Michael Dore, singing star & international vocal coach, returns to Crazy Coqs, his favourite cabaret venue, after 10 years of sold-out performances. This time the audience can ask questions about his long career in the music business… from being part of the multi–Grammy Award winning Swingle Singers to studio sessions for over 300 films and from performing on stages all over the world like the Sydney Opera House and New York’s Carnegie Hall to coaching leading film stars including Taron Egerton & Broadway star Jeremy Jordan, Michael has done it all. Join him as he shares some of his favourite music and pulls back the curtain to reveal fascinating anecdotes from behind the scenes. Musical director: John G Smith
Review by Stephen Gilchrist
In show business there is a category of performer known as a “singer’s singer”. He, or she, is a vocal artist who is highly revered by other professional singers for their technical prowess, musicianship, and phrasing, rather than just their mainstream commercial success. Often, these artists are huge influences on their peers but remain less known to the general public. Iconic examples of a “singer’s singer” include Carmen McRae, Matt Monro, and Sam Cooke. They are praised for attributes like perfect pitch, flawless enunciation, and the ability to convey deep emotion.
I would put Michael Dore into that select club. His musicianship is superb. From a young graduate musician studying at Guildhall, to being a member of Ward Swingle’s famous beloved and admired vocal group, and to session work in over three hundred movies, and a vocal coach to the stars, Dore has seen it all.
I make no bones about it. I am a fan. He has been playing the room at Crazy Coqs for eleven years, and on this occasion with a new set, accompanied as ever by the nimble fingers of renowned musical director, John G. Smith, together with Smith’s son Tamir on an excellent bass he took questions from his audience of friends and fans, including a host of names from the ‘business we call show’, as the song goes. Nigel Hess, the British composer, best known for his television, theatre and film soundtracks and Anita Harris being but two.
Amid much love ‘twixt the performer and his audience, Dore began with a technically excellent and warm hearted ‘Old Friends’ from Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along, always a good opener or, indeed, closer!
As he virtually made love to John G Smith and his Grand keys, he delivered a fun version of Berlin’s I Love a Piano, followed by an absolutely delicious version of the Bacharach/David number ‘Alfie’. Massaged by Dore’s vocal cords, the lyric sounded as fresh, as relevant, and as poignant as it did in 1966 when it was written to promote the movie of the same name.
An unlikely audience sing-along followed with, for those who can remember back that far, Millie’s 1964 hit ‘My Boy Lollipop’. Accompaniment by the entire audience of the obligatory ‘de doo doo doos’ filled in the vocal backing.
One gorgeous number followed another as Dore gave us ‘On a Clear Day’, and a swing and riff delivery of ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’.
In between the numbers Dore joked charmingly with his questioners (one of whom, unexpectedly, was Melanie Onn, Member of Parliament for the Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes constituency, whence Michae Dore hails) and reflected on his life at music school and his time with the Swingles.
Part two opened joyfully and ‘beautifully’, so to speak, with a super mash up, arranged by John G. Smith, of Neil Diamond’s ‘Beautiful Noise’, Carole King’s ‘Beautiful’ from her 1971 album ‘Tapestry’ (and who, from my generation doesn’t know that!) and Barry Manilow’s ‘Beautiful Music’.
Dore wrapped his tonsil’s exquisitely around the romantic standard ‘’What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?” by Michel Legrand with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman. Nominated for an Academy Award, it was introduced in the 1969 film The Happy Ending. According to Dore, Ward Swingle could never get the title right, often referring to it as ‘What am I Doing With the Rest of Your Wife’ or similar mangled versions of the title!
‘Hairspray’ followed (form the show of the same name) and then a delightful rendering of Nigel Hess’s musical adaptation of “Sigh No More“, the phrase from the Bard’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’. It is famously sung in the play as “Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more / Men were deceivers ever”!
Gershwin and Weill followed with a combo of ‘Here I’ll Stay’ (from Weill and Lerner’s ‘Love Life’) and ‘Our Love is Here to Stay’.
At the close the audience demanded more (naturally) and so we were treated to Jule Styne/Betty Comden/Adolph Green’s ‘The Party’s Over’. I for one was sorry it was and so was the packed room.
Michael Dore – a ‘singer’s singer’- is a treat to listen to, his presentation flawless, he has charm, warmth, audience rapport, and his set selection is a joy. He is gigging again at Crazy Coqs in December. I recommend you go!
https://www.brasseriezedel.com/events/an-audience-with-michael-dore/