"Bobby Darin Back on Trail"

On Direction records he's Bob Darin, but at the Landmark Hotel he's once again Bobby Darin, an assured, brash showman.

The 34-year-old entertainer spent last year away from "the crowd," living in an 18-foot trailer in Big Sur while writing a film, The Vendors. In his words: "A change in my life-style was necessary for my own spiritual survival."

Now he's back on the nightclub-concert trail, singing tunes by his favorite composers, Dylan, Hardin, et al, and refusing to return, with a few exceptions, to those standards which brought him stardom a decade ago.

Darin made his concession to commercialism with "Mack the Knife," "Spinning Wheel" and "Everybody's Talkin'," and all three brought heavy applause at the show (not the opening performance) I attended. His "Mack" almost seemed like a put-on -- it was exceedingly breezy and quite undramatic -- but still very effectively done.
Times do change.

SINGS "CARPENTER"

Another Darin specialty, "If I Were a Carpenter," won favor, if not foot stompin', from the good-sized and largely mature audience.

Remainder of the program was "Bob" not "Bobby" Darin, ranging from his opener, "And When I Die," through "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "Lonesome Whistle," "The Leader," "Simple Song of Freedom" and three numbers sung as a tribute to Aretha Franklin: "Chain of Fools," "Respect," and "Spirit in the Dark."

It was good to see Darin off his stool and moving around stage again with that audaciousness of other days. His costume might have caused some older eyebrows in the audience to raise -- his blue jeans and black lace shirt -- but it set the scene admirably for Darin's vocal thing, which is strictly contemporary.

NO IMPRESSIONS

The entertainer dipped once again into instrumental virtuosity by accompanying himself on guitar for one number, and on piano for another. However, I missed his former excellent impressions of show people.

Besides Steve Perlow's orchestra (everyone stood throughout the performance except the pianist and drummer) Darin was backed by his four regulars, Tommy Amato on drums, Bill Aikins, piano-organ, Quitman Dennis, fender bass,
and Buba Poythress, guitar.

Irwin C. Watson, a smooth-working black comedian, was a droll show opener. His delivery, while low-keyed, brought many yocks from listeners.