Naked in New York

When I first saw "Across the Universe" -- the movie built on Beatles songs and references -- I thought the Janis Joplinian character was soulful, raspy-voiced singer Joan Osborne. Of course, she turned out to be soulful, raspy-voiced singer Dana Fuchs.

And until the Rubin Museum of Art's series "Naked Soul," I thought they were kind of two sides of the same coin. Joan started out on a bluesy trek, no doubt inspired by the Etta James and Howlin' Wolf records she was listening too, but has sort of -- and I hesitate to use this word because of its negative connotations -- mellowed. Meanwhile, Dana, well, Dana just belts for days.

In "Naked Soul," the artist performs totally acoustic. Not MTV Unplugged idea of acoustic, but without microphone or amplification of any kind to 120-something people in a tiny room at the Himalayan museum. And that's where the differences become even more apparent. Both artists also were able to tour the museum and picked out pieces that were shown behind them on the projector during particular songs.

Dana appeared with her musical partner (and former beau) Jon in July, hot off a vibrant European tour in which audiences gave her the adulation she richly deserves from her home country. That transformed her both on and off the stage, resulting in several great new songs being prepared for her first album in years.




















Now in the relative safety of the small room, with the paintings for inspiration and patrons able to understand English (the only thing apparently missing during their European sojourn), Dana emotionally detailed the various songs on the setlist.

The show stopper was "Summersong," a very catchy little ditty that stayed in our heads for days afterward. Since the song utilized percussion and backup singers in the studio, Dana wasn't sure it would translate in the intimate setting. It did that, and then some. "That didn't work at all," an audience member quipped after the song garnered the most applause of any number of the night.

"Nothing's What I Cry For," "Set It on Fire" and "Keep on Rolling" also ensured that Dana's future setlists not only won't suffer from the addition of new material, but will flourish instead. And there will always be room in the setlist for the likes of "Drive," "Bible Baby" and the dynamic cover of "Helter Skelter."

It took both Dana and Joan a number or so to settle into the environs, to figure out how much the tambourine or other assorted noisemakers should be factored into the mix without unsettling the backup musician. (Joan added she hadn't performed without a microphone since elementary school.) But then they both quickly embraced the medium and flourished in it.

Whereas Dana powered on with her vocals -- which was very necessary in the face of a crowd eager to provide hand clapping or singing and just remain in the mix -- Joan was able to modulate her voice before an audience that quietly sat enraptured until the last note of each song was played.

With Keith Cotton providing piano and backup vocals Saturday, Joan created picture postcards before us in a way that reminded me of watching theater. She also had new songs to mix among old favorites like "St. Teresa," "Spider Web" and, of course, her hit "One of Us." She had a clear-cut future single in "The Next Sensation I Feel," which rolled along like a double-decker train darting down the tracks.

Joan paid homage to quite a few influences with Billie Holliday's "God Bless the Child," which she told us was the first song she ever sang publicly, Sly and the Family Stone's "Everybody Is a Star" and Van Morrison's "Tupelo Honey" (performed the way she used to in the Village with a line from Emmylou Harris' "Boulder to Birmingham").

If only the mainstream would give tunes like "Summersong" or "The Next Sensation I Feel" a chance and stop force-feeding us things they think we want to hear. Then the music scene could get more naked -- not in the way the tweenyboppers actually wear next to nothing -- but just at the core of the music where catchy riffs, lyrics that ring true and sheer talent will always pull us all in.