Review: Rachelle Garniez stylishly remembers Bowie, Aretha

Rachelle Garniez, 'œGone to Glory" (StorySound Records)

Rachelle Garniez's musical world is as wide and wonderful as the range of recently-departed artists she pays tribute to on 'œGone to Glory,'ť from David Bowie and Della Reese to Glen Campbell and Aretha Franklin.

With arrangements prominently featuring accordions, strings and horns, Garniez covers bonafide classics like Prince's 'œRaspberry Beret,'ť which sounds here like a John Mellencamp song, as well as lesser known gems like Reese's take on Bobby Worth's 'œDon't You Know.'ť

Garniez, a veteran of New York's cabaret scene, infuses these 14 versions with the same engaging theatricality she stamps on her original tunes. Bowie's 'œScary Monsters (and Super Creeps)" is truly ominous and Mose Allison's 'œMonsters of the Id'ť comes across on the far side of disturbing.

Mel Tillis is remembered with a song he wrote for Kenny Rogers, 'œRuby, Don't Take Your Love to Town'ť; composer Galt MacDermot is recalled with the humorous 'œFrank Mills'ť from 'œHair"; and Sharon Jones, the late singer of soul resurrectors The Dap-Kings, surely would have enjoyed the pathos Garniez brings to 'œ100 Days, 100 Nights.'ť

Some songs include hidden acknowledgements, their intros citing compositions linked to other late greats. One of the most easily recognizable is a tip of the cap to Glen Frey on Lemmy and Motörhead's 'œKilled by Death,'ť which is prefaced by the melody of the 'œHotel California'ť guitar solo and then turns into what could be an outtake from 'œThe Threepenny Opera.'ť

Debbie Reynolds is recognized with a snippet of 'œSingin' in the Rain,'ť which ushers in 'œMy Sister and I,'ť a genuinely moving and compassionate song from the 1940s about the effects of war and trauma.

Among the closing trio of tunes, Franklin's 'œDay Dreaming'ť is a tad overwrought, but both Leonard Cohen's 'œAnthem'ť and Campbell's 'œRhinestone Cowboy,'ť written by Larry Weiss, use light as a metaphor for hope and perseverance.

Garniez, whose musical persona has been compared to Liza Minnelli and Rickie Lee Jones, has created quirky and lovely versions of songs that would fit stylishly at any memorial services for those she is honoring.