This homage to “The Late Great Ladies…” - Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters and Billie Holiday, ending with a special homage to Mahalia Jackson – is like a primer course. Considering the ground covered, it is more than enough. If Reaves-Phillips’ performance cannot help but be a little self-aggrandizing as well, it is a performance backed with skill and an obviously love for her subjects. Within a simple but effective bandstand setting, a splendid quintet, billed as The All Star Jazz Band, under the musical direction of Paul Ramsey gives more than mere excellent support to the singer and the musical chronology.

Ramsey (bass guitar); James E. Weidman (piano); Eddie Pazant-Reed (sax and clarinet); Mike Ridley (trumpet); and Wally Gator Watson (drums), are used as key figures in the show’s scheme: one that presents each of the “ Great Ladies…” in short, often sassy, scenes that reveal character and a specific era. Even before the star’s entrance as Ma “The Phantom” Rainey, the band has won us over with a rousing version (with variations) of Ellington’s “Take the A Train.” The band’s musical contribution throughout and most excitingly while Reaves-Phillips is doing a fast change of costume, is significant. Some of them (no offense intended) look like they could have played for a few of the “Ladies” in their prime.

We get touch of the Roaring 20s, with Rainey’s arrival. Strands of pearls dance around Rainey’s shimmering gold lame gown as she brushes the air with an ostentatious feathered fan. Rainey dives into a “take me as I am” rendition of “C.C. Rider.” This, amid a bit of banter about how traveling the road circuit is “tough on black asses.” The first of many quick costume changes that rival those of Josephine Baker, and she’ ;s back bedecked in white plumage and a raspberry gown as a noticeably inebriated Bessie Smith, the “Empress of the Blues.” It’s the Depression Era and Smith has turned up at rent party where she makes the deliciously suggestive “I Need A Little Sugar in My Bow,” and “ Put It Right Here” as risqué as you’d want. Adding just enough dialogue to reveal the personal pain and suffering of these singers, Reaves- Phillips does a first class job throughout the show of evoking each one’s spirit, if not always her particular style.

Moving on to the bossy, no-nonsense Ethel Waters, affectionately know as “ Sweet Mama String bean,” Philips recreates a typical Cotton Club rehearsal. Her full-throttle rendering of “Shake That Thing,” in which she encourages the obligatory audience response, reminds us of the Waters before she had her spiritual makeover and found her signature song “His Eye is on the Sparrow.” Reaves-Phillips, who is dynamic and looks darned healthy, amazingly secures quite a bit of the pure sound and the poignant personality of the heroin and cocaine addicted Billie Holiday. That she keeps her own dominating personality from neutralizing Holiday’s low key delivery is commendable, especially with such Holiday classics as “ Solitude,” “Good Morning Heartache,” “Them There Eyes,” ; and “God Bless the Child.” At the Wednesday night preview, the audience was more than enthusiastic in its response.

Except for a right on delivery of “What a Difference a Day Makes,” Reaves-Phillips doesn’t quite have a handle on Dinah Washington, “ Queen of the Blues.” But she really lets loose in her Mahalia Jackson testimonial, which gives her free rein to transport herself and the audience in a rousing finale of “When the Saints Go Marching In.” No small contribution is made by costumers Michael Hannah and Francia Maldanado. However near or far off Reaves-Phillips is from personifying these greats; you can rely on her to put her heart and soul into each and every song. It’s a socko show.

“The Great Ladies of Blues and Jazz” (through 12/21/03)

Crossroads Theater Company, 7 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick