Interview: Singer Frank Dain Releases New Album, I'VE HAD A LOVE

Frank Dain, singer, actor, artist, and editor of Cabaret Scenes magazine, is happy to announce the February 14 release of his second album, I’ve Had a Love.     Frank enlisted his longtime collaborator, Kathleen Landis, as Arranger and Music Director. She co-produced the project with Kurt Peterson, and the recording features some of the city’s finest musicians. I’ve Had a Love will be available on Amazon, iTunes, Spotify, and through Frank’s website.

Tall, handsome and charming, Frank Dain has a rich history in the entertainment business in New York City on several different fronts: as a singer who has performed on the stages of Carnegie Hall and The Town Hall as well as dozens of cabarets; as a graphic designer to many theater and cabaret productions; and as the editor since 2003 of Cabaret Scenes magazine. After moving to New York after college, a voice teacher encouraged him to put together a cabaret show. Eventually, he recorded his first album, I Thought About You, and released it in 2001 to rave reviews, which noted Frank’s “passionate phrasing,” “lyrical interpretations that tear to the very core of a song’s heart,” and other superlatives including  “Dain’s voice is as soothing as a hot toddy in front of the fireplace on a cold winter night.”  When Kathleen Landis heard Frank’s CD, she invited him to sing with her, and their long collaboration was forged. 

We spoke with Frank about the new album, how it came together, and what he’s been working on and listening to lately.

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How do you approach interpreting and delivering classic Great American Songbook songs in a way that makes them uniquely your own?

I’m a lyric-driven singer. A good melody is important, but for me, first and foremost is that I tell the song’s story and use my life experiences to do so. If I’m unable to make that connection, the song won’t work for me. Most of these songs are from Broadway shows or movie musicals and were written for a specific character in a specific situation. The great thing about them, and what I love about cabaret, is that they can be interpreted in way that is different from the reason they were originally meant without destroying what the songwriters had written.  

What was your process like of working with Kathleen Landis on the music direction and arrangements? Could you walk us through the process of arranging one of the songs on the CD?

When Kathleen and I start to work on a song, especially a well-known standard, we look for an arrangement that will make it interesting while still honoring the work of the songwriters. I explain to Kathleen the feel of the song I’m looking for. I describe the mood I want to set, or the description of a place or time in which I’d like to set the song. Of course, Kathleen is a terrific arranger, and she shares her ideas with me. We’ve been working together for so long that we are usually on the same page. She knows me well and can use that knowledge when looking for the right approach to a song. It was her idea to make “I Didn’t Know What Time It was” an up-tempo number. I’m most comfortable with ballads; they appeal to my nature. I need a reason to approach a song as an up-tempo. Again, the arrangement needs to allow me to tell the story. It can’t have an up-tempo arrangement just because we need a song that isn’t a ballad. On “Lazy Afternoon,” the lyric sets the place, there’s no getting away from that. Our challenge was to find the right mood for it. The mood is based on my memories of warm summer days spent at my grandparent’s home, sitting on the porch and listening to the cicadas in the trees and the bees in the fruit trees while I read or did some sketching.

You’ve dedicated I’ve Had a Love to your late partner Bill Sensenbrenner, with whom you shared 33 years. Is there a particular song on the album that you shared together? 

There isn’t a particular song, although he always liked our versions of “The Twelfth of Never” and “Hello, Young Lovers.” My memories of him infused the songs. They may have been on a subconscious level, but they were always there. 

What have you been listening to lately?

I’ve started to listen to Christmas music. But, for a complete break from what I usually listen to—Streisand, Mathis, cast recordings—I’ve been enjoying recordings of Bright Light Bright Light. He’s very infectious. (And good music to listen to at the gym!)

What are you working on next?

Thanks for asking. Christmas has always been a big part of my life, so we will be working on a holiday album. (That’s why I’ve been listening to Christmas music.) There will be a few well-known Christmas songs that I’m drawn to, but we’re also exploring songs that may not be immediately associated with the holidays but that evoke the spirit of the season. 

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

This album would not have been possible without the support, guidance, and talents of Kathleen Landis and Kurt Peterson. After Bill passed away, Kurt (who is also my voice teacher) asked me what I wanted to do creatively. Without hesitating I said I wanted to make another album. He was instantly on board, as was Kathleen. They helped me realize my vision in the most loving way.

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