Ex-JW Pianoman (HUNK) to Play in Waterbury

skeeter1

Best is yet to come at Seven Angels: Crooner to sing Sinatra hits BY TRACEY O'SHAUGHNESSY | REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN Tony DeSare. Contributed Tony DeSare is the kind of dark-haired, smooth-singing, mellifluous crooner over whom woman were once prone to swoon. Crooning and swooning are a bit passé these days, and while DeSare tilts to the American Songbook, few would describe him as creaky. DeSare, who will perform Wednesday at Seven Angels Theater, has a young, engaging baritone and deep affinity for swing. That's one of the reasons Waterbury native Tom Santopietro picked DeSare, a hot property on the New York cabaret scene, to perform the songs from Frank Sinatra movies at the Waterbury theater. "When I started planning this show I had one choice and one choice only for a singer who could properly pay tribute to Frank Sinatra — Tony DeSare," said Santopietro. "He's a terrific pianist, a first-class composer, and a great singer. I think Ol' Blue Eyes himself would approve." DeSare's performance will dove-tail with Santopietro's talk about Sinatra's movie career, the subject of his new book, "Sinatra in Hollywood." DeSare, of Glens Falls, N.Y., is 32 and a main attraction at New Jersey's premier jazz club, Shanghai Jazz, where he plays often to sold-out crowds. In 1999, he was cast as the star of "Our Sinatra," an off-Broadway musical revue. He was only 23 and had been playing piano only since 7th grade. But DeSare, whose olive skin, wavy, ebony hair and dimpled grin give him a matinee idol look, says he developed a passion for the American popular songbook almost immediately after beginning piano lessons, when he set his sights on performing George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue." "At first, I wanted to perform Scott Joplin's 'The Entertainer,'" says DeSare, who quickly learned the jazz age melody. When he heard the celebrated Gershwin tune, he practiced diligently and had mastered it by the 8th grade. "I didn't have much of a life back then," DeSare admits. Raised in a strict, Jehovah's Witness home, he was unable to socialize with anyone outside of his faith. "It gave me a lot of reason to do well in school and practice piano. I didn't have a lot of distraction. So it gave me a certain amount of focus." DeSare left the faith at age 17. He attended Ithaca College, spending his free moments memorizing the performances of singer-pianists like Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder and Randy Newman. He began playing in clubs throughout upstate New York, and was a semifinalist in the MasterCardActs, a national talent search for college performers. He moved to New York in 1999 and shortly thereafter Variety praised him for his "dapper charm" in "Our Sinatra." Jazz pianist/composer/ writer Marian McPartland called DeSare "an engaging young singer pianist" with a "straight-forward yet infectious delivery, with a warm, clear, mellifluous sound and a lot of charm to match." The New York Times' Stephen Holden referred to DeSare as a "well-mannered singer-pianist" whose "intonation and enunciation are impeccable." DeSare is neither a nostalgia act nor exclusively a jazz performer. His CDs are a liberal blend of songs from the George and Iris Gershwin standard "They Can't Take That Away From Me" to Carol King's "I Feel The Earth Move," to the Harry Warren classic "There Will Never Be Another You." His latest album goes further, performing Phil Collins' "Easy Lover" as a Big Band number and Prince's "Kiss" as a jazz standard. "I really respond to good songs," says DeSare. "If a song has a really good melody and lyrics, that's what I respond to. I love timeless music." That explains his collection of more than 110 Sinatra CDs. "The thing that's so great about Sinatra was his ability to own a song, and his intelligence and phrasing," DeSare says. "He also picked great material and had great arrangers. So much of what we love about Frank Sinatra are the arrangements." He describes his latest album, as a concept album and as much bolder than his two previous recordings, "Last First Kiss" and "Want You." DeSare said he is pleased that through his music he is "able to say something to this generation and to prove that it's not a dead type of music but is capable of being rebuilt and renewed." Catch the show Tony DeSare will perform Frank Sinatra movie tunes at Seven Angels Theater, Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $18. Phone: (203) 757-4676 or visit www.sevenangelstheatre.org

Ex-JW Pianoman (HUNK) to Play in Waterbury

skeeter1

skeeter1

brojo

frankiespeakin

Share this