Exclusive Q&A with Sarah Dash -- part 1 of 2

Sarah performing at Hearts & Voices

Gitcha gitcha ya-yas, dadas! Here's the first installment of my Q&A with the wonderful Sarah Dash. You may be surprised by many of the things you'll learn, like what a tireless political advocate and defender of human dignity she is. Sarah just turned 70 though she looks decades younger and, in this interview, we discuss the full spectrum of her career from her '60s gir-group period up until today. Thank you so much, Sarahl You are beautiful both outside and in. 

Buddy Beaverhausen: I had such a blast at your birthday brunch at 54 Below last week. Can you tell us what it was like for you?

Sarah Dash: Well, it truly exceeded all my expectations. The idea for this started in Washington, DC, and most of the people who put it together are from that area. I work with Grammy on the Hill. Each year, we go to DC and visit Congressmen and Senators at the Capitol and present them with our issues, our bills. One of them is about copyright issues. Special kudos to Congressmen Rush Holt and John Conyers for bringing this to the Floor. We also got to meet with Corey Booker and have the chance to see Michelle Obama present Alicia Keyes with a landmark award. I also met Elizabeth Warren, Grammy nominee for Spoken Word. And while I was down there, I spoke at the University of Virginia, So it was one thing after the other.
   I was going to have a little get-together at home, turn on my shiny grill and have some friends to dine with me out on the gazebo. But my friend Marvin Johnson said no. So, when I walked into the club, I was astounded. There was just so much love in the room! And everyone came to enjoy themselves. It was one of the best parties I've ever had! So many old friend, and new ones like you ~ you know, we just clicked the first time we met! Nona's speech just touched my heart, as well. It was wonderful! People came from all over the country. Tweaka Turner came all the way in from San Francisco, where she does her radio show. It was a great moment and experience and I cannot tell you just how wonderful I felt that day.

BB: At the Studio 54 event, you said you are and have been a big supporter of the LGBT community. Can you expand on that a little for our readers?
SD: Yes. When I came back to Trenton to restore and renovate the house I grew up in, I had Rush Holt there and the issue of the needs of the LGBT community came up. It's not about the shows or the glamor but these are people who have political issues. It's about human rights and treating people as equals. No one has a right to say "you're excluded" or "you're an exception." And it all started with Stonewall, of course, because sometimes that's the only way you can make yourselves heard. And the hypocrisy in this country by those who oppose equality or government assistance... that's a major problem for us. That's what we stand against. LGBT people were saying "I matter too!" Black people matter, all people matter.

BB: I heard that -- when you were with Patti Labelle and The Bluebelles -- Motown confused your voice as being Cindy Birdsong's, which is how she got selected for The Supremes. Is that true?
SD: I've heard that, too, but don't know if it's true or not. When Cindy left the group, it was quite a shock to us. But Cindy had her own career and I've been so blessed with my own. We have two very different voices and I really have no regrets about my own career path.

BB: I saw you at 54 below earlier this year at the tribute to Lesley Gore. How did you become involved in that?
SD: Tracy Stark is my musical director and she invited me to be part of this show. I always admired Lesley Gore as a singer, songwriter and ultimately a strong woman making it in what was then a man's world basically. I had just had a mammogram and that night, just before I went on, I heard from my doctor that I had to have a biopsy taken. Can you imagine what I was like that night? But I'm ok, I'm ok!

BB: Could you tell us who The Ordettes were?
SD: Oh, our girl group before The Bluebelles! It was Cindy and me and two other girls. Patti was then with the Del-Capris. We all disbanded and formed The Bluebelles together.

BB: Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles are an iconic '60s girl group. What was your favorite song from that group and do you ever perform "I sold my Heart to the Junkman" these days?
SD: I love the song and I have performed it solo, but not in a while. It's such a part of the history of the group. And I expect to be performing it in the future.

BB: I also recall you and Nona at the Laura Nyro retrospective outdoors at Lincoln Center a couple of summers back. Could you tell us about working with Laura Nyro and how that helped transition the Bluebelles to becoming Labelle?
SD: We had already become Labelle before recording that album with Laura, so it had nothing to do whatsoever with our "transitioning." What happened was: we went to London and we were managed there by The Who's management, and they were the ones to transform our lives and our onstage personas. Then, when we were performing one night, Laura Nyro came and saw us and, after the show, said, let's collaborate on something. And Gonna Take a Miracle was born. Nona and I loved being able to pay tribute to Laura, such a great artist.

[part 2 to come Wednesday]

Marcus Simeone's Alone with Tracy Stark

I received a promo cd through a friend this week. The first things I noticed were that the artist, Marcus Simeone, has movie-star good looks and that Tracy Stark is on his album. Not necessarily in that order but... all right, yeah, maybe! I just completed a Q&A with Ms Stark, and have met her at the cabarets, most notably at the Lesley Gore salute at 54 Below.

http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2015/05/exclusive-q-with-usical-director-tracey.html

Mr Simeone's tenor voice is refreshingly appealing, starting with Ms Stark's lovely arrangement of Rogers and Hart's "Where or When" that introduces the album, Alone. (It is later briefly reprised.) Other classics like Rogers & Hammerstein's "I Have Dreamed" are also covered outstandingly, the latter a lovely duet with Ms Stark.

More contemporary material is scattered throughout, lending a beautiful balance to this effort. "If You're Right" is an instant classic. Janis Ian's lighthearted and pithy "Married in London" has a very "out" message about equality, preceding Ms Ian's touching "When Angels Cry."

Billie Hoiday's "Strange Fruit" is covered in an unfortunately still-relevant political flourish. Melissa Manchester's "Better Days" shines.

"The Twelfth of Never" and "Misty" wrap up this fine album. The Johnny Mathis influence on Simeone's style is unmistakeable.

New Yorkers: Simeone will appear at the Metropolitan Room with Ms Stark for four dates starting in September.

The Legacy of Lesley Gore at 54 Below

What a wonderful night it was indeed as 54 Celebrates Lesley Gore rocked the packed house at the swank, underground nightclub, 54 Below. The show not only highlighted Ms Gore's hits as well as her lesser known numbers, but it did it all in grand style. My friend, singer Ron Giles, was my guest and he was at times, moved to tears. At one point, he danced in the aisle -- and who but Sarah Dash of LaBelle got up to dance with him, lucky guy.

The line-up of talent for this event was amazing! The Marvelettes, Sarah, Lorraine Ferro, Molly Pope, Maxine Linehan, Jill Abramovitz, Lorinda Kisitza, Gabrielle Stravelli. It was a pleasure to meet some of these ladies after the show.

Tracy Stark's musical direction was assured throughout. The show opened with the upbeat but little-heard "Mama I'm a Rocker," with Lorinda on vocals followed by the pop hit "Maybe I Know," sung by Gabrielle. The crowd immediately caught Lesley Gore Fever!

This was a show where, frankly, every interpretation was a highlight, really. But I must single out The Marvelettes, whose original vocalist, Denise, was quite the raconteur. What a voice this lady possesses! And her fellow vocalists are far from slouches as they covered "Look of Love" and belted out the final song, "It's My Party."

Sarah Dash's rendition of "California Nights" was indeed a powerful one, though better yet was her interpretation of the anthemic classic "You Don't Own Me."

News of the night was distinctly Tracy Stark's announcement that she has a forthcoming album of her own featuring varied vocalists -- including Lesley Gore.

It was wonderful to hear faves like "Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows," the "Run, Bobby, Run/Off and Running" medley, "She's a Fool," Judy's Turn to Cry," the Oscar-nominated "Out Here on My Own" (written by Lesley with her brother Michael for the movie Fame)

Kudos to all. And that includes the staff at 54, prompt, polite and attentive service as always. This show was a treasure and an event I will remember and cherish a lifetime.

Exclusive Q&A with Musical Director Tracy Stark about her Tribute to Lesley Gore

With Tracy and Nick Lion

I had already approached Ms Stark about doing a Q&A with regards to her forthcoming Lesley Gore show at 54 Below. At the tme, the performers list had yet to come together, so we postponed it. Well. it developed into quite an interesting ensemble and I look forward to the show. Here, then, is our conversation. The shows are tonight at 7 and 9 pm. I met Ms Stark in person for the first time when she was musical director in April for Gretchen Reinhagen. Thank you so much, Tracy, and see you tonight.

Buddy Beaverhausen: Hello, Tracey, and thank you for doing this Q&A with me. You recently celebrated your birthday (another fellow Taurus; we're the best)! Did you do anything fun or exciting?

Tracy Stark: On my birthday, I did arrangements and band charts for this show!  So, basically I worked on my birthday. But, I took a birthday nap!

BB: It was so nice to meet you at Gretchen Reinhagen's show last month and hope to be at 54 Below Wednesday night for the Lesley Gore tribute. I recently saw the line-up. Wow! How did you get The Marvelettes and Sarah Dash on-board?

TS: I met, and played with Denise Spann-Morgan, (who is in the "Marvelous" Marvelettes) some years ago. And, I've recently been doing shows with Sarah Dash. Both of those women are so talented and generous, and they eagerly agreed to hop on board.

BB: Was the show your idea from its original inception?

TS:Not at all. 54 Below does a whole series of shows, honoring various artists and shows.   It's a wonderful series, and the shows are always extremely high quality.  I'm actually not sure who had the original idea to do this tribute. Scott Coulter was asked to direct it, and he called me, because he knew I had worked with Lesley in the past.  I said yes immediately, and I gathered some of the musicians I had worked with, when I worked with her.

BB: What was it about Ms Gore that attracted you to doing this show celebrating her music?

TS: I just really admired her as a strong, funny, down-to-earth human being.   As a musician, she was so versatile.  In her live shows, she'd do a lot of different styles of music - her hits, of course, but she'd also do rock, jazz, disco, etc. - and do them all extremely well.   And, she wrote such incredible songs. I've been re-immersing myself in her music for this show, and finding an entirely new level of respect.

BB: Her birthday was May 2nd (another Taurus). Was it your idea to plan the show close to that date?
TS:  I think it might have been a coincidence!   You can ask the producers this question.

BB: When I last talked to you, you were just starting to put together the singers/cast for 54 Celebrates Lesley Gore. How did you choose the performers who will be in the show?"

TS: Sarah Dash and Denise Spann-Morgan had both known Lesley. And, they are both incredible vocalists.   Lorraine Ferro had sung with Lesley for over 10 years.   (Lesley had referred to Lorraine as "the best rock vocalist around" and I might be inclined to agree.) Some of the other vocalists, are people whom I just love.  For example, I will take any opportunity to play music with Gabrielle Stravelli, and Molly Pope.   Both Scott Coulter and I know and love a lot of the same vocalists, so there was a lot of agreement in our choices.

BB: You were Lesleyy's musical director. What are your favorite or most outstanding memories of her?   

TS: My musical memories range from the sublime to the bizarre, mostly depending on whether we got to play with our own hand-picked musicians, or if we had to do 1-nighters with a local pick-up band, that was chosen for us, by the producers. Although, no matter what the quality (or lack thereof), the audience always had a great time. They were there to see Lesley, who was ALWAYS a superb performer.  

BB: Your hometown is Philadelphia. What was growing up in Philly like?

TS: My best memories of Philadelphia, were of high school. I went to the Philadelphia Creative and Performing Arts.   I was in the very 1st graduating class.   At that time, the school was so new, there was not even a building for us. We were using 3 floors in the College of Art building.  And, some of the classes took place in the hallway. So, you'd have people writing in 1 area, dancing in another, and you'd hear singing coming from the stairwell.   It was such a great place to be, as a budding musician.

BB: What's the best part, for you, about being self-employed as an artist?

TS: Other than a couple of months of survival jobs in my 20's, making my living as a musician, is all I've known.   The best part, is being able to be exactly who I am.   I feel like this is what I was born to do.  It is my own responsibility. Although, being self-employed absolutely has its difficulties.  Most of the difficulties come because there are so many great vocalists I love to play with, that I end up with too much on my plate.  That's when music meets stress.

BB  Besides Ms Gore, who were the voices that most inspired you throughout your life?

TS  Oh my god.  I'm not sure I can answer this question without listing a thousand names...So, I'll just list the first few who influenced me as a teenager. Janis Ian was the first musician whose songs I analyzed within an inch of their existence. I knew every note, orchestration, lyric, and phrase of her first 7 or 8 albums. Of course, Joni Mitchell has to be on this list.  Genius. Innovative. Poet. Inventor. Musician. Painter.  She was the first artist for me, who had albums that were completely different genres from each other.  Each song inspired me, and the fact that she could go from one genre to another, so effortlessly, was illuminating for me. Rickie Lee Jones inspired groove for me. Phoebe Snow has the most other-worldly voice, that I could not stop listening to.