourne Festival, at the Prince
of Wales, St. Kilda. October 19-23.
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The
Age Melbourne, Australia
Finger-clickin'....
The
Fried Chicken Theory According To Jackie Gordon (The
Cotton Lounge, South Yarra) July 1999 Reviewer: Fiona Scott-Norman
The
simple things in life are often the best, and Jackie Gordon's
fried chicken theory is exceedingly simple. This American
born, half-Jamaican, open-hearted singer/chef says that if
you eat soul food, the soul goes through you. Such a connection
would be difficult to prove to the satisfaction of the AMA,
but it feels right when you're listening to some sweet blues
and soul after a bowl of smoked sausage and seafood gumbo.
The
idea of combining food and music is scarcely original, but
Gordon's Fried Chicken Theory moves way beyond the
thematic. The evening begins with a truly delicious buffet
of authentic, succulent, deep-south soul cooking prepared
to recipes from Gordon's grandmother and great-Grandmother.
Gordon
works the room as hostess until she slips out of her hospitality
smock to reveal a skimpy red sequined dress and takes to the
stage with her backing band, Disasterware and velvety back-up
singing duo Caramelle.
Gordon
works her way through a good-looking soul/blues song book
that includes music from Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Otis
Redding, Percy Sledge, Nina Simone, and Betty Roberts. She
can sing the blues, too, with a rich belting voice. Disasterware
is a tight funky outfit.
Gordon
was a little shy at first, not really selling herself, the
songs or her anecdotes, which undercuts her unnecessarily
because she was clearly born to be doing this. Fried Chicken
Theory is a terrific show.
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The Herald Sun Melbourne, Australia
All Souled Up And Licking
His Chops (Republic
Restaurant & Bar)
March 2001
Reviewer: Paul Stewart
If the devil is floating around at the moment
looking for souls, I am a prime candidate.
After attending Jackie Gordon's Fried Chicken
Theory at the Republic Restaurant as part of the Food and
Wine Festival, I am totally souled up.
With a mouth-watering array of soul food on
hand. Sweet soul music on offer and a gospel choir belting
out the Jesus vibes, this is one heavenly show.
Gordon - singer, chef and comic - gets the
message across better than a deep-South preacher as she spreads
the word about her homemade cooking and her love of great
black American music.
She takes us on a journey of the food of the
American south, providing delicious samples before whipping
off her apron to reveal a slinky little red dress. Thus adorned,
she pays homage to great soul singers like Aretha Franklin,
Otis Redding, Ray Charles and Percy Sledge.
She also provides the audience with amusing
insights into their eating habits. For an overload of oral
and aural pleasure, do not miss this show
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