The Salon Wrap-Up for September 10, 2017: "Better Than Nothing"

We've been very lucky in New York City as other cities have been dealing with fires, flooding and hurricane winds. Our Salon founder Mark Janas reminded us of this as he played the audio from video during the hurricane in Puerto Rico last week. It was a very humbling experience and made me even more grateful to be able to gather on a weekly music to make beautiful music with beautiful email.

Our Co-Host was the Multiple MAC Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Bill Zeffiro! The evening doubled as our regular Sunday Salon and an album release party for Mr Zeffiro! We were thrilled to find that the first 20 people to arrive at Salon received a CD absolutely free. What a wonderful gift!

Salon Co-Host Bill Zeffiro

Bill's first song was delivered at the piano, his delicately jazzy original tune, "Better Than Nothing." He told us that this one of the first sings he developed at The Salon, and it was so wonderful to hear it again as a kick off to the evening. For his mid-show set, he invited a few of his favorite singers to join him at the mic. For his first song, he and Sarah Hayes sang what has become my favorite holiday tune, "What The Hell It's Christmas." He then introduced us to something "totally different", an aria from a new chamber opera called, "Truman and Nancy" set during the tie encapsulated in Truman Capote's book "In Cold Blood." The touching song was sung by young soprano, Abby Hase. He closed this set with the sassy title tune of his musical, "The Road To Ruin" sung with aplomb by Candice Oden (with Bill and Erin - yours truly - on backups.) For the final song of the night, Bill sang a song that was created back when The Salon was still at the Algonquin: "Universal Truth."

If you're interested in getting a copy of Bill's CD, you can reach out to him via email (they're not on sale online quite yet!) You can catch Bill at La Rivista – 313 West 46th St, NYC 10036 - every Monday, Wednesday & Friday 8pm-Midnight and at Parnell’s – 350 East 53rd St, NYC 10022 - every Saturday 8-11pm. For more information: www.billzeffiro.com


Quick Wrap - Classical Corner

This week's segment started with Mark asking for the lights to be turned up slightly. He asked the audience for a show of hands: Who has taken voice lessons? (Most people raised their hands.) And who has taught voice? (About 1/4 of the hands stayed raised.) He then told a story about his journey as a musician/teacher and reluctant singer. After being a part of his church choir as a music director for many years, he recently started singing with the choir here and there and now his voice is starting to do things it never did before. He realized that there is sometimes a difference between teaching something and being able to do exactly what you're teaching.

As tonight's Classical Corner approached Mark realized that Bill Zeffiro was going to be co-hosting, and he was reminded of a conversation he and Bill had. Bill has always said that Mark can have a voice lesson anytime. So Mark had the brilliant idea to do a voice lesson with Bill in front of the entire audience this evening!

Bill started by having Mark sing a bit of a song he'd prepared, which allowed Bill to pinpoint a few spots to address. Through Bill's work with Mark, we learned about the trick of using a straw to practice proper breath control. We learned about biting a mint (or your finger) to sing without the (over)use of your jaw. We learned that voiced consonants (doing notes on a song on a "th" "ng", for example) can regulate vocal energy. And we were shown a few vocal eases and body movements that would help bring it all together. Not only did we get to see Bill as a fun, engaging, loving teacher with a great skill set, but we also got to see a Mark as a voice student who showed blind courage, didn't judge himself, and expressed a wonder and joy of learning.

The funny thing? I asked Mark later what it was like to get a voice lesson in front of everyone, because he seems to at ease. But he said he was terrified! This really inspired me because I think most of us feel that way when working on our craft, but Mark and Bill showed us that learning and growing can be quite fun.

Roster of performers for the evening (in order of appearance):
Click link to visit the performer’s website or other links, when available.
All piano accompaniment by Mark Janas unless otherwise noted.

CO-HOST: Bill Zeffiro (also on piano)
Ira Lee Collings
Kit
Richie Eisenberg (also on piano)
Janice Hall (with Matthew Martin Ward on piano)
Sally Darling (with Matthew Martin Ward on piano)
Angela Leone (with Bill Zeffiro on piano)
Bobbie Horowitz (with Bill Zeffiro on piano)
Candice Oden (with Bill Zeffiro on piano)
Abby Hase (with Bill Zeffiro on piano)
Erin Cronican
Shana Farr

CLASSICAL CORNER with Mark Janas (also on piano, with Bill Zeffiro)

BREAK

CO-HOST: Bill Zeffiro (on piano, with Sarah Hayes on vocals)
CO-HOST: Bill Zeffiro  (on piano, with Abby Hase on Vocals)
CO-HOST: Bill Zeffiro  (on piano and backing vocals, with Candice Oden on Vocals and Erin Cronican on backups)
Tanya Moberly
Father Jeff Hamblin
Joan Jaffe
Frank Loman
Jen Bradley
Zach Wobensmith (with Big Zeffiro on piano)
Blair Alexis Brown
Sarah Hayes (with Big Zeffiro on piano)
CO-HOST: Bill Zeffiro  (also on piano)

Special thanks to tonight’s musicians: Mark Janas, Bill Zeffiro, Matthew Martin Ward, and Richie Eisenberg!

Thank you to this evening's videographer, Michael Stever, to Gill Alexandre on lights and sound, and to our amazing waitstaff, Mattea and Milan, and the management at Etc Etc.


Ongoing Shows:

Monday nights (7pm): Opera Open Mic at Shanghai Mong with Mark Janas and Matthew Martin Ward, 30 West 32nd Street, NYC.

Weekly: Bill Zeffiro plays and sings with a rotating list of guests at La Rivista, 313 W 46th St, NYC.

Upcoming Shows:

Thursday, September 14, 2017: Matthew Martin Ward is appearing in free cabaret event with Tom White at the SVA Theater, 333 West 23 Street, NYC.

Friday, September 15, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly and Sean Harkness at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC. 

Monday, September 18, 2017 (7pm): Bobbie Horowitz hosts "It's Just A Number" (with Matthew Martin Ward at piano) to honor Meg Flathers, Frank Dain, and John Kropowski at The Triad, 158 W 72nd St, NYC.

Tuesday, September 19, 2017 (7:30pm): Shana Farr is appearing in "Shana Farr Sings the Songbook of Barbara Cook, at The Players, 16 Gramercy Park South, NYC.

Tuesday, September 19, 2017 (9:30pm): Tanya Moberly directs the return of "A Life Behind Bars," written and performed by Dan Ruth, at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42nd Street, NYC.

Monday, September 24-25, 2017: Angela Leone is performing in the 24 Hour Cabaret Marathon at the Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd Street, NYC.

Tuesday, September 26, 2017 (7:15pm): Ira Lee Collings in "The Gay Geezer: Life Is A Song – So Why Not Sing it?” at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.

Monday, October 2, 2017 (7:15pm): Ira Lee Collings in "The Gay Geezer: Life Is A Song – So Why Not Sing it?” at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.

Wednesday, October 4, 2017 (9:30pm): Tanya Moberly directs the return of "A Life Behind Bars," written and performed by Dan Ruth, at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42nd Street, NYC.

Friday, October 6, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly and Ritt Henn at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.

October 10-16, 2017: Abby Hase is directing her first play, "Who I Am" at the Manhattan Repertory Theater, NYC.

Monday, October 16, 2017 (6pm): Opening night of the Cabaret Convention features Tanya Moberly, Adam Shapiro, and others, at the Rose Theatre, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th Street.

Friday, October 27, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly and Ian Herman are appearing at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.

Saturday, October 28, 2017 (2pm): Tanya Moberly directs the return of "A Life Behind Bars," written and performed by Dan Ruth, at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42nd Street, NYC.

Sunday, October 29, 2017 (7:15pm): Ira Lee Collings in "The Gay Geezer: Life Is A Song – So Why Not Sing it?” at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, November 3-Sunday, November 19, 2017: Erin Cronican and Candice Oden are appearing in the play "Jack Goes Boating" at The Seeing Place Theater, 64 E 4th St (Basement Theater), NYC.

Monday, November 6, 2017 (9:30pm): Tanya Moberly directs the return of "A Life Behind Bars," written and performed by Dan Ruth, at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42nd Street, NYC.

Wednesday, November 8, 2017 (7pm): Marnie Klar performs "Bedtime Stories" (directed by Tanya Moberly) at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, November 10, 2017 (7pm): Marnie Klar performs "Bedtime Stories" (directed by Tanya Moberly) at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.

Monday, November 13, 2017: Amy Beth Williams, with Tanya Moberly directing, performs "A Thousand Beautiful Things" at Don't Tell Mama,  345 West 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, November 17, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly and Mark Janas are appearing at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.

Wednesday, November 29, 2017 (7pm): Sally Darling (with Matthew Martin Ward) presents "Totally Noël" at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Sunday, December 3, 2017 (4:30pm): Sally Darling (with Matthew Martin Ward) presents "Totally Noël" at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, December 8, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly and Steven Ray Watkins at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.

Saturday, December 10, 2017 (4pm): Marnie Klar performs "Bedtime Stories" (directed by Tanya Moberly) at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, December 18, 2017: Amy Beth Williams, with Tanya Moberly directing, performs "A Thousand Beautiful Things" at Don't Tell Mama,  345 West 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, December 29, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly and Sean Harkness are appearing at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.


NEXT SALON!

The next one will be on Sunday, September 17, 2017, and the theme will be "Let's Misbehave" with your co-host, Leslie Orofino! Hope to see you there, and can't wait to hear what naughty things you bring!

--Erin Cronican
"Blogette" for The Salon
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