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Don’t Tell Mama – September 6, 7, 8, 10
When Jeff Cubeta decided recently to showcase his own songs, he went all the way: with four musicians, three vocalists, and himself on the stage of Don’t Tell Mama’s small room, and a sold-out crowd in attendance, the atmosphere was more like a claustrophobic happy hour bar than an ideal concert listening experience. Still, the mood was jovial and the mix of musical styles kept the pace of the evening energetic and seemed to entertain the packed house.
The challenge for today’s young songwriters is to come up with a catalogue of material that can stand alongside all that has come before, or at least compete with the current hits. Where most fall short is with lyrics. I suspect this may be the case because young people these days are very much plugged into music, a constant stream of it from their iPods, but very few of them voluntarily read quality material. (As a part-time college English professor for many years, I know whereof I speak.)
I know nothing about Mr. Cubeta’s reading habits, but I can say that he, too, falls short on lyric content. This is evident from the high-energy opening rhythm and blues number, “Put Your Hands Up,” which has generic feel-good sentiments like, “If you ever feel that you aren’t gonna make it/If you feel that you just can’t take it/Put your hands up.” Granted, it’s dance floor fare, but some of the greatest dance hits of all time had unique and memorable hooks. Even Venessa Diaz’s spirited vocals can do only so much.
Likewise for other songs with musical inventiveness, but repetitive lyrics: “More and More” (a duet by Aisha De Haas and Charlie Stevens) and “Something Big’s About to Happen” (sung by Diaz) are good examples. The latter has the looping refrain “There is something coming over me/Something big’s about to happen.” The sentiment is reminiscent of Bernstein and Sondheim’s “Something’s Coming”, but without the specific, colorful imagery or driving intensity. I’m not curious to know what Cubeta’s something is.
Nevertheless, Cubeta’s songwriting rose to the occasion on a handful of selections. “Love Bunny,” which starts with a bit of a rap, is a sweet and sexy confection, and “Remedy” (sung with great gusto by Stevens) has a grinding country rock sound that could be served well by the many talented male country singers popular today. And, interestingly, when Cubeta himself stood center stage at the mike to deliver “Hide Your Love Away,” a mid-tempo ballad (one of just a few ballads in the 15-song set), his simple, plaintive honesty was refreshing, and it is lyrically one of his best songs.
Despite the hard work and lush harmonies of his on-stage trio of voices (Diaz, Stevens, and De Haas), the show’s best moments belonged to his guest artists. Carolyn Montgomery-Forant had enough personality to cast a light on Mars, and “Deeper Than a River,” almost a list song, with its specific references to candies and such, was a sparkling choice of material for her. With “Angel,” a gospel-like anthem, Eric Michael Gillett took the room by storm with his soaring vocals. His appearance, suggesting someone who has lived through heartbreak but intends to wring as much hope out of what life still has left, brought a lump to the throat. Who would have guessed that this kind of material could be likely Gillett’s best gambit for his future singing?
Gillett also served as director, and the show moved effortlessly from one song to another. Cubeta was the only one who offered patter, and his talk focused mainly on craft, which is what the evening was about. The fine musicians were Sean Harkness (guitar), Richard Livingston Huntley (percussion), Jacob Silver (bass), Greg Ritchie (drums), and, of course, Cubeta himself on piano.
Near the end of the show, when plugging his fund-raising effort for a recording, Cubeta joked, “You never know, I could be the next Lennon/McCartney. Or the next Barry Manilow; I’d settle for that.” In either case, it’s a very tall order, and he still has a lot of work to do. But, to his credit, his has given his quest an energetic boost to start the journey.
Kevin Scott Hall performed in cabaret clubs for many years and recorded three CDs, including “New Light Dawning” in 1998, which received national airplay. He also worked at the legendary piano bar, Rose’s Turn, and has taught cabaret workshops and directed shows since 1995. Kevin earned his MFA in Creative Writing at City College of New York. He is an adjunct professor in the Theatre and English departments at City College and Borough of Manhattan Community College. His novel, “Off the Charts!” was published in 2010, and his memoir, “A Quarter Inch from My Heart” (Wisdom Moon), in 2014. Kevin writes a monthly column and entertainment features for Edge Media Network, writes reviews for BistroAwards.com, and freelances for other publications.
When Jeff Cubeta decided recently to showcase his own songs, he went all the way: with four musicians, three vocalists, and himself on the stage of Don’t Tell Mama’s small room, and a sold-out crowd in attendance, the atmosphere was more like a claustrophobic happy hour bar than an ideal concert listening experience. Still, the mood was jovial and the mix of musical styles kept the pace of the evening energetic and seemed to entertain the packed house.