2006 Mabel
Mercer Cabaret Convention
Thursday Night
FOURTH
NIGHT AT THE CABARET CONVENTION
Thursday, October 19,
2006
Rose Hall, New York City
Reported by Joe
Regan
The fourth night of the annual Mabel Mercer Foundation's
Cabaret Convention 2006 took place Thursday night, October 19th
at the Rose Theater in the Time Warner Building on Columbus Circle
in New York. The fourth evening's theme was "The Great Popular Songbook."
Featured were many outstanding established cabaret performers as
well as several New York Cabaret Convention "virgins." The fourth
evening maintained the high standards of the first three nights
this week
First performer this night was Rosalyn McClore, one
of the MAC nominees for Best Debut last year, who romped into "Back
In Business" (Stephen Sondheim) from "Dick Tracy" at the piano,
rocking the room with that rhythmic number. McClore was wearing
a white suit and announced that there would be "no restraints" for
any of the performers this evening, "no rules." She announced her
background was jazz and gospel, and that the composer she has decided
to specialize in - Sondheim. McClore told us the next number everyone
advised her not to sing, especially after Liza Minnelli's disco
version but she decided to sing it anyway. It was "Losing My Mind"
from "Follies" and McClore sang it in a bluesy fashion, belting
out notes that came from somewhere deep in her body. It was almost
as if she were singing at a revival meeting or wailing out the first
act end of "Dreamgirls" ("I am telling you I am not going") and
surprisingly it worked with the song from "Follies."
Robert Whorton, a cabaret convention "virgin" from
Chicago, was the next performer. The ruggedly handsome Whorton,
ably backed up by Chicago's Beckie Menzie at the piano, opened with
a slow, liquid "Lazy Afternoon" (Jerome Moross-John Latouche) from
"The Golden Apple." Whorton has a big, lyrical voice and he sang
the familiar lyrics softly, with minimum piano support, rising to
the high notes with clarity and beauty. The carefully phrased seduction
song was breathtaking in its beauty. Whorton then told us a little
bit about his background. He was born in a very small town, Cedartown,
Georgia, and grew up listening to his father and grandfather holding
home musicales even though they were sometimes hopelessly tone deaf!
His second song was a rapidly paced "Taking the Wheel" (John Bocchino)
sung powerfully and with great authority. Whorton is definitely
someone to look out for - a major talent!
Another
"virgin" from Chicago, Suzanne Petri, tall and blonde with an upswept
hairdo and a long lavender stole, sang a comic song "Max" she stated
was from an old Upstairs at the Downstairs show. It was a about
a faithless lover who kept beating up her and yet she would let
him come back to her, steal her money, and hurt her again, a Brecht-Weill
parody which aped the Weill music, especially "Surabaya Johnny."
Petri changed tact on her second number, the cabaret standard "Here's
To Life" (Artie Butler-Phyllis Molinary) which she sang sitting
on a stool in the crook of the piano, demonstrating her talent with
a ballad with shimmering tones and strong high notes.
The
next "virgin" to the Cabaret Convention was New York performer,
originally from Indiana, Brandon Cutrell, who presides over an open
mic called The After Party at the Laurie Beechman Room in New York
every Friday. Smith actually announced him first as "Brian Cutrell"
which recalls a recurring joke in Cutrell's act in which one of
his music professors at Indiana U called him "Brian" all four years
of his residence there. Madcap Cutrell opened with "Tonight's The
Night" (Irving Berlin) but melded it successfully into a wild version
of "Let's Misbehave" (Cole Porter), singing it sweetly and almost
naively at first, but doing a wild turnabout as the lyrics got wilder
and wilder, getting more and more wicked as he proceeded. The cute
but not so innocent Cutrell was ably supported by his Beechman room
cohort Ray Fellman on piano. Cutrell's second song was by a living
songwriter, Tim DiPasqua, song about doubt if he could make his
love object really love him. I don't know the title of this song
but it was a very clever and moving ballad well suited to Cutrell
who was a model of restraint compared to the quick-witted manic
mayhem that usually takes place at his "After Party."
Donald Smith came out and told another Dorothy Loudon
anecdote. Some friends decided to throw him a surprise birthday
party and Loudon baked a big chocolate layer cake. As the evening
developed Loudon and several of the other guests got drunker and
drunker and Smith decided to take her in a cab home. She brought
the cake to the cab with her, and when she got out to cross Central
Park West, she was screaming obscenities but called Donald the next
day to tell him "it was the loveliest party she had ever been to!"
Alison Ruble, a beautiful blonde from Chicago, another
"virgin," came out and sang a glorious "Bittersweet" (Billy Strayhorn-Roger
Schore). Ruble has an enormous range and she interpreted the lyrics
with great professionalism and impeccable taste. She sang without
a piano, accompanied only by John McLean on guitar, Matt Wigton
on bass, and Zach Brock on violin. Brock and McLean were especially
effective, playing beautiful counterpoints to her gliding to the
stratosphere with long pure notes! When she completed singing "Bittersweet"
she told us how she had found the song. One day she was riding in
her car listening to a wonderful Chicago jazz station and heard
it. She called the DJ and he told her the name of the song and the
writers. She found Roger Schore's contact number and he actually
sent her the lead sheet. She introduced New York's own Schore from
the audience. Schore also wrote the new lyrics to "My Celebrity
Is You" that Ronnie Whyte sang earlier this week. Ruble's second
number was the old standard "If I Had You" (James Campbell-Reginald
Connelly-Ted Shapiro) which she sang sweetly and purely, creating
an abundance of opulent beauty. A CD is coming in the future and
she is definitely someone I want to see again, hopefully soon.
Donald
Smith came out to announce the first annual Paula Laurence Award,
named for the actress who was one of the first supporters of the
Mabel Mercer Foundation. Smith introduced the restaurateur extraordinaire
Jean Claude Baker of Chez Josephine. Baker announced that the first
Paula Laurence Award was going to Klea Blackhurst because of her
talent and joie de vivre. Smith announced that the award came with
a cash amount of $1,000, donated by Baker. Blackhurst took the podium
and told us what a great honor it was to receive the award because
she knew Paula and spoke to her daily during the last years of her
life. Klea stated Paula was a good friend and extraordinary teacher
with a beautiful heart who never said a bad word about anyone, even
about Merman with whom she had a well known feud during "Something
for the Boys." Klea told us Laurence would always complain about
Klea's outfits, relating one time a funny question from Paula after
a performance when she asked she wore underwear when performing
and to watch the lighting if she did! And when Klea played Carnegie
Hall with Michael Feinstein Paula called her the next day and told
her "it was a triumph" but what she meant was that finally Klea
was wearing a dress that was "a triumph." Blackhurst was wearing
that dress today. Blackhurst then went into a medley of songs from
"Something For the Boys" by Cole Porter: "The Leader of a Big Time
Band," "Hey Good Looking" and "Something For the Boys," delivered
with all the professionalism and strong musical sense that Klea
possesses in abundance. Klea then closed the first half by singing
Paula' signature song, the one she always sang on her guest appearances,
"My Husband's First Wife" (Kern-Hammerstein) from "Sweet Adeline"
which Klea sang with the great humor and panache that would have
made Paula proud of her.
Catherine Russell, a short black performer, sang a
sweet version of "Where Can I Go Without You," an old pop song written
by Peggy Lee and Victor Young. Russell's voice on the ballad had
deep mellow tones and acute sensitivity. But boy did she change
pace when she decided to honor Dinah Washington with a song to an
ex-lover with the recurrent phrase "My Man's an Undertaker and He's
Got A Coffin Just Your Size," a rocking blues that she wailed and
belted to the rafters! Russell has a CD "Cat" that Smith said the
office could not stop playing!
Returning
to the Cabaret Convention after several years absence, Mary Cleere
Haran told us about a song she did not like as a young woman. It
was a song written by George and Ira Gershwin in 1922 that was featured
in the Gene Kelly movie "An American in Paris." She figured she
did not like the song because she did not like the performer who
sang it in the movie (Georges Guetary). However, now she has reconsidered,
and considers it now one of her favorite Gershwins. It was "I'll
Build a Stairway To Paradise" and Haran sang it with her skilled
professionalism and consummate artistry intact. She then told us
she was going to sing another song that George Gershwin wrote in
1922, but not with Ira because Ira was considered a bit straight-laced.
Gershwin chose Buddy DaSilva, lyricist of such hits as "The Best
Things In Life Are Free," "California Here I Come" and "April Showers."
DaSilva was a child vaudevillian, became a songwriter and then a
producer both on Broadway and as the head of Paramount pictures
in Hollywood. It was "Do It Again" and Mary Cleere Haran sang it
with a gentle, smooth glissando, not neglecting the sexiness of
the lyric. Altogether it was a triumphant performance.
Marcus
Simeone burst onto the stage next and rocketed into his smashing
Latino favorite, "Begin the Beguine" (Cole Porter) sending his Mathis-like
notes soaring above the rhythm sections of this superb band which
featured Marco Brehm on bass, David Silliman (Blossom Dearie's drummer)
on drums, and the wonderful Tracy Stark on the piano, with supersonic
notes. This trio rocked and Simeone did not disappoint when he returned
vocally singing ever more rapidly and furiously to a rousing climax.
Marcus then told us about growing up in the 70s and not appreciating
his parents' taste in music. However, he know thinks he understands
them and sang, as a straight ballad, "Alone Again - Naturally" by
Gilbert O'Sullivan, a song featured on his forthcoming CD. Simeone
sings that song as a torch song, a real wrist slasher, And I have
nothing but admiration for his illuminating emotional power on the
lyrics of this forgotten pop song of the Sixties.
Stevie
Holland, who has a new CD entitled "More Than Words Can Say," did
a strong voiced rendition of "If Ever I Should Leave You" (Lerner-Loewe)
from "Camelot" with clear full high notes. Holland's second selection
was "Yesterdays" (Jerome Ken-Otto Herbert) from "Roberta" which
she sang securely and let the lyrics flow like a classical solo.
The great Natalie Douglas appeared and in her big
open voice gave us the inspirational ballad "If You Believe" (Charlie
Small) from "The Whiz." She gave us her background story of growing
up in Texas and her mother teaching her a song every day to keep
her occupied while her mother prepared dinner. Her childhood idol
from seeing movies on television was Alice Faye. Douglas'
second song was "I'll Be Seeing You" (Sammy Fin-Irving Kahn) and
she modulated her big voice and her strongest whisper to give full
meaning to the lyrics and the melody, practically whispering "I'll
be looking at the moon" and giving the full belt to the title phrase,
then repeating it softly to a hushed reaction from the audience.
Douglas, like all great actors and singers, gives us lots of surprises
in her interpretations and they are always inspired!
Richard
Malavet opened his set with "Sometimes I'm Happy" (Vincent Youmans-Irving
Caesar) riffing along with a terrific trio led by Ross Paterson
at the piano. Malevet's second number (including the verse) was
the classic "Autumn In New York" (Vernon Duke). It was very appropriate
for the time and the place.
Closing the night was Avery Sommers ably supported
by James Followell. Spectacularly dressed in a black beaded dress
with a red jacket and black feathered headband Sommers bounced into
"Thou Swell" (Rodgers & Hart) for "A Connecticut Yankee in King
Arthur's Court," opening up her full pear shaped notes and maintaining
a superb rhythm as she melded into "This Can't Be Love" (Rodgers
& Hart) from "The Boys From Syracuse" belting her big notes to the
back walls of Rose Hall. She then told us that her luggage had been
lost on her trip in today, but it had been found (obviously because
she was not in jeans and sweatshirt!). Sommers' last number was
the musically and lyrically difficult "You're Gonna Hear From Me"
(Andre Previn-Dory Previn) which she began slowly with a strong
blues flavor, then built into a roaring crescendo circumventing
all the traps in that song, and giving us a big finish that was
emotionally true! Another highlight.
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Another
"virgin" from Chicago, Suzanne Petri, tall and blonde with an upswept
hairdo and a long lavender stole, sang a comic song "Max" she stated
was from an old Upstairs at the Downstairs show. It was a about
a faithless lover who kept beating up her and yet she would let
him come back to her, steal her money, and hurt her again, a Brecht-Weill
parody which aped the Weill music, especially "Surabaya Johnny."
Petri changed tact on her second number, the cabaret standard "Here's
To Life" (Artie Butler-Phyllis Molinary) which she sang sitting
on a stool in the crook of the piano, demonstrating her talent with
a ballad with shimmering tones and strong high notes.
The
next "virgin" to the Cabaret Convention was New York performer,
originally from Indiana, Brandon Cutrell, who presides over an open
mic called The After Party at the Laurie Beechman Room in New York
every Friday. Smith actually announced him first as "Brian Cutrell"
which recalls a recurring joke in Cutrell's act in which one of
his music professors at Indiana U called him "Brian" all four years
of his residence there. Madcap Cutrell opened with "Tonight's The
Night" (Irving Berlin) but melded it successfully into a wild version
of "Let's Misbehave" (Cole Porter), singing it sweetly and almost
naively at first, but doing a wild turnabout as the lyrics got wilder
and wilder, getting more and more wicked as he proceeded. The cute
but not so innocent Cutrell was ably supported by his Beechman room
cohort Ray Fellman on piano. Cutrell's second song was by a living
songwriter, Tim DiPasqua, song about doubt if he could make his
love object really love him. I don't know the title of this song
but it was a very clever and moving ballad well suited to Cutrell
who was a model of restraint compared to the quick-witted manic
mayhem that usually takes place at his "After Party."
Donald
Smith came out to announce the first annual Paula Laurence Award,
named for the actress who was one of the first supporters of the
Mabel Mercer Foundation. Smith introduced the restaurateur extraordinaire
Jean Claude Baker of Chez Josephine. Baker announced that the first
Paula Laurence Award was going to Klea Blackhurst because of her
talent and joie de vivre. Smith announced that the award came with
a cash amount of $1,000, donated by Baker. Blackhurst took the podium
and told us what a great honor it was to receive the award because
she knew Paula and spoke to her daily during the last years of her
life. Klea stated Paula was a good friend and extraordinary teacher
with a beautiful heart who never said a bad word about anyone, even
about Merman with whom she had a well known feud during "Something
for the Boys." Klea told us Laurence would always complain about
Klea's outfits, relating one time a funny question from Paula after
a performance when she asked she wore underwear when performing
and to watch the lighting if she did! And when Klea played Carnegie
Hall with Michael Feinstein Paula called her the next day and told
her "it was a triumph" but what she meant was that finally Klea
was wearing a dress that was "a triumph." Blackhurst was wearing
that dress today. Blackhurst then went into a medley of songs from
"Something For the Boys" by Cole Porter: "The Leader of a Big Time
Band," "Hey Good Looking" and "Something For the Boys," delivered
with all the professionalism and strong musical sense that Klea
possesses in abundance. Klea then closed the first half by singing
Paula' signature song, the one she always sang on her guest appearances,
"My Husband's First Wife" (Kern-Hammerstein) from "Sweet Adeline"
which Klea sang with the great humor and panache that would have
made Paula proud of her.
Returning
to the Cabaret Convention after several years absence, Mary Cleere
Haran told us about a song she did not like as a young woman. It
was a song written by George and Ira Gershwin in 1922 that was featured
in the Gene Kelly movie "An American in Paris." She figured she
did not like the song because she did not like the performer who
sang it in the movie (Georges Guetary). However, now she has reconsidered,
and considers it now one of her favorite Gershwins. It was "I'll
Build a Stairway To Paradise" and Haran sang it with her skilled
professionalism and consummate artistry intact. She then told us
she was going to sing another song that George Gershwin wrote in
1922, but not with Ira because Ira was considered a bit straight-laced.
Gershwin chose Buddy DaSilva, lyricist of such hits as "The Best
Things In Life Are Free," "California Here I Come" and "April Showers."
DaSilva was a child vaudevillian, became a songwriter and then a
producer both on Broadway and as the head of Paramount pictures
in Hollywood. It was "Do It Again" and Mary Cleere Haran sang it
with a gentle, smooth glissando, not neglecting the sexiness of
the lyric. Altogether it was a triumphant performance.
Marcus
Simeone burst onto the stage next and rocketed into his smashing
Latino favorite, "Begin the Beguine" (Cole Porter) sending his Mathis-like
notes soaring above the rhythm sections of this superb band which
featured Marco Brehm on bass, David Silliman (Blossom Dearie's drummer)
on drums, and the wonderful Tracy Stark on the piano, with supersonic
notes. This trio rocked and Simeone did not disappoint when he returned
vocally singing ever more rapidly and furiously to a rousing climax.
Marcus then told us about growing up in the 70s and not appreciating
his parents' taste in music. However, he know thinks he understands
them and sang, as a straight ballad, "Alone Again - Naturally" by
Gilbert O'Sullivan, a song featured on his forthcoming CD. Simeone
sings that song as a torch song, a real wrist slasher, And I have
nothing but admiration for his illuminating emotional power on the
lyrics of this forgotten pop song of the Sixties.
Stevie
Holland, who has a new CD entitled "More Than Words Can Say," did
a strong voiced rendition of "If Ever I Should Leave You" (Lerner-Loewe)
from "Camelot" with clear full high notes. Holland's second selection
was "Yesterdays" (Jerome Ken-Otto Herbert) from "Roberta" which
she sang securely and let the lyrics flow like a classical solo.
Douglas'
second song was "I'll Be Seeing You" (Sammy Fin-Irving Kahn) and
she modulated her big voice and her strongest whisper to give full
meaning to the lyrics and the melody, practically whispering "I'll
be looking at the moon" and giving the full belt to the title phrase,
then repeating it softly to a hushed reaction from the audience.
Douglas, like all great actors and singers, gives us lots of surprises
in her interpretations and they are always inspired!
Richard
Malavet opened his set with "Sometimes I'm Happy" (Vincent Youmans-Irving
Caesar) riffing along with a terrific trio led by Ross Paterson
at the piano. Malevet's second number (including the verse) was
the classic "Autumn In New York" (Vernon Duke). It was very appropriate
for the time and the place.
If
you would like to receive a free e-mail subscription to CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE,
please e-mail