Ann Hampton Callaway is a multiplatinum-selling pop and jazz singer/songwriter best known for writing and singing the theme from the TV hit The Nanny. She also has the distinction of writing three songs for Barbra Streisand, and that is the inspiration for her latest cabaret act “The Streisand Songbook” (Ann is also an out lesbian, who gave me the honor of being the journalist to do her “coming out interview” – you can read that here).
La Streisand influenced La Callaway long before Barbra sang Ann’s songs – Funny Girl exerted a strong influence on the young singer (long before she was a songwriter). Some of the most powerful – and powerfully sung – moments in Callaway’s show are from Funny Girl, including a rafter-shaking “Don’t Rain On My Parade”, and “People” artfully mixed with one of Sondheim’s greatest (I won’t give it away, the surprising combination is one of this show’s greatest pleasures).
Ann remarks that Barbra was one of two great influences on her – the other was Ella Fitzgerald. So it’s completely natural that the feel of this show should be Barbra’s beltiness mixed with Ella’s sumptuous jazziness. Indeed, Ann’s interpretation of the song that Barbra co-wrote with Paul Williams, “Evergreen”, is the jazziest take I’ve ever heard of that particular song.
Other high points include Ann’s renditions of the songs she wrote for Barbra “At the Same Time” and “I’ve Dreamed of You” – dare I say it, Ann’s heartfelt interpretation of “I’ve Dreamed of You”, dedicated to her fiancee Kari Strand, was even stronger than Barbra’s recording (though who knows what Barbra might do with it if she sings it on October 11).
Callaway successfully covers all five decades of Streisand’s multi-faceted career, crafting a loving musical portrait of a brilliant, conflicted artist driven to seek pop music perfection. Callaway herself achieves a kind of jazz-pop perfection, a kissing cousin of Streisand’s, and every bit as shimmery and rich.
Jonathan Warman (director, New York premiere of Tennessee Williams’s Now the Cats With Jewelled Claws) will direct Hard Sparkle: The Short Plays of J. Stephen Brantley. Performances are for two nights only October 29 & 30 at The Duplex.
About this production, Jonathan says, “I have collaborated with J. Stephen more frequently than any other playwright. He is the most singular American playwrighting talent I’ve come across in any context, one of the most distinctive voices in the country. I am honored – astonished almost – to have worked with him as often as I have. He has rich reserves of humanity and compassion, and wry humor. His writing – which vibrates with rock and roll energy and yet possesses sweetness and aching psychological subtlety – is highly stimulating and challenging. He is very inspired by the voice of individual actors, and rehearsal (which he loves) especially fires his deeply theatrical imagination. I am thrilled to be pulling together some of his best work for this special, two-night-only showcase.”
The plays are:
Nevertheless – After nearly stabbing her husband at the breakfast table, Iris walked out of her Park Avenue apartment bound for Nashville, Tennessee. Returning to the dingy barroom where she misspent her twenties, she hopes to recapture some of the excitement of a bygone era. What Iris finds is Trevor, a washed-up-before-he-started country crooner, the hard truth, and a new start.
Hard Sparkle – Actress Anne Eaton-Hart has taken to her bed. Swindled of millions and having lost an Emmy to Susan Lucci, Anne is convinced she’s dying. While her devoted accountant Eddie does his level best to lift her spirits, nothing less than divine intervention will resurrect the self-obsessed star.
Break – During the late hours of a summer night on the coast of Eastern Long Island, a displaced Englishman and the drug addict who breaks into his home confront their differences and, more importantly, discover their secret similarities.
Hard Sparkle runs October 29 & 30 at 7pm. The Duplex is located at 61 Christopher Street at Seventh Avenue. Tickets are $12 plus a 2 drink minimum. To purchase tickets, call (212) 255-5438 or visit www.theduplex.com.
For more about Jonathan Warman’s directing work, see jonathanwarman.com.
Only a few years ago this medium sized bar on N. 6th St in Williamsburg known as The Cove attempted to start a gay night in the heart of hipster heaven which played well with the all-too-willing local crowd despite its life being cut too short and way too soon. Now, the owners of the gin joint are officially launching the place with a brand-spanking new name and a long list of younger, local Brooklyn talents ranging from drag queens, bands, DJs, and bartenders. Read more
Xelle front-woman and Drag Race All Star Mimi Imfurst is taking on politics. Mitt Romney’s wife, Ann, in particular.
In this video Ann begs us to “Leave Mitt Alone” as she details how hard their lives are as multimillionaires who just want to make more money. You might even have flashbacks of Chris Crocker’s “Leave Britney Alone” video throughout. Consequently, Chris and Mimi just happens to have the same colored hair in their respective videos. Only now Chris Crocker does porn, and Mimi does… well anyone who can get her more exposure! The bitch is everywhere!!
Showing how hard it is to be that rich and that Mormon, Mimi offers an impeccable rendition of Ann Romney in this political parody. Watch it here:
If you can’t get enough of Mimi Imfurst, don’t worry! She’ll be back on LOGO in October for RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, and you can get tickets now to her upcoming showMimi Imfurst: I Would Hate ME, Too! which takes place this November in New York City. If you can’t get enough of Ann Romney, you need help! Let’s just hope the only Ann we get is another spoof from Mimi, shall we?
It’s getting cooler, but I still have one final weekend left on Fire Island, so as far as I’m concerned, it’s still summer! Here’s a taste of what I’ll be listening to (wrapped in a towel, shivering next to the pool), including new songs from Kat DeLuna, Pink, Mika, Sia, Nicki Minaj, Nelly Furtado and Flo Rida. Plus two fun-lovin’ Swedish gals you simply have to know…
“Wanna See U Dance (La La La)” – Kat DeLuna
It’s hard to believe that 24 year-old Kat DeLuna first shimmied into our lives 5 years ago with the dance tune “Whine Up.” Since then, she’s had some hits (most notably last year’s #1 “Dancing Tonight” – thank you, Domitrovich) and more than a few misses. But I’ve always felt it’s been the material that’s let her down and not the other way around. Now she get some fun material indeed. From her forthcoming album ViVa Out Loud, “Wanna See U Dance (La La La)” is a sweat-inducing jam that gleefully borrows from the 90s soccer stadium/SEGA staple “Samba de Janeiro” by German outfit Bellini. (The parenthetical ‘La La La’s are sung to the horn line of that chestnut.) Make sure you check out the YouTube version of the song, which features a fantastic drum breakdown that in the album/iTunes version gets swallowed up by syrupy electronica.
“I Cry” – Flo Rida
Hot on the heels of his #1 song “Whistle,” Flo Rida’s “I Cry” is the 4th track from his album Wild Ones. We appreciate that the R&B hip-hop star often returns to hit a dance tune out of the ballpark. And “I Cry” is a homerun. It features a triangular sampling, with the title line coming from the Dutch duo Bingo Players’ dance hit “Cry (Just A Little)” which sampled the original smooth jazz/AC Brenda Russell hit “Piano In The Dark.” The recycled Chipmunks-like vocals call to mind the quadruplicate sharing of bassline between First Choice’s “Doctor Love,” Gwen Guthrie’s “Nothing Goin’ On (But The Rent),” Madonna’s “Sorry” and Rihanna’s “Hard.” Perhaps not coincidentally, Bingo Players (who have done remix work for acts like Cobra Starship), earlier this year released “reset” mixes of their “Cry.” And I swear Flo Rida here name-checks he one and only Alan Quartermaine. But even if he doesn’t, one can dream. Or cry.
“She Wolf (Falling To Pieces)” – David Guetta feat. Sia
There are no two ways around it: we’re obsessed with Sia. Her early cut “The Girl You Lost To Cocaine” still has us enthralled as did its follow-ups “You’ve Changed” and the percussive “Clap Your Hands.” The Australian singer nailed her muse status collaborating with prodigious French DJ superstar David Guetta on “Titanium.” Originally a demo by Sia – written with Alicia Keys in mind – the track was turned down by Katy Perry and recorded by Mary J. Blige before being scrapped and recorded by Sia herself for Guetta’s Nothing But The Beat. Now she’s in the spotlight in her co-written new track for Guetta’s revamped Nothing But The Beat 2.0. Featuring insistent piano and “Jessie’s Girl” guitar licks, the song generates as much Drama as a Meatloaf opus. And as far as Ozzie songstresses go, is it too much to hope that a Sia/Kimbra duet might be in the works??
“Bullets” – Rebecca & Fiona
Swedish DJs/performers/club owners Rebecca & Fiona are a colorful duo that have been taking their native Sweden by storm the last few years, cemented with their full-length album I Love You, Man in 2011. Here, they’re probably best (only?) known as Robyn’s bestie gf’s from the Making of “Call Your Girlfriend” video (link below), as well as openers on parts of her last tour. Now the album has been packaged for the U.S., lead by a remixed version of “Bullets” that’s also been given a fierce Lesbian chic video (though the pair are neither a couple nor lesbian). Luxuriating in the Swedish Pop sounds of the 90s (think Ace of Base and Roxette at a sleeker, higher bpm), R&F nail it with the lead track and its plunking guitar and clip-clop percussion. Who knows what the lyrics mean (“Hurts like bullets between these walls”?), but somehow it fits their aesthetic of giant-soled Moonboots.
http://www.robynbodytalkin.com/tag/rebecca-fiona/
BPM BITS:
Two great new albums with similar titles: Pink’s The Truth About Love and Mika’s The Origin of Love. Pink features a terrific first single in “Blow Me (One Last Kiss)” while Mika stumbled with his atypically generic “Celebrate.” But both feature an especially intriguing album cut: Pink’s duet with Fun. frontman Nate Ruess“Just Give Me A Reason” sounding very Fun. indeed and Mika’s “Popular Song” (with Rihanna sound-alike Priscilla Renea) sampling “Popular” from the hella popular musical Wicked…Nicki Minaj scores on 2 new singles: paired with Cassie (the singer from the hypnotic track “King of Heats” earlier this year) on the new song “The Boys” and rapping on the “Inferno Mix” of the new Alicia Keys track “Girl On Fire”…Regular SPIN readers know how repeatedly annoyed we are by the lazy same-ol’/same-ol’ from Pitbull. But even we have to admit his latest, the rowdy “Don’t Stop The Party,” is a catchy-as-f#ck party tune…DJ duo Milan & Phoenix have a fun retread of the Swing song “Istanbul (Not Constantinople).” Perhaps best known in this era as a 1990 cover by They Might Be Giants, the song gets a new dance version featuring a sample of the original 1953 version by The Four Lads…We’re scratching our heads that Nelly Furtado is once again releasing a not particularly radio-friendly single, but also giving her major points as the boomalicious “Parking Lot” will have you cracking open a can of Schlitz in the back of a convertible.
Pink & Nate Ruess
Mika
Nicki Minaj & Cassie
Nicki Minaj & Alicia Keys
Pitbull
Milan & Phoenix
Nelly Furtado
NEWS: I’ll be spinning the annual Anniversary Bash for Pieces Bar next Saturday night, Sept 29. Sponsored by Ketel One, this year’s edition is called “DRAGTASTIC” and will nce again feature the full staff in drag and perfrming a special Staff Number at 10PM. I’ll kicks things off with Disco at 8:30 followd by current Dance/Pop after the staff number. Come dressed up, dressed down or just come and get down! Also next week, the next 80s/Disco Happy Hour “MATINEE” is Weds, Sept 26 5-8PM. Both at Pieces Bar (8 Christopher Street).
http://www.facebook.com/events/204884132976128/
Welcome back to #1, Ms. Minaj, on this week’s Top 20 Countdown. Whether you call her Nicki or Roman, the “Starships” diva dethrones MC for the top spot with “Pound The Alarm.” This week’s big leaps are registered by Ne-Yo’s “Let Me Love You” (up 10 spots to #9) and Karmin’s “Hello” (up 8 to #12). The week’s three juicy debuts – all mentioned above – are by Kat DeLuna, David Guetta featuring Sia and Flo Rida.
1) Pound The Alarm (Original & Liam Keegan Mixes) – Nicki Minaj (3) (1 at 1*)
t’s hard to believe that 24 year-old Kat DeLuna first shimmied into our lives 5 years ago with the dance tune “Whine Up.” Since then, she’s had some hits (most notably last year’s #1 “Dancing Tonight” – thank you, Domitrovich) and more than a few misses. But I’ve always felt it’s been the material that’s let her down and not the other way around. Now she get some fun material indeed. From her forthcoming album ViVa Out Loud, “Wanna See U Dance (La La La)” is a sweat-inducing jam that gleefully borrows from the 90s soccer stadium/SEGA staple “Samba de Janeiro” by German outfit Bellini. (The parenthetical ‘La La La’s are sung to the horn line of that chestnut.) Make sure you check out the YouTube version of the song, which features a fantastic drum breakdown that in the album/iTunes version gets swallowed up by syrupy electronica.
Swedish DJs/performers/club owners Rebecca & Fiona are a colorful duo that have been taking their native Sweden by storm the last few years, cemented with their full-length album I Love You, Man in 2011. Here, they’re probably best (only?) known as Robyn’s bestie gf’s from the Making of “Call Your Girlfriend” video (link below), as well as openers on parts of her last tour. Now the album has been packaged for the U.S., lead by a remixed version of “Bullets” that’s also been given a fierce Lesbian chic video (though the pair are neither a couple nor lesbian). Luxuriating in the Swedish Pop sounds of the 90s (think Ace of Base and Roxette at a sleeker, higher bpm), R&F nail it with the lead track and its plunking guitar and clip-clop percussion. Who knows what the lyrics mean (“Hurts like bullets between these walls”?), but somehow it fits their aesthetic of giant-soled Moonboots.
