Interview: Nicolas King of New CD ACT ONE: CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF RECORDINGS

Imagine hitting a milestone moment in your career - the celebration of your twenty-fifth year in show business. Imagine being a sought-after, oft-booked concert performer who is always in demand. Imagine having had a lifetime of exciting experiences and artistic achievements. Now imagine being a young person with all of that, plus the fire and energy of someone under thirty, but stuck at home, restricted by a pandemic. What do you with all that energy, history and celebration?

Why, record an album, of course!

Nicolas King took a seed of an idea from before the show business shut down and spent his quarantine time going into his archives to find some of his favorite moments from his career, in an effort to create a celebratory CD to mark the occasion. The musical retrospective shows the journey of a boy, a teen, a man with a great talent and celebrated colleagues along the way. A look back like this always needs to come into the present, so he threw in a couple of new recordings (made under covid precautions) and the resulting efforts have given birth to ACT ONE, a brand new and extremely satisfying new cd that recently became available to the public.

The album a fast favorite of mine, I reached out to Nicolas to talk about twenty-five years in the business, to ask how it feels to sing with show biz icons, and to find out a little bit of what he's like offstage.

This interview was conducted digitally and is reproduced with minimal edits.

Nicolas King, welcome to Broadway World, thank you for visiting with us today. Congratulations on your recent Broadway World Cabaret Award win - it must feel good to have such loyal fans.

It absolutely does. Historically speaking, I've never done well with popularity contests. But, when people respond positively to what you like to do it's always a good feeling.

You have been prolific in your online shows these last ten months. How do you like being able to reach fans all over the world through Instagram and Facebook live?

Well, nothing beats the live shows. But these virtual shows have given me a chance to connect to people all over the world, and share my music with people who I otherwise would not have met!

Most of your virtual shows have been with your longtime esteemed collaborator Mike Renzi, but you've also been playing for yourself in some solo shows from home. How long had you been hiding this talent from everyone?

I don't know what you're talking about (insert wink here) Well, honestly, why on earth would one even consider tickling the ivories in the presence of a Renzi or a Stritch? When they're absent, I have to make do I suppose.

Are you a good musician and singer? Do you practice every day?

I invariably sing every day, which I'm sure thrills my neighbors.

Do you see a point in your future where you will be playing your own shows? Are you the next Bobby Short?

As fun as that would sound, I don't think my skills are quite up to snuff just yet, maybe down the road someday...

You have a new album out titled ACT ONE. What inspired you to pay this tribute to the first twenty five years of your career in show business?

I honestly just wanted something fun to sell at concerts for my very full 2020 concert schedule! So in February I began assembling The song selection. I didn't think my last two records really showcased what I do at a live performance, so I thought about "hey, what about mini compilation?" But once the quarantine hit, I had loads of downtime, and began uncovering so many old recordings that I forgot existed! Alas, this project was born, and ballooned into something bigger than I initially set out for.

What was your immediate reaction, listening to the older recordings that you put on the album? What did you think of your early work?

All I hear in those earlier recordings is my grandmother's and Liza's influence. It makes me chuckle to hear me go off on riffs, or scat, and I wonder where on earth did I get that lick from?

You are a, famously, untrained singer who has built his career on natural talent and lessons learned by observing your grandmother, Angela Bacari, who is a renowned voice teacher. Did your early vocal instincts come from a particular mental or emotional connection to the music?

I think I just copied what I was surrounded by? I loved the big band sound that I heard at my grandmothers concerts, I loved the pop and soul music I heard at my aunt Lisa Ferraro's concerts- I think I just was very sponge like, absorbing everything I observed.

How did your process and technique change over the years to develop into the mastery you now display in your work?

I don't think it's changed very much, I still sing every day, warm up when my voice is less than desirable, and keep my ears open to new songs and new music as often as I can.

Who are some of today's musical artists that you listen to and like?

Aside from my contemporaries in the Great American Songbook, Veronica Swift, Ariana Savalas, Benny Benack, I love the music Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, and Lady Gaga are making. I think they'll be making great music for decades.

Would you ever branch out into performing that kind of music? Or original compositions?

Absolutely! If I could connect with a writer that speaks my musical language I would love to branch out. Good music is good music.

There are those who find that projects reflecting on the past can bring up sad memories as well as happy ones. Were there any adverse reactions to your journey into the past?

I received quite a bit of resistance over the years from various sources, and there are certain points on this record that remind me of those dark moments, but overall I must say this collection stirs up nothing but joy for me personally. I'm not one to typically dwell on the negative.

You have an impressive collection of recordings from which to build a cd like this. What was the criteria for what would go on this album?

I wanted to make sure that the selections I chose were not only chronological, but that the audio quality matched with the rest of the tracks, that was very important to me. With the exception of a couple remastered recordings from cassette tapes, I believe we accomplished that.

There are some new recordings in this collection, duets with friends - put a picture in my head of what goes on in someone's mind when singing with Jane Monheit and Norm Lewis.

Heaven. Pure heaven. Those two humans have a talent that's outside of our world. Singing with them definitely raises my bar, I can't slack off, they make me rise to my A game for sure.

You have a knack for a jazz vocal technique known as "scat singing" - is that an ability that is taught or does it come from natural ability and practice?

I would say it's a little bit of both? I think you have to have an ear for chord structure, and know well the blueprint of a song. Take that, add practice, and some heart, and I think that's what can make somebody scat successfully.

You have spent the last decade focusing on your music - is there a chance you might return to your acting roots sometime soon?

I would love to! My height is a major obstacle towards the kinds of parts that I can go out for, but I love acting and would head back to the theatrical stage in a nanosecond.

What kind of project would you like to get involved in that would take you out of your comfort zone and give you a chance to push some envelopes in your artistic growth?

Anything that piques my interest. Shakespeare might be fun.

There are a lot of opportunities for film acting now, with web series and virtual creations. How do you feel about that kind of work?

I think the arts are always evolving and adapting to the needs and interests of the time. Artists need to be creative in this time of quarantine, not to mention the need to pay the bills, so I'm thrilled to see all the creative juices flowing.

How are you finding your work as a mentor, now that you are coaching privately?

I'm enjoying it immensely! It's so fun to get to meet and work with so many wonderful people, and help bring out their best in their performances. Everyone is so different and each one brings their own nuances to each performance- its a real joy to watch my students grow.

Nicolas, let's do some rapid fire questions, shall we?

Go.

My ideal pet would be... A scrappy and spunky tramp-like dog named Duke Ellington.

My vacation essential is... Sunshine and ocean.

In the shower I always sing... Anything from Pagliacci to Phantom.

Sexy is... humor, confidence and spontaneity.

I want to celebrate my next birthday... Out of quarantine!

The best Liza Minnelli recording is... It would be a tie between the two Carnegie Hall concerts, from 1979 and 1987.

I wish that I knew how to... Be more confident.

My favorite article of clothing is... A shirt given to me by Jerry Lewis, with his initials on it.

I have a collection of.. Ticket stubs from every concert or play I've ever seen.

What scares me most is... Letting people down

I have seen every episode of... The Nanny, Seinfeld, the Golden Girls, Just Shoot Me, Arrested Development.

Invite me to dinner and cook me... Tacos and margaritas.

Nobody would guess that I listen to... Scientific podcasts.

I am most proud of... My devout loyalty to my friends, and my one party trick- being able to draw the United States from memory.

I want my next duet partner to be... Jamie Cullum or Mina. But I'd settle for Barbra Streisand.

The surefire way to make me happy is... A text that reads: "pajamas and Netflix? Bring wine."

So, Nicolas, it's been twenty five years in the business and you are celebrating your Act One. Put me in the picture of what Act Two is going to look like.

Hopefully a lot of laughs, music, love, and fun! Corny, I know, but true.

Nicolas King ACT ONE: CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF RECORDINGS is a 2021 release on the Club 44 Records label. It is currently available on all digital platforms, with a physical CD to be released on February 26th.

Visit the Nicolas King website HERE.

About Nicolas King ACT ONE: CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF RECORDINGS

CLUB44 RECORDS is proud to launch their relationship with acclaimed vocalist Nicolas King with the release of his new collection Act One: Celebrating 25 Years of Recordings, which will be available in streaming and digital formats on Friday, January 22. A physical CD will follow on Friday, February 26. As they plan King's all-new album within the next year, the label looks back with this lively history of King's already multi-decade career. While focusing on his suave vocals, and showcasing both eternal standards and newer songs, the album boasts guest appearances from stage and screen luminaries Liza Minnelli, Tom Selleck, Jane Monheit, and Norm Lewis. The recording also features major musical contributions from two-time Grammy Award nominee Mike Renzi (renowned pianist and music director for Peggy Lee, Tony Bennett, Lena Horne, and Mel Tormé) and Charles Calello (arranger and producer for Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, and Ray Charles). Music legend Connie Francis provides liner notes. The album's first single "What a Wonderful World" - a duet with celebrated Broadway leading man Norm Lewis - is currently available.

"I started compiling this record merely so that I had something fun to sell at concerts," says Nicolas. "But once the pandemic hit, I found myself with loads of free time and began uncovering so many recordings from the past 25 years. This tiny project ballooned into something much bigger than I anticipated, but it turned into an opportunity to look back at what brought me to this point. I think of this album as the ending of my childhood chapter and a wonderful setup to the next! I thank all my musical guests for their contributions, but I'm especially grateful to musical titans Mike Renzi and Charles Calello. They both have extraordinary legacies, and I am humbled to be added to the list of iconic artists they've collaborated with."

Label co-owner Wayne Haun adds, "When I was first introduced to Nicolas, I was mesmerized by his ability to put across a lyric and the way he effortlessly holds the audience in his hand. It feels fitting to release this collection as we prepare to enter the studio for an all-new studio album. We're thrilled to take the journey with Nicolas as he continues his trajectory as one of the most exciting young vocalists of his generation."

Act One: Celebrating 25 Years of Recordings is a compilation of sparkling new studio tracks, selections from his previous solo albums, and vintage archival gems from early in his career. The collection opens with a spoken live introduction by Liza Minnelli, a memento from the decade Nicolas toured the world with her. The new selections include a lushly orchestrated version of "But Beautiful," performed with jazz singer Jane Monheit. "Yes Sir, That's My Baby," a charming duet with Tom Selleck, was taped onstage when they appeared together in the Broadway play A Thousand Clowns when Nicolas was just 10 years old.

"I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together" - the inimitable TV theme to "The Carol Burnett Show" - is heard in a medley with "My Shining Hour." The pairing is dedicated to Ms. Burnett and her late daughter Carrie Hamilton, whom Nicolas worked with on the Broadway play Hollywood Arms. Other highlights include a loose, jazzy rendition of the Four Seasons standard "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" and a pensive interpretation of The Irving Berlin classic "How Deep is the Ocean," elegantly accompanied only by Alan Bernstein's bass. Nicolas's take on the beloved "Sesame Street" favorite "Sing" swings with the razzle dazzle of a driving big band arrangement. He also makes sure to present new songs written in the classic style, including "Looks Like They're in Love" (Bob Levy) and "The Only One" (Tracy Stark).

The storied entertainment anthem "There's No Business Like Show Business" provides a fitting coda to the album. The track, merging a delightful early recording with a brand-new studio cut, showcases both his roots as a young budding showman and his present-day vocal prowess, musical intelligence, and ebullient verve.

Will Friedwald - noted author and Wall Street Journal scribe - perhaps said it best: King "is a compact dynamo, a whirlwind of a performer who balances incredible excitement and high energy with restraint and nuance. He gets the crowd in his pocket within the first 30 seconds of walking out on stage and keeps them there for the rest of the night."

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