WORLD OF CABARET

AMERICAN MUSIC AND THE BIRTH OF CABARET FROM THE EARLY JAZZ ERA TO PRESENT

By Maximillien de Lafayette

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EDITH PIAF

Edith Piaf who has been extensively and intensively copied by aspiring American Cabaret singers in the United States and abroad. The only contemporary American  artists/singers who could authentically project the persona of Piaf and embodies the essence of the French song were: Raquel Bitton, Nicole Martel, Sally Martin, Debbie de Coudreaux, Cindy Benson, Anna Bergman, Amanda McBroom and Andrea Marcovicci. All other performers remained icy shadows on the surface.

FAME IS NOT A PROOF OF EXCELLENCE

 

LACK OF FAME IS NOT SIGN OF INFERIOR ARTISTIC QUALITY

Photo: American cabaret new sensation, Ms. Sofia Laiti.

Today, we measure, assess and recognize the talent of an artist by how much she or he made money this year, the level and magnitude of her or his fame, and more particularly by the number of appearances this artist made on famous talks and vanity shows and the signed recording deals. In our unfair and troubled world, there is a considerable number of truly outstanding artists and singers who remained exclusively known to their friends, immediate surrounding and a bunch of listeners in a geographically limited area.

 

Yet, many of them are of a world-class talent and caliber. They did not receive the proper and most efficient guidance and or “breaking” opportunities to become famous. The lack of fame should not be considered as standard measurements for their excellence, artistic quality and talent. The world of cabaret is notoriously known for making and breaking artists for reasons we know and reasons we don’t know or we don’t want to accept. In the very remote Greek islands, you will meet the most fantastic Bouzouki players, Sertaki composers and astonishing Greek singers who have never performed on stage or seen their names in lights…or appeared on The Oprah Show, David Letterman Show or Jay Leno Show, yet, they will take you by storm and steal your heart and mind once you listen to them. They are unknown to us,  to me, to you and to the glitzy unmerciful world of entertainment. Would you, honestly, consider them as a B category artists, because we have never heard of them before?Some of them became temporarily or regionally known  (for a while, believe me!) in certain areas or part of an area in New York, California, Chicago, New Orleans, but this is not enough, because their talents were immense and bigger than the time and the area they lived in. They are true artists with a great talent who deserve more recognition and better opportunities at all levels. Some of those superb artists who have impressed me regardless of the magnitude of their fame and how many recording deals and public appearances they had, were:

   Mary Callanan              Sarah DeLima   

   Pamela Anders                  Carol O’Shaughnessy

Left: Colleen Powers. A note about Diva Carol O’Shaughnessy: Carol O'Shaughnessy is recognized as one of Boston's stellar entertainers for over two decades and called "Boston's First Lady of Cabaret”. She has received numerous awards, including:  “Boston’s Entertainer of the Year Award”, the Provincetown's Hall of Fame” and the “ Entertainer of the Year Award”.