Frank Sinatra comparisons in stride

Singer Steve Lippia takes Frank Sinatra comparisons in stride

In previous seasons, the Louisville Orchestra has focused the music in its opening concert on classical repertoire. This season, the lineup is a bit different, with part of the evening featuring singer Steve Lippia, who sang with the orchestra in early 2011.

This time, Lippia is back to be part of a celebration of Bob Bernhardt’s 30th anniversary with the orchestra. Lippia, whose voice is often compared to Frank Sinatra’s, talked recently about how he got into singing, launched his professional career and interprets how people compare him to Sinatra.

What did you sing when you were growing up?

I sang in glee clubs and choruses and then was into music that my peers were into, rock ’n’ roll. But I sang a lot of liturgical and classical music in the church choir, and I went to a Catholic high school with a very robust choral program.

We sang contemporary music, but it was mostly Bach and Mozart and contemporary classical artists. I think it was good for me from ear-training, and being confident in one area of music can always help in another. Singing classical music requires a certain technique and that helped me, even though I never really studied music professionally. It was a good foundation for me.

When was the first time you sang solo onstage?

I did some solos with the chorus, but my junior year I performed in the school variety show. Until then I had been singing choral or rock music, but had decided to sing an American standard. I got a great response. It was 1973. My friends were shocked because I was more known as an athlete. I also got a great write-up in the local newspaper.

When do you remember first becoming aware of music known as the American songbook?

I was always aware of it because my mother was a professional singer for a few years before she met my dad. She still sang that music around the house, and so it was always there. It was good music, I thought. I wasn’t really in this musical family, but even when I was 2 or 3, she would teach me some of these songs. So, I’d sometimes be walking around the house, snapping my fingers and singing Bobby Darin tunes.

Joe Piscopo on Frank Sinatra

Joe Piscopo on Frank Sinatra and Saturday Night Live

Joe Piscopo joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 1980, after honing his stand-up chops at New York's Improv; he stayed with the show until 1985. During his SNL stint, he became known for such original characters as the Sports Guy, as well as celebrity impersonations of David Letterman and Frank Sinatra.
Piscopo will be in Denver this weekend for shows at Lannie's tomorrow, August 10, and Sunday, August 12. We recently caught up with Piscopo to talk about what fans can expect at those shows, as well ssd Sinatra, working on SNL, playing multiple instruments and his forthcoming musical comedy, How Sweet It Is.
Westword: You're going to be doing comedy, impressions and singing at your shows at Lannie's...what else can fans expect?

Joe Piscopo: I got out with a live band, which you don't really see much of anymore when it's a comedy kind of show. We do the music in a big way. It's kind of a retro-style from Vegas that I was kind of brought up on. I've always wanted to do a show like this, so I accidentally reinvented myself and just got into this. I get to work with these really great musicians and do a lot of the Frank Sinatra music.
I do the comedy stuff. I do everybody from Dave Letterman to Rodney Dangerfield and James Brown. We just have a blast on stage. You can pour it all on stage. It's something different at Lannie's Clocktower Cabaret that you're not going to see anywhere else. And Lannie's is so intimate. That's what I dig because I'm always playing casinos. We just did a casino out there, The Reserve. That was great up there because they kept that intimate for me because I always prefer those intimate audiences so I can just wail on the instruments, do some jokes and just have a blast.
I knew you were a singer, but I was surprised to find out that you play guitar, tenor sax, keyboards, flute and drums as well.
I know. I'm a frustrated rock-and-roller from the early days. I studied piano formally and then when the Beatles and the Stones came in, a great era of rock and roll came in, I was just totally smitten with that. Of course, I picked up the guitar. And then I listened to the drums and I tried to emulate the classic drummers like Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa. I also dug the riffs of Mitch Mitchell who played for Jimi Hendrix. There are great drummers now -- Nick Menza's a great drummer from Megadeth -- but Mitch Mitchell just filled in. People don't understand that as brilliant as Hendrix was on guitar, Mitch Mitchell is on the drums. I really heard that. I could hear that when I listened to all those rock tunes. Now I just kind of jump on stage and make a living of living out my fantasies a little bit -- well, not all my fantasies, but almost all of them.
I heard that you were a big Jethro Tull fan in high school, which is one of the reason you started playing the flute.
There it is. Baby, that was it. That's so funny. Ian Anderson... You know what, I listened to that and thought, "How creative is that?" The '60s, man, I'm telling you, they had the greatest music of all time. It was just the base of rock and roll. After Elvis did his thing and all the great rock and rollers did their thing early on, those monster rock groups like Jethro Tull... Flute, a freakin' flute? I said, "What, are you kidding me?" I went down to the music store and said, "Gimme the flute." I learned that Blood, Sweat and Tears did a great song called "Flute Thing," which was based on a classical music piece by Satie. I learned that and I put that on that. We do it in a comedy way. It's always with a comedy riff to it.
I tell you what, man, there was some great stuff out there and I was fortunate enough to be part of a generation that had this great eclectic mix of great rock and roll, but always true to the standards because people want to hear the Frank Sinatra stuff.

Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra Jr. - Seminole Casino Coconut Creek - July 12 

 

Frank Sinatra Jr.
Seminole Casino Coconut Creek
July 12 

Last night at the Seminole Casino in Coconut Creek, about 1,200 people filed into the Pavilion Theater to get a good look at the offspring of Ol' Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra Jr.

Some, like Irene Brenner and Iris Rosenstrauss, both 81, had to settle for a squint. "I wish they would install some TV monitors in here," said Rosenstrauss of Fort Lauderdale. "We can't see a thing."

Complaints aside, it was hard not to notice that the average age at the concert last night was probably somewhere in the mid-60s. But these things you come to expect in South Florida, especially at a concert featuring music that hasn't been played on the radio for half a decade.

But for the people who came to see him last night, Sinatra Jr. isn't just another toupee-wearing Sinatra impersonator to catch after the early-bird buffet. He's a link to the real deal, a corporeal relic with ties back to that Golden Age of American Song when dance bands traveled to cities around the world, when men wore fedoras and smoked indoors, when pictures of Sinatra lined the walls of every girl's bedroom.
And so, as Frank Sinatra Jr. walked onto the stage last night singing the first few lyrics of "That Face," the audience prepared itself for a trip back in time. And Sinatra certainly took them there, recreating the aura of his father's generation down to the smallest details. Unlike other Sinatra impersonators, who have to learn to walk and talk like the Chairman of the Board, Jr's mannerisms were the real deal, encoded into his DNA.

As he crooned his way through classics like "Love Is Just Around the Corner" and "Don'cha Go 'Way Mad," you got the impression that his voice had been crafted by nature to sound like his father's. But what most people don't know is that Sinatra Jr is a trained musician. He even went to music school for a little while and was the musical director of his father's band. Being the son of Frank Sinatra might have endowed him with some natural talent, but it took years of study and hard work to become the musician he is today. 

And for a man who is famous for championing live music (and condemning all things digital), he certainly brought the band to back his statements up. His musicians were superb, with trumpet players who screeched into the stratosphere on "I Wanna Be Around" and sax players who cried through their instruments on "More than You Know."

And even though you might think a man with such negative opinions of modern music would be as dry as burnt toast, he is actually quite funny. His "resurrection" of a Dean Martin lounge act, complete with a nasally, radio-voiced introduction and a few sips from a glass of scotch, was one of the lighter moments of the show. And when he began the first few bars of "When You're Smiling" with the lyrics "When you're drinking," the audience appreciated the subtle jab. It was like watching a younger brother tease his older brother out of love.

Moments like those were the highlights of his show. His stories about Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. just seem truer than everyone else's. They're not being read out of some cheesy biography or looked up online. They're not rumors or anecdotes he picked up second hand. They're experiences he actually lived, and he simply has to remember them.

But Sinatra Jr. wasn't the only one reminiscing in the theater last night. As he belted out tunes like "I've Got the World on a String" and "Strangers in the Night," the audience became visibly nostalgic, clapping along before the first four bars had been played, before a single word had even been sung.
And by the time the show concluded with "New York, New York," the audience, it seemed, was fully immersed in the past. A few ladies crowded the front of the stage, fawning at Sinatra's feet like the teenagers they were fifty years ago. There was even one couple swing dancing in the aisles. Sure, their leg kicks and twirls might have been a little slower and lower, but the feeling was still the same.

"I saw his father do this number in Carnegie Hall," Brenner shouted as the familiar brass introduction blared from the front of the theater. Her face was beaming. And while the faces onstage might have been blurry to her, the memories were as clear as ever. 

Of course, it was impossible not to draw some parallels between Sinatra Jr and his father. The two men are, after all, bound by blood and name. But Sinatra Sr was in a class by himself, untouchable. There is no one who could follow in his footsteps.

His son, however, did an admirable job. His voice isn't quite as rich as his father's, and his eyes will never be as blue. But if you cock your head and squint just the right way, you'll see he's the closest thing we have.  

Frank Sinatra dies

Frank Sinatra dies aged 82



The entertainer Frank Sinatra has died in Los Angeles of a heart attack aged 82.
His publicist Susan Reynolds said he died in the emergency room of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. 
Barbara, Sinatra's wife of 20 years, and other family members were with him when he died, she added.
The spokeswoman said a private funeral was planned.
Sinatra has not been seen in public since a heart attack in January 1997, and had been in and out of the hospital several times since then.
His family had occasionally acknowledged he was ill but denied rumours that he was on his death bed. 
Regular updates by the Sinatra family on their Website, including photographs of the singer enjoying himself, helped show that he was battling on.
In February the family used the Internet site to deny rumours that the star had inoperable cancer after he was taken to hospital for a series of tests amid reports that he had cancer of the bladder.
American author Gore Vidal told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the singer had played a unique part in the life of his country.
He said: "I would say that half the population of the United States over the age of 40 were conceived while their parents were listening to his records.
"He played a great romantic role in the country."
Country singing star Kenny Rogers said: "When I first got started in this business I made all my decisions thinking `Was this something Sinatra would do?'"
Sinatra's last months were dogged by rumours of a battle between his fourth wife Barbara and the three children from his first marriage over how his fortune - estimated at £124m ($200m) - should be split.
The star was first married to Nancy Barbato, whom he met as a teenager in Long Island, New Jersey. They divorced after 11 years in 1950. He later married actresses Mia Farrow and Ava Gardner.
The crooner, nicknamed Ol' Blue Eyes, was the son of Italian immigrants and started entertaining as a singing waiter.
He rose to become one of the world's richest and most loved singers. He also became a movie star, appearing in a series of films including "From Here to Eternity", for which he won an Oscar.
But it was his classic songs, "My Way", "Strangers in the Night" and "New York, New York", that most people will forever associate him.

Jersey Shore Pops with Tribute to Frank Sinatra

Jersey Shore Pops Open 2012 Concert Season with Tribute to Frank Sinatra

Pops special guest artist, Sinatra Singer Peter Oprisko.

COURT HOUSE – Linda Gentille and The Jersey Shore Pops are proud to present their opening season concert, “The Life and Times of Frank Sinatra!” starring Peter Oprisko. This performance, the first of the 2012 summer concert series will take place at The Middle Township Performing Arts Center in Cape May Court House, NJ. The show will be Sat., June 30 at 7:30 p.m. and is a musical and historical tribute to the music of the Chairman of the Board, Frank Sinatra.
Peter Oprisko made his New Jersey debut with the pops in 2011 and was a sensation, receiving numerous standing ovations. Because of the overwhelming response, conductor Linda Gentille invited him back for an encore performance. Gentille states,” The audience reaction to Oprisko was so fantastic, that we simply had to invite him back. This new show of Opriskos will be a musical and historical walk down the life of this great American Icon.”
Oprisko, often described as the "American Michael Buble," or the "next Frank Sinatra," Chicago-based pop/jazz singer Peter Oprisko enjoyed a successful career as a writer, actor, voice-over performer, and nationally-syndicated radio host(interviewing and featuring the music of legends Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole, Henry Mancini, Michael Feinstein, and their contemporaries) before embarking on a path that has led him to become one of the country's most in-demand and acclaimed concert and recording artists.
Accompanied by various sized virtuoso music ensembles(ranging from solo piano to big band), Peter tours extensively and averages 300 performances annually at theatres, colleges, clubs, fundraisers, casinos and corporations nationwide. His exciting, engaging, and interactive presentation that preserves, promotes, and perpetuates the rich musical legacies of America's foremost singers and songwriters appeals to audiences of all ages and has attracted many fans.
The Jersey Shore Pops 2012 Summer Concert Series will include 8 concerts with a focus on international guest stars from around the world. The other 7 shows in the series are: “Hooked On Country” starring Dixie clarinetist Paul Butler on July 7 at the PS Theater, “Gershwin Is Grand” starring conductor and pianist Linda Gentille n July 14 at the PAC, “I Love Paris” starring Canadian Singing Star Claude Eric on July 28 at the PS Theater, “Hooked On Classics” starring international Flautist Bettine Clemen on August 18 at the PAC, “Broadway Showstoppers” starring Ron Baker on September 1 at the PAC. The final concert in the series at the Middle PAC is “Joy to the World” will star Broadway Soprano Jacklyn Buckingham.
Tickets to individual shows including the Sinatra show or season passes can be purchased. Season ticket sales end June 30 and offer the best discounts and premium seating preferences. The “Platinum Season Pass”: includes all 8 shows at both theaters and is $175 which includes the opening night reception on June 30. The “Gold Season Pass” is for the 5 shows held at the Middle Township Performing Arts Center and is $125. The “Silver Season Pass” includes 3 shows at The Paul Schmidchen Theater in Lower Township and is $75.
In Aug. of 2011, The Jersey Shore Pops appointed the position of concert mistress to Susan Elsayed, former concert mistress for the Ocean City Pops. She and her daughter Amina are featured guest duet artists with the Pops all season. Recently added to the roster was special guest Broadway vocalist Jacklyn Buckingham. Some of the other talented Jersey Shore Pop’s orchestra members include Clifford Buggs, (Trumpet), renowned trumpet soloist and former leader of the Coast Guard Band in Cape May, John Drechen, Band Director at Lower Cape May Regional High School (Trumpet), Jim Hines (Bass), Ray Deeley (Percussion) Angela Guido, Ted Blohm and Jim Tangney (Trombone), Paul Butler, Cindy Yenloevich , Christopher Kobik and Walter Palmer on Saxaphone, Clarinet and Flute. The newly added string section includes: Susanne Di Vincenzo, Sandy Miller, Susan Elsayed, Amina Elsayed, Mary Jo Zahradnik, John Lee, Sid Polivnilk and Edward Lin. The Pops has a long standing collaboration with the Atlantic Youth String Orchestra which is reflected in the musician roster.
This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. The funds were administered by the Cape May County Culture and Heritage Commission, under the authority of the County Library Commission, for the Board of Chosen Freeholders.
To purchase tickets to The Life & Times Of Frank Sinatra, or any season pass, please, call the JSP Ticket Office at 800-838-3006. Tickets for the Silver Season Pass and all the other Season Passes can also be ordered online at www.JerseyShorePops.org. To purchase the “Jersey Shore Pops Gold Pass” for Middle Township only, please call the PAC box office AT 609 463-1924. The PAC is open Mon. to Fri. from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. for walk in ticket purchases for the “Gold Pass” only and is located at the Middle Township High School, Exit 10 (GSP).