On My Way

Well, I'm all packed and ready to go to the great state of Idaho. My flight leaves in a few hours and then I'm actually doing my first set tonight at 8 p.m. Going to be a bit of a whirlwind day for me...I just need to make sure that I'm protecting the golden pipes on the plane. That recirculated air can kill your throat faster than strychnine!

I'm still a little concerned about how I'm going to spend my time in America's Paris, but I'm sure I'll find something to get excited about. All I've been able to gather is that there's a lot of fishing...and I'm sure if the weather is anything like the gorgeous blue skies we had around the Windy City yesterday that there'll be plenty of people out on the water. Not sure that it's quite bikini weather -- and I'm sure that Idaho isn't really along the lines of South Beach or Cabo San Lucas -- but one can hope anyway. 

I should probably sign off since the shuttle should be here any minute, but I have been assured that I will have access to a computer once I'm out West and I will do my best to provide some information on how things are going in potato country.

Looking UP!

I know, I know, I know...I've been neglecting this too much. Truth is that I've been spending a little too much time down at the Tick Tock Club. My apologies to both my loyal fans and to my liver. And a special tip of the cap to Mike down at the Tick Tock, who's martini's are so dry they should come with a camel.

I have been snapped out of my Lost Weekend by a phone call from my agent Saul, who finally managed to book something of substance for me. If you think you're shocked just think of me! I almost fainted with the phone in my hand. Late next week, I will be heading out to Idaho to do a week of shows at the Bear Lake Lounge. I don't really know much about it -- other than there's a lake nearby, but I'm sure that I'll have a good time entertaining the Idahoans there.

I'll post more information here when I have it and hopefully, I'll be able to give an actual update when I'm out in the western territories.

Getting Better All The Time

As promised, I did indeed spend some time at The Tick Tock Club helping to get Jack's "groove" back. As always, the place was swingin'. My good friend Joe McElhenney, the club's owner, and Matty, the bartender, were in fine form -- and they kept the Cutty Sark flowing, which made Jack a happy boy. 

I also ran into an old friend of mine, the alluring Roxanne. I've never asked about her singing ability, but all I know is that I can hear her siren song anytime that our paths cross and I have no problems crashing the S.S. Mathis into some rocks for a better look. 

In fact, I'm going to step out now and go meet up with her for a little nightcap at El Travieso, a little Mexican place on her side of town where the margueritas are as cool as the senoritas are hot.

Night Out

I've had it pointed out to me...repeatedly...that I haven't really added much on here recently. (Thanks, Saul. It might be nice if you'd spend as much time trying to find me gigs as you do worrying about what I'm blogging.) Well, friends, the simple truth is that there hasn't been much to tell. I've been in a bit of a rut. Nothing but movies. I love the silver screen as much as anyone, but I'm an entertainer. To borrow a phrase, I got a lot of livin' to do.

Well, tonight is where the rut ends. I'm stepping out. As I type, I am getting ready to head over to The Tick Tock Club, one of my favorite watering holes of all time. I am going to get back to having fun the old fashioned way -- I'm going to earn it. If the Tick Tock is swingin' like normal, then I'm sure that I'll be back on track and have something interesting to say by morning...or afternoon because if things go well I don't plan on sleeping anytime soon.

Doubt

Last night I escorted the lovely Suzanne to a film. She wanted to go see "Doubt," which I had seen some clips of during the Academy Awards ceremony so I was at least aware of it. Well, I must have been distracted during the Oscars because I must say that it was horrible! I had gotten beforehand that it was about priests and nuns but I suppose I was thinking more along the lines of "The Bells of St. Mary's" with Father Flanigan and Ingrid Bergman and all of that jazz. This movie was about...well, it was mostly about a lot of talking...but, it was horrible.  The young priest in the film reminded me of a fellow that we had at my church when I was a lad, wonderful fellow. Let's just say that this movie kept me awake most of the night re-examining my days as an altar boy.

I was completely disappointed. I loved Meryl Streep in "Mama Mia" and I had hoped that it had marked a new and better direction for her career (although don't get me started on the casting of the male leads in that movie). I adored Amy Adams in "Enchanted." I'm not overly familiar with the actor that played the priest, although in talking with Suzanne afterwards I do believe that I remember his role in "Twister" with the always fantastic Helen Hunt. I went in hoping for light and touching and instead the filmmakers kicked me in the head.

Much as Hugh Jackman expressed during the Academy Awards telecast I can only hope that we're headed towards a revival of the kinds of movie musicals that I grew up loving. A good old fashioned boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy sings song to get girl back kind of story is just the thing to lift the spirits. Certainly more so than clap-trap like "Doubt" or "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" which I was also bamboozled into as well. Although, I did like "Slumdog Millionaire," those kids were just so spunky!

Two more words about the Oscar ceremony -- Beyonce. Stunning.

Of course, Suzanne's now mad at me because she thought that "Doubt" was in her words an "amazing character study" and kept talking about how much she would've given up to play the young nun. But that's actresses for you...toss them a role where they can emote till their hearts content and they'll let their id run wild until the cows come home. That's what makes them so exciting and complex. Sometimes you just never know what you're going to get when you're with them.

Mea Culpa

Apparently I forgot to mention something in my earlier post about The Top 10 Albums Not By Jack Mathis and I got a phone call from Las Vegas pointing it out to me.

Let me state for the record to my friend David Cassidy that I do love his "Cherish" album every bit as much as I've always said that I do. I still listen to "I Just Wanna Make You Happy" at least once a month. Nothing could ever change that. If I had been given enough room to have a top 20 albums not by me, then it definitely would've made it onto that -- and David's half-brother Shaun's "Born Late" record and possibly the original cast recording from "It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman" featuring his father Jack would've been given strong consideration as well. Alas, it was just a space issue, David. 

For those of you that have not had the pleasure to go see David perform live, I beseech you to do so. He is just phenomenal! I had the great pleasure of opening for him and Ben Vereen on a series of shows on the East Coast once upon a time ago, including a set of dates at Valley Forge that still rank among my favorite experiences of all time. 

It was also brought up that I included nothing by my namesake Johnny Mathis. Here's all I'll say -- if it had been a list of top songs not by me then it would've been chock full of Johnny Mathis. "Chances Are," "The Twelfth Of Never," "It's Not For Me To Say," "The Last Time I Felt Like This"...I'm not sure how I would even begin to narrow it down. Unfortunately, his albums haven't left the same impression on me -- although to be honest we're really just splitting hairs here, because if Johnny Mathis sang the Birmingham phone book I would still probably sit and listen to it.

The List

I've been asked about the list at the bottom down there that shows the Top 10 Albums Not By Jack Mathis. Apparently, not everyone agrees with my opinion on this subject which isn't surprising. Music is art and as with all art there is no accounting for taste. 

However, since I was asked about it -- primarily by my agent Saul, who has no taste whatsoever -- I will offer some additional insight.

The number one album on there Frank Sinatra's "Songs For Swingin' Lovers" really shouldn't leave any room for argument. How can you argue with Francis Albert Sinatra? And this album is one of his masterpieces and would be if it only included the Chairman's version of "Old Devil Moon" from that Broadway classic "Finian's Rainbow." But really every song here is a gem and that includes a pair of tunes from the pen of Cole Porter -- "I've Got You Under My Skin" and "Anything Goes" -- and arranged by Nelson Riddle that represents a meeting of musical titans! (As it happens some friends of mine are currently starring in an off-off-Broadway revival of Porter's "Anything Goes" and it is just spectacular with a capital "S"!) 

Dean Martin's "This Time I'm Swingin'" includes "You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You" and that's good enough reason for me to hail its awsomeness. Just like with Sinatra, it's hard to go wrong with anything by Dino, but this happens to be my favorite.

"Arrivederci, Roma" from Jerry Vale. Vale is without a doubt, with the possible exception of Al Martino, the most underrated singer of his generation. If listening to this album doesn't immediately make you want to seek out a small Italian restaurant with checkerboard tablecloths and Chianti bottles with candles in them, then I don't know how to help you.

Sammy Davis Jr.'s "Wham Of Sam" -- there has never been a performer like Sammy Davis Jr. EVER! The only problem with this album is that it doesn't include footage of him performing the selections, but even without that I melt each and every time that I hear him taking on "Begin The Beguine." It makes you wish that you could go back in time and catch Sammy at the Cocoanut Grove.

If you only know Jack Jones from his days singing the theme song for the old television show "The Love Boat" then brother, you don't know what you're missing. Not only is Mr. Jones a strikingly handsome man, but my goodness what a voice! Track down this album and listen to "Love Bug" and just try to tell me that you're not blown away.

The Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" might seem out of place considering the first selections listed, but I would answer your question with a question -- when was the last time you pulled out Brian Wilson's masterpiece and listened to it? "God Only Knows" is obviously on par with anything that any of the masters (Porter, Berlin, Carmichael, Bacharach, etc.) wrote, but other songs like the haunting "Caroline, No" are only a shade behind in their brilliance.

Tito Puente, God rest his soul, was one of the most engaging performers that I ever had the opportunity to watch and the album "Mucho Cha-Cha" captures his spirit perfectly. If your backside isn't wiggling while you listen to this then you better head for the doctor to have them check your pulse!

Maybe I'm just a sucker for Latin rhythms then because I feel absolutely the same way about Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass's "South Of The Border." When I was young, I used to stare at the album cover for this and imagine what a magical place Tijuana must be. Of course as an adult, I've had the good fortune to spend many a happy evening south of the border in that town. Sure, I've lost the odd wallet at knifepoint, but I would trade a hundred wallets for another night with the Melendez sisters, Maria and Marguerite.

What can you say about Tony Bennett that hasn't already been said? The man is a master with a lyric, who for years stayed in the shadows because he wasn't quite Sinatra. Finally, everyone discovered what us singers had known all along -- no one's Sinatra. When I'm feeling a little down, I crack open a bottle of scotch, grab "The Many Moods of Tony Bennett," put on "The Kid's A Dreamer" and pick myself back up off of the floor for another round with life.

Finally, I put on The Beatles' "Abbey Road." While my tastes obviously run towards a certain style, there is no way that I can think of to argue against the sheer genius of the music of The Beatles, and I can't imagine anyone even trying. I don't know how you can be a fan of melody and lyrics and not love them. There might be other Beatles albums that I listen to more, but this album includes George Harrison's "Something" which I've utilized in my own shows on numerous occasions and right there earns it a special place in my heart. 

So there you go -- proof that I didn't just toss together a hodge-podge of music without giving it any thought (as my irascible manager accused me of).