\u201cWhat if I told you it\u2019s going to be alright?\u201d asks Jomama Jones, the soulful and statuesque alter-ego of performance artist Daniel Alexander Jones. \u201cWhat if I told you\u2026 not yet?\u201d Jones is holding a s\u00e9ance for our spirits and the nation\u2019s \u2014 which, while not quite deceased, are in desperate need of rousing \u2014 in a soul-stirring new solo show <\/span>Black Light<\/span><\/i>, which opened Sunday night at Joe\u2019s Pub.<\/span><\/p>\n With a deft mix of personal narrative, original song, and deep-rooted charisma, Jones conjures the sort of evening that slips on like a silk robe, urging every person in the room to relish the feeling of living in their own skin. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n As Jones sees it, we\u2019re at a crossroads. The only way to feel our way forward is to remember what\u2019s behind us, and recognize that we\u2019ve made it this far together. (The show is billed as \u201ca musical revival for turbulent times.\u201d) If it sounds a bit <\/span>kumbaya<\/span><\/i>, it is \u2014 in the best possible way. If you sit down with your guard up, prepare to feel it melt away like a dream upon waking.<\/span><\/p>\n Jones is both economic and colorful in her storytelling, threading two childhood tales through the show like easy banter between musical numbers. One finds her poring over a Prince centerfold with her high school girlfriends<\/a> in 1979, another visiting her Aunt Cleotha down South in the summers. Each sews kernels of insight \u2014 about allowing ourselves to accept our feelings, be surprised by others, and embrace the beauty of our personal histories, whatever they may be.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n With lyrics that stack up like the poetry of a freedom fighter, each number hits on some essential human truth, their refrains calls<\/a> to action. \u201cMay we find the courage\u00a0<\/span>\/ To confront our contradictions \/ Reconcile our hatreds \/ Cross the boundaries of our longing \/ Recognize the ties that bind us.\u201d Even so, the songs \u2014 co-written with Laura Jean Anderson, Bobby Halvorson, Dylan Meek and Josh Quat \u2014 hardly ring preachy. Particularly delivered in one of Jones\u2019 several matte sequin ensembles, with the backing of a live<\/a> band.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n While the heart of <\/span>Black Light <\/span><\/i>speaks most vividly to Black pain and resilience, Jones doesn\u2019t make distinctions, recognizing that near everyone has felt like they\u2019ve been wandering through the shadows at some point (perhaps especially right now). With the verve of a more iconic diva and the assurance of a spiritual leader, Jones aims to help us see light in the darkness.<\/span><\/p>\n Follow Naveen Kumar on Twitter: @Mr_NaveenKumar<\/a> The post Jomama Jones Is a Spiritual Mother for the Moment in \u2018Black Light\u2019 \u2014 REVIEW<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad Gay News<\/a>.<\/p>\nRecent theatre features\u2026
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\n(photos: joan marcus)<\/em><\/p>\n