Life is a Cabaret

Week #3 - Patrick mentions “The Show”

This class is doing a small Performance at the end of the 8 weeks and Patrick mentioned that we should start thinking about what two songs we want to really work on and perform.   Hm?   I definitely want to work on “Good Morning Baltimore” - but not entirely sure of the second song.    Decisions, decisions.

We started class off with my “Singers Who Rock My World” CD which included:

• Judy Garland singing “Over the Rainbow”
• Sting/The Police singing “Roxanne”
• Bette Midler singing “Miss Otis Regrets”
• Jason Mraz singing “Life is Wonderful”

I gave my two cents about why these were my faves and then we all discussed the merits of each one.  I really like Judy’s smoothness and the way you can feel what she’s singing about, even off of a CD.  Sting has that raw power behind him without needing to scream at you.   Bette’s just full of brashness and vitality.  And Jason Mraz is a cool cucumber - he slinks into a melody and makes me feel warm and cozy.

Then class got down to the singing business.   This week I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to work on so I went with some old stuff that I haven’t really sung through in a few weeks - Disneyland (from the musical Smile) and Frank Mills (from HAIR)….and my voice sounded pretty amazing (if I do say so myself!).  I was actually surprised that I sounded so free and clear and that the high notes weren’t being pushed from an odd place.    After being pretty content with where I was, I busted out two new pieces that I’m slowly starting to work on - Sooner or Later (from the movie Dick Tracy, and written by Sondheim) and Love Song (by Sara Bareilles - it’s currently being played all over the radio and VH1).    Patrick thought Sooner or Later was too low.    I basically just sang through them and got some other suggestions from the crowd.

All in all - a good class. I got to see others really improve and push themselves and that always makes me a bit braver in trying things and putting myself out there - so thank you, fellow classmates on Tuesday night!

Oh, Patrick gave us more homework - an interview type sheet with questions regarding our past training and how we currently feel about our voice.   Yikes - this will definitely take some time to think about and answer.

And - one final note - Patrick’s interview for Backstage is here!  Check out the September 25th Edition of Backstage East (page 19!) for the Vocal Ease interview - entitled, “A World Full Of Yes” — it’s good!

Wednesday’s class - another full class - we added our final three students who were missing from last week’s class - man, our class is going to be way too much fun.   I come out of that class extremely exhausted - mostly from laughing so hard - although I think some of it is because I have two very long classes two nights in a row.

I went first again - I swear, it’s tattooed on my forehead “PICK ME!!!” - anyways, I went and I won’t lie, it wasn’t that good.  I mean, I didn’t totally suck, but I reverted back to some old habits - for some odd reason this week I’ve been extremely worried about being Perfect.  I don’t know why, but when I start worrying about that, I start to revert back to some old Musical Theatre habits - singing loudly and with extreme precision - like a robot almost.   Anyways - I worked on “We’re All Alone” and “Thank You For Being a Friend” (I love that Golden Girl’s theme song - heck, I just love theme songs!).

I had worked on the phrasing and breathing patterns for “We’re All Alone” and they were better, but still - I’m having some issues cutting phrases in the middle of a thought to breathe - I think I just need to say it like a monologue more - I did this last weekend, but I think I need to do it more.   For the Golden Girls song, I wasn’t really connecting - I was just trying to sing it and hammered the song into the ground.   I also need to work on the ending - I just sort of stopped and looked at Steven like, What do I do now?  

This weekend I’ll be working on some new stuff - I hope to have it ready for next Wednesday’s class.  I’ll keep you posted.   Also, I need to do some more thinking about Patrick’s question - what singer or singers rock my world?

Have an awesome weekend!

Class last night was fun - we had our whole crew there (6 people in all) this week and the class is going to be great - the diversity of song choices and vocal types is amazing.

I went first (what’s up with that?  I’m always getting picked to go first - maybe I should just pony up and volunteer next time huh?) and I worked on three songs:  1)  We’re All alone  2) Good Morning Baltimore and 3) Let me Grow Old - which I haven’t sung in months.   The lyrics had totally escaped my brain and the tune was shortly behind it.  Ugh!

For starters, it took awhile for me to warm up - not sure why, except that I’m having major insomnia issues again and haven’t slept well in a few weeks (I need to call my acupuncturist like yesterday) and I’m tired, all the time.  But after the first five minutes, my voice was good and “juicy” (don’t take that in a bad way - that’s just a good way of saying warmed up and in a good placement - that’s all).    I was also having some problem finding the floor - meaning I was wavering in and out without a Base of Support, so to speak, under my voice.   And I wasn’t letting the larynx be flexible - basically I was worried too much about how pretty my sound was instead of just singing the song — forgetting the #1 rule — singing does not have to be hard work.    Egads!

Patrick also gave us a homework assignment:   Find the singer(s) that really rocks your world!

We have to either burn a CD of our faves (or just fave) or send him mp3s and then we’ll start discussing them in class.   I haven’t given much thought yet, but the first two names that spring to mind are Judy Garland and Sting.  I’ll need to flip through my iTunes and see if anyone else catches my eye.   But I have to ask you - my readers - who are the singers that rock your world?

Shut Up and Sing indeed!    Another small group - only three of us on Wednesday night - but supposedly three more are joining us next week.   The small group was nice though - intimate, cozy - it made it easier to get up and get to work actually….and it afforded us time to chat and get to know each other, because just like on Tuesday’s class I don’t really know these folks all that well — which is both scary and nice all at the same time.  It’s easier to get up in front of friends and sing and scarier to do it in front of strangers - that’s for sure.   But strangers become fast friends when we’re all in the same boat.    My classmates on the Wednesday night class are a hoot and a holler and I think I’m going to just love it!

So, I went first - which is always fun! - and worked on “There’s a Fine, Fine Line” but only sang it once because it was pretty good.  I think the only note I got was to not disconnect from my body and to let the movements come more naturally.  This is a big issue for me and I’m sure this note will come up time and time again.   It’s my new check-off item for my development.      So, I was thinking my 2nd song would be “New York State of Mind”, but Steven noticed I had “We’re All Alone” (Rita Coolidge) in my book so I worked on that.    I love this song - it’s really pretty - and I like the poetic lyrics (although sometimes I don’t always understand what the songwriter was trying to say) — and this was my big problem.  I didn’t really have a clear understanding of what I was singing or who I was singing too.   This is my homework - work on my lyrics as if there were a monologue or letter and really get the meaning down - then go back to the song and work on phrasing (my other biggie check-off item for this class).

Whew!  Next week we’ll start with “We’re All Alone” and then add a 2nd song — either NY State of Mind or something else — not sure.   I also bought some new music today, but I know it won’t be ready for next week.    Ooh — maybe I’ll work on “Thank You for Being a Friend” - yes, the theme song from Golden Girls - that song rocks my socks off!

Let me just say that I wish I had Patrick’s level of energy.   That man can go a hundred-miles-a-minute!  I love it!   I’m jealous.

Last night’s small group (there were only four of us, but two more will be joining next week) was perfect for the first night - we got to meet and mingle and get to know each other some, then jump right in with class and singing.

Here are the things I learned last night:

• Mistakes are going to happen - and that’s okay
• Singing doesn’t have to be hard work - let it happen, don’t make it happen
• It’s fun to try new things
• Anything worthwhile takes effort - you have to work your ass off!
• Patrick was interviewed for Backstage magazine and will be featured in an upcoming issue
• I need to go over my lyrics to “There’s a Fine, Fine Line”

So, tonight is Shut Up and Sing!  I think I might work Fine, Fine Line tonight and possibly “New York State of Mind” by Billy Joel - let’s see if we get that far.  Sometimes there’s time for two songs, but it just depends on how “in” the song you are and how much work there is to be done.

Well,  here I am internet — getting ready to start my journey to my own solo Cabaret show.  Scary!

I start my first of two classes for the fall - Vocal Technique with Patrick DeGenarro.  It’s an 8-week class on Tuesday nights with my fabulous voice teacher and we end with a small performance at Don’t Tell Mama!  Nice.  I’m assuming we’ll each get to sing two or three songs at the performance.  I will find out more tonight.

Wednesday nights are my Shut Up and Sing class with Lennie Watts - who also happens to be my director - and Steven Ray Watkins - my musical director.   Shut Up and Sing will also be an 8-week class, but it will continue on a more rotating type basis and will not have a performance at the end.     In this class I will be starting the work of getting my show together - song selection, ideas for my show, titles, etc.

Once I’m really cooking, then I’ll start one-on-one rehearsals with Lennie and Steven to work on arrangements and the order of the show, etc. and so forth.   I only say etc. and so forth because I have no idea what comes next.

Here’s what I do know - I’m nervous, but excited!  Tonight I’ll be working on “Good Morning Baltimore” from the musical Hairspray.   Tomorrow I think I’ll start with “There’s a Fine, Fine Line” from the musical Avenue Q.

I will keep you posted on how classes are going, and basically what I learn while putting together my show.