ESSAYS. Cont'd from Page 80
Photo: Toni Morrell, simply majestic!
THE BOOK IS ABUNDANT WITH NEW AND UNDISCOVERED TALENTS
The book is abundant with terrific undiscovered talents and accomplished performers who should enjoy more than "a limited regional or geographical success" as Mr. de Lafayette put it so bluntly. He cites for instance, Candace Evans, a highly respected and magnificently talented jazz vocalist who enjoys the respect and admiration of her community in the Kansas city area. Yet, her superb talent is not acknowledged nationwide. And "this, disturbs me a lot", said furiously Mr. de Lafayette. "We should not judge and assess the quality and talent of a singer by the amount of news coverage and reviews an artist get, regionally or nationally." said Maximillien de Lafayette. Another example given by the author is Las Vegas super star Toni Morrell. Lafayette said: "Here we have a giant talent, Toni Morrell, what a singer and what a magnificent super duper entertainer she is. Toni Morrell is pure magic, larger than life, divine, highly admired by mega stars...she is in the league of Shirley Bassey and Petula Clark, yet, rarely we see her on national television...and how about Donna Byrne? Tony Bennett himself acknowledged her as one of the best in the business, why Donna is not a household name yet? I will tell you why: No propaganda, no adequate packaging and favoritism in the recording and showbiz decimate talents." Carol Mennie, a gifted singer, brought to national attention by the book. Cynthia Basinet's profile occupied 2 pages She looked like one million bucks in the book. Mr. de Lafayette was intrigued and possibly charmed by her personality. He called her "a phenomenon." Ms. Bassinet is an international star in her own right, a devoted humanitarian and activist extraordinaire. She is waging war against world poverty and hunger. Bassinet said: "More than 80 percent women and children, 200,000 refugees are struggling to survive in the southwest corner of Algeria. Their refusal to return home and their fight for self-determination captured my attention." (Taken from the book).
MARLENE VERPLANCK TAKES THE LEAD.
The most prominent star in the book is evidently the lady on the cover of the book: Marlene Verplanck. De Lafayette wrote: "With 20 solo albums, numerous awards and citations, including "Singer of Best Song of the Year" by the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC), worldwide recognition from Ontario to Tokyo, and glowing reviews by giants of the music industry, Diva Marlene VerPlanck has secured her name in the annals of America's greatest singers, no questions asked! "He also reviewed her most recent CD My Impetuous Heart. He wrote: "Marlene Ver Planck’s “My impetuous heart”: Best Jazz CD of the year. A treasure.
ANY GOSSIP IN THE BOOK?
Photo: The great
Donna Byrne.
Plenty, but justified. Here is an excerpt from Chapter IV "New York's and California’s jazz and cabaret divas are making a big buzz." New jazz sensation and former beauty queen of Louisiana, Karmyn Tyler is one of Mr. de Lafayette's new favorites. New York's and California’s Jazz and cabaret divas are making a big buzz. And each one of them at “sa facon”. Marlene Verplanck with her new CD “My Impetuous Heart”; Mercedes Hall with her new bursting Blues-Jazz shows; Carol Welsman, because of her international tour, her shows and concerts in Brazil, her record deal in Tokyo and the many awards she got recently, including “Best Smooth Jazz Singer of the Year”, “Best Jazz Singer of Canada”, “Best International Entertainer-Pianist of the Year”, ad infinitum; Hillary Kole’s with her stunning beauty, social gossips, and avalanches of heavy-duty gigs; Janis Mann’s great comeback and the fans are going wild; Anne Callaway, being difficult and distant in a very cold manner; Andrea Marcovicci for being out of site and her refusal to learn how to use a computer, so there is no way to communicate with her, except through a strange and bizarrrrrro character (handling her media and interviews), so difficult to deal with; Ute Lemper’s sold-out magnificent cabaret acts in Manhattan; Carol Sloane with her Cabaret Bistro Award (Best Singer in the Business); Paulette Attie’s Memoirs (Boy! The stories and secrets of the legends en route); Tony Bennett’s admiration for Donna Byrne; Quinn Lemley playing Rita Hayworth; Paris Hilton’s ridiculous new CD! (Give me a break!); Anath’s forthcoming international cabaret shows in New York; Karmyn Tyler’s (Miss Louisiana) new album taking the audience and critics by storm; Rhe De Ville crowned queen of elegance of world of Jazz and cabaret.
Photo:
Joan Bender deserves more recognition.
Yep! Buzz and gossip. This time, it is not about Madonna, nor Martha Stewart, but about a glittering rosary of old and new faces. Pros by all means. The New York Monthly Herald listed them and raved about them. What is the deal? No deal, just paying tribute to well seasoned Jazz and cabaret stars who made their mark on the music industry, such as Carol Sloane, Marlene VerPlanck, Patti Wicks, Opera prima dona Alison England, Laurie Krauz, the gorgeous Hilary Cole, Paulette Attie and three newcomers on the stardom plateau, Pamela Luss, Joan Bender and Audrey Silver. The Herald published a 25 page in-depth article I wrote about those divas. “I was born a diva and a femme fatale, don’t let this scare the hell out of you, honey!” What is so special about the article is the unorthodox approach I used in interviewing those singers. I contacted each one of them separately as if I were exclusively interviewing one diva for the cover. I asked them, all of them, the same questions without telling anyone what I was doing. So each diva thought that SHE is the ONE to be interviewed. I am a bad boy! Sloane's answers were as expected deep and straightforward. Kole's answers refreshing. Wicks, philosophical and informative. VerPlanck, bright like her music. Attie, right on. One lesson we could learn from the lengthy article: Good material never dies, and solid talent lasts for ever. I assume, this was the main point of the write-up and interviews, and I enjoyed talking to those sparkling femmes fatales. Some told me “You bet, I am a femme fatale!”, one particular super duper singer said: “I don’t have an ounce of a diva in me."