June 25, 2024 • 56 mins
What if you could combine the old-world charm of retro jazz with the contemporary flair of Manhattan's cabaret scene? Our Season 2 premiere of the Cove Podcast makes this dream a reality as we welcome two sensational guests: Nelson Aspen, renowned global entertainment reporter and author, and Allyson Briggs, the charismatic band leader of Fleur Seule. Our guests give us an exclusive preview of their upcoming live performances "Tony Bennett: A Tribute", and Nelson talks about his latest book release, "Dancing Between the Raindrops: The Hollywood Years". Don't miss out on this spectacular kickoff to Season 2—it's an episode brimming with charm, nostalgia, and top-shelf musical performances.
Tickets for "Tony Bennett: A Tribute": https://thegreenroom42.venuetix.com/show/details/QbVsaj31o4LdQW96Qmaw
Nelson's book "Dancing Between the Raindrops: The Hollywood Years": https://a.co/d/027eBJ1Z
WEBSITES ---
Nelson Aspen: http://www.nelsonaspen.com
Fleur Seule: https://www.fleurseule.com
MUSIC: "La Vie En Rose" performed by Allyson Briggs & Fleur Seule
"The Lady is a Tramp" performed by Nelson Aspen w/ Allyson Briggs & Fleur Seule
"Monster Mash" performed by Nelson Aspen w/ Allyson Briggs & Fleur Seule
POEM: "Elegant (For Tony Bennett)" by James C. Allen, interpreted/performed by Craig Jackman
EPISODE VIDEOS: www.covetube.com
COVE DIRECTORY: https://linktr.ee/covepod
COVE PATREON: www.patreon/covepodcast
CONTACT: covepod@gmail.com
EPISODE PRODUCER: Craig Jackman
VOICE-OVER INTRODUCTION: Lisa Moody
SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM: Craig Jackman, Emily Thatcher, Christina Marie Bielen, Dary Mills, Amanda Benjamin
PATREON CURATORS: Jamie Carganilla, Emily Thatcher, The Faeryns, Charity Swanson, Krista Faith King, Kelsey B Gibson, Angelica Bollschweiler, Anna Giannavola, Gina Dobbs, Merrill Mielke, Susan Kuhn, Josefa Snider
INTRO MUSIC: “Papi Beat” [ KICKTRACKS ]
CREDITS MUSIC: “Fat Banana” [ KICKTRACKS ]
HOST, CREATOR, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, EDITOR: Paul Carganilla
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
We were at the Charlie Palmer Steakhouse in the
Knickerbocker Hotel, veryhistoric hotel where apparently
the martini was created.
Right, Nelson.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Well, I wasn't there at the time but, I've been
trying to make up for it eversince.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Carganilla
Online Variety EntertainmentPodcast.
Here's your host, PaulCarganilla.
Speaker 4 (00:31):
Hello everyone and welcome to Season 2 of Cove
Podcast.
This is the online variety showin which we aim to both
entertain and inspire ourpodcast listeners and YouTube
viewers through a wide varietyof art forms, including music,
poetry, storytelling, specialguest interviews, travel blogs,
(00:52):
dramatic readings a whole grabbag, a jambalaya of
conversations, experiences,thoughts, reflections to listen
to each week, to keep you goingand get you excited when you see
it drop in your podcast feed.
And here in season two we willbe catching up with friends we
met in Season 1 and also makingnew friends, creators and
performers with inspirationalstories we've yet to explore.
(01:15):
Today, in the first episode ofour second season, we'll be
doing exactly that catching upwith an old pal and meeting a
new one.
I can't wait to dig in.
But first, of course, we got tobring that cart back behind the
horse and say hello and good tosee you.
Producer Craig Craig Jackman.
Speaker 5 (01:34):
Welcome.
Well, thank you so very much.
I am excited as well fortoday's show.
I mean, first of all, when weif I may say his name right now,
nelson is you know when thatfirst meeting of Nelson was just
incredible, and it was.
It was a fun interview, it wasa great interview and he had so
(01:57):
much to share.
And when we, when you sharedthat we were going to once again
have another interview with himto follow up with what he's
doing, it was like, oh good, andnow he's bringing a friend
along.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
That's right.
And for anyone who remembersseason one, if you don't
remember, if you haven't seenthe first episode with Nelson
Aspin, go check that out.
But I can tell you and thosethat have seen it remember.
He is a global entertainmentreporter.
He has been for many decades.
He's also the co-host ofTitanic Talk with Alexandra Boyd
(02:32):
that Everly and I actually hadthe pleasure of being guests on.
That was a lot of fun.
And he's also a publishedauthor of both fiction and
nonfiction.
When we met him in season one,we talked about his book Dancing
Between the Raindrops.
When we met him in season one,we talked about his book Dancing
Between the Raindrops and he'sready to release his follow up,
the sequel, dancing Between theRaindrops the Hollywood Years.
So we'll talk about that today,excited to catch up with him.
(02:54):
But we'll also be chattingabout his upcoming live shows
there in Manhattan, new YorkCity.
They're going to be live onstage in a cabaret there, but
they will also be streamedonline.
Anyone anywhere in the worldcan buy a ticket and check it
out live.
We will talk about that and wealso will have the pleasure of
(03:16):
meeting his co-star in that show, alison Briggs.
We get to meet her tonight.
Alison Briggs has been adynamic band leader and
businesswoman in Manhattan forover a decade.
She is the founder and leaderof oh, I should have asked her
how to pronounce this.
Do you have any idea, craigFleur Soul.
I'd say either Fleur Soul orFleur Soulé Okay, which is
(03:36):
Manhattan's very own retro jazzband that brings the glamour and
swinging sounds of the goldenage of Hollywood to life on
stage in hundreds of public andprivate events around the world
every year.
She also serves as anentertainment consultant to
cruise lines, event planners andmultiple Times Square
hospitality teams.
What makes her unique is herequal levels of experience on
(03:59):
stage in front of clients andbehind the scenes, working with
those clients to bring theirvisions to life, offering her
unparalleled work experience andinsight.
She has great relationshipswith the entertainment
industry's top vendors and withher incredible team she creates
unforgettable events and can'twait to talk to her and Nelson
(04:20):
about the incredible events theyhave coming up in July and
August.
Ladies and gentlemen, pleasejoin me in welcoming Back to
Cove her and Nelson about theincredible events they have
coming up in July and August.
Ladies and gentlemen, pleasejoin me in welcoming Back to the
Cove podcast Nelson Aspin andwelcoming Alison Briggs.
Hello from across the country,friends, oh hello.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Hello Alison, Hello Craig, Fancy meeting you here.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Yes, alison.
Hello Craig, Fancy meeting youhere.
Yes, yes, here on the interwebs, in that whole lovely
introduction of Alison and FleurSull.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
you neglected to mention how drop-dead gorgeous
she is.
She is also becoming known as abit of a fashion plate, as you
can see on all of her socialmedia, she is something else.
I can't say enough amazingthings about this amazing woman.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
I will say, when I saw the videos that we're going
to share with everybody,stunning yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Married.
Sorry, all right.
Not to me.
Yes, dropped in gorgeous aswell.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
Thank you both for joining us and just spending
some time with us telling usabout the new stuff you've got
going.
But first, we can't go anyfurther without introducing
Allison with this 60 secondicebreaker introduction
challenge that we do here on theshow.
We challenge our guests to tellus everything we could possibly
(05:44):
know about you in 60 seconds orless.
Now, this is all the like notprofessional stuff, right?
So I read your bio, so anythingthat wasn't on there that you
can squeeze into one minute, Ihave to say Nelson Aspin, what
has been the number one?
Because he's got a timer in hishead.
He nailed it to the second.
But we're not going to stop youif you go over and if you go
(06:05):
under, I'll just have to throwsome, some random questions at
you.
But are you ready for thechallenge?
Yeah, let's take it awaywhenever you're ready.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Well about me, besides what you did mention.
Thank you very much for that.
So, or anything close to that,is how you say the band name.
I'm also a voiceover actor, soI do a lot of work here in my
booth, talking to myself in mycloset, so that's how I spend my
days, and then I spend mynights behind the microphone
singing and performing.
I am also a parrot mom.
I have a little bird namedZiggy who is my little assistant
(06:42):
.
I have a little bird namedZiggy who is my little assistant
, and I absolutely love allthings performing and fashion.
So it's music, it's vintagefashion, it's all the parts of
it the jewelry, hair, clothing,every part of it.
I love it.
I miss that glam and style andI'm on a mission to bring it
(07:07):
back in everything I do, so ifthere's anything else that I
left out, I'll think about that.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
That was pretty good, Nelson.
How'd she do?
Speaker 2 (07:14):
She did great.
I could talk about her for twohours and not just 60 seconds.
But yeah, she is an amazinggifted performer, and not just
with Fleur Saul and leading herband with all of this incredible
music, but she is a verypopular and sought-after
presence.
A lot of Broadway shows likefor their opening parties or any
(07:36):
of those kinds of high-endevents at the high-end places
around Manhattan.
She appears and dazzles andshe's quite famous.
It's so funny how we makecottage industries for ourselves
in other countries.
I had a 20-year television gigin Australia so I'm
quote-unquote famous inAustralia.
(07:58):
Alison is very famous in PuertoRico.
It's just so funny how theworld works and she's a global
superstar and I'm so excitedthat I get to perform with her.
And even how we met wasnoteworthy.
I saw her at one of her gigs.
I was a guest at this event andI was so dazzled by her that I
(08:23):
sought her out to know her.
I was doing a gig at the GreenRoom 42, where we'll be doing
the Tony Bennett show.
I was doing a different show atthe time and I asked her to be
my guest star and it was areally good way to see if we had
that kind of chemistry, and wedid.
She's a far more giftedmusician than I.
She makes me better Even whenwe're in the studio rehearsing
(08:46):
together.
I really have to up my gamebecause I feel like she's a
superstar and I need to bebetter.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
Well, I meant, how'd she do?
As far as 60 seconds went.
But that was a perfectcomplimentary introduction to
her and thank you to everybodywho's tuning in live in the live
YouTube chat.
A friend of yours, I assumenamed by the name of David
Barfield, says Happy Birthday,Allison.
Is it your birthday?
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Thank you, david.
It was on Thursday and I'vebeen kind of celebrating all
throughout the weekend, so we'restretching it out birthday week
and you're joining us on yourbirthday weekend.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
That's amazing.
Thank you for that.
Well, nelson mentioned this andI, of course, I had to join him
, so and David's gonna give methe perfect transition into our
first video we're gonna share.
She, he says here in the chatshe sings in multiple languages
too, and we happen to have avideo clip of Alison with her
band, floor Soul.
(09:48):
Thank you for letting me knowhow to pronounce that, and this
is a little La Vie en Rose ¶¶.
Speaker 6 (10:12):
The alabaster always comes out of the mouth that I
hold when he takes me in hisarms.
(10:35):
He speaks to me openly.
I see life in red.
He asks me for love.
He asks me every day and itdoes something to me.
(11:01):
He is in my heart, thank you.
The more I persuade him, themore I feel his heart, my heart
(11:50):
that wants Thank you when hetook me in his arms.
(13:07):
He told me everything I hadnever seen.
He told me about my love, Aboutme love, the love of all time.
And I had a few days of light.
(13:33):
He entered my heart, a path ofhappiness.
And we talk about happinesswhen I take the call.
I live for myself, Even if Idie.
(13:58):
He will not tell me.
Il me l'a dit.
Je dirai nous l'aimons Le plusjeune.
Je perçois alors.
(14:20):
Je sens dans moi Mon cœurguébain, Just on the line.
I'm okay, Give me.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
Fantastic Move over Louis Armstrongstrong.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
I have a new favorite version of that tune edith who
so right and you know I have totell you something about
allison's performance of thatsong.
Uh, so my husband and I we'vebeen married a while, but we'd
never had a honeymoon.
And we were discussing where togo for our honeymoon
Anniversary's in January, and sowe thought, oh, we'll go
(15:09):
someplace warm.
But we actually had Alison's,one of her albums, on Sonos, and
so we were listening to thatand La Vie en Rose came on as we
were discussing our honeymoonand I said, honey, we haven't
been to Paris since before thepandemic, and we ended up taking
our honeymoon belatedly inParis thanks to Alison's
rendition of La Vie en Rose.
(15:30):
Just happened to be playingthere, that's, that's kismet,
wow.
Speaker 4 (15:36):
And who could blame that inspiration with such a
fantastic performance?
Well done.
So tell me, how did you getinto music and when did you
start singing?
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Gosh, when I was probably five, four or five, I
did my first musical theaterperformance.
It just, I think, was in mefrom birth.
My parents played everything.
I'm really grateful that theyplayed such a wide range of
styles because it exposed me toso much, from a lot of Frank
(16:07):
Sinatra, but also the Carpenters, opera, country R&B, lots of
Aretha Franklin my dad lovesAretha Franklin, so it was kind
of a huge range of styles andvocalists.
Yeah, in that you know timecapsule of like maybe the
twenties to the eighties, when Ithink music was the best and
(16:29):
that sparked something in me andI just couldn't.
I just never stopped singingsince I was like five years old.
Speaker 4 (16:36):
I love that and any parents out there in still give
your children the gift of musicI beg of you.
I had the pleasure of.
My father was a band teachergrowing up and he toured the
country with the Air Force JazzBand and I was exposed to a lot
of big band, a lot of FrankSinatra growing up, and I'm
still so grateful for the tothis day for that.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Any of your listeners who aren't aware Paul, you and
your wife are magnificent,magnificent singers as well.
When Paul surprised us onTitanic Talk, he and his wife on
the anniversary of the Titanictragedy, he and his wife sang
Nearer my God to Thee and wejust no pun intended.
(17:17):
It was a religious experience,it was just beautiful and we're
so grateful that we have thisever, ever expanding family of
talented, kind people.
Speaker 4 (17:27):
And thank you again for inviting us to be a part of
that.
I'm glad the queen Mary's wifilet us at least glitch in a
little bit, but also, like thatold timey, I'd love the Rat Pack
era, the the Maryland look, andif anybody's just listening to
the audio podcast, I encourageyou to find this on YouTube and
you you can see.
Of course we've mentioned she'sgorgeous, but she just has that
(17:49):
whole.
If Marilyn Monroe was a legitsinger like that's, that seems
like what you embody on stageand that is just so wonderful.
So tell me so.
You met by Nelson, seeing youin a show with your, with your
band.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
You met by Nelson seeing you in a show with your
band.
We were at the Charlie PalmerSteakhouse in the Knickerbocker
Hotel, very historic hotel whereapparently the martini was
created.
Right, nelson.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Well, I wasn't there at the time, but I've been
trying to make up for it eversince.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
That's what I think really was their claim to fame.
And I performed there for manyyears and we were doing, I think
, a series over Easter weekendand we got to chatting and and
(18:43):
then one thing led to anotherand it just all started kind of
clicking and we did thecollaboration in June of last
year and they said you know what, I have another idea for this
Tony Bennett tribute thing.
And I was like, oh, that soundspretty interesting.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Yeah, it was June I was doing so.
It was a year ago.
This is our one yearanniversary, Alison, Is that
right?
Yeah, it was my 60th birthdayshow, and so she was my guest
star for my 60th birthday show.
And then after that, I had TonyBennett had passed away.
In July, we're coming up on theone year anniversary of Tony
Bennett passing away and I haddone a marvelous interview for
(19:20):
my Australian show without withTony Bennett back in 2014, where
he had invited me to his hometo discuss his painting, and I
spent this incredible day withTony Bennett in his home.
It made for a wonderful segmentand when Tony passed away, I
was like let's take that segmentand create a Tony Bennett
(19:41):
tribute show around it, becausehe said these gems, pearls of
wisdom about art, artistry, hisupbringing, encouraging new
talent, which he was such amaster of encouraging new talent
and I thought Alison is theperfect foil in all of this,
because Tony is so famous forhaving performed with Amy
Winehouse and Lady Gaga andDiana Krall and Judy Garland.
(20:05):
I mean, he performed with somany different artists over the
years, including male and female.
But I was like what if we canrecreate some of those moments
together?
Not, not, not doing imitationsof Tony and anyone else?
Our own inter, our owninterpretations, not imitations.
And so we thought we would dothat, and then at Halloween time
(20:26):
, alison was doing a gig andasked me to be her guest star,
and that was the first time wedid a Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
song together.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
Yes, and Nelson does a mean monster mash I may put
out there.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
That's a great tease because we're going to visit
that in just a moment, but let'spull the cart back behind the
horse on your show from lastJune Is this when you did?
Lady is a Tramp.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
That was the Halloween show, allison's
Halloween show we did.
That was the first time weperformed any of the Tony
Bennett material.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
Gotcha, gotcha, all right.
Well, let's drop in and givethe audience aifted to from
Maine to Albuquerque.
Speaker 6 (21:30):
Alas, I missed the Bozart ball and, what is twice
as sad, I was never at a partywhere when they honored Noel
Catt.
But social circles spin toofast for me.
My hobohemia is the place to be.
Speaker 7 (21:57):
She gets too hungry for dinner at eight.
She loves the theater but nevercomes late.
Speaker 6 (22:07):
I never bother with people that I hate.
Speaker 7 (22:12):
That's why the lady is a champ.
She don't play crap games withbarons and earls.
Speaker 6 (22:22):
Won't go to Harlem in her earlmans and pearls, and
you know I won't go to Harlemeat her almonds and pearls and
you know I won't dish the dirtwith the best of those lovely
girls.
Speaker 7 (22:31):
That's why the lady is a tramp.
Speaker 6 (22:35):
I like the free and fresh cobwebs in my hair.
Speaker 7 (22:41):
Life without care, I'm broke.
Speaker 6 (22:45):
It's oak.
I hate California.
It's too cold and too damp.
That's why the lady has a jam.
How we doing.
Speaker 7 (22:56):
I go to Coney's Well, the beach is divine.
I go to ball games and thebleachers are fine.
Speaker 6 (23:06):
I follow the New York Times Reads every line.
That's why the lady is a tramp.
Speaker 7 (23:16):
I love a prize fight.
Yes, it isn't a fake.
Speaker 6 (23:20):
You know I love the rowing, but Tony's such a park
link.
Speaker 7 (23:24):
She goes to the opera and stays wide awake.
That's why the lady is a tramp.
She likes the green grass underher shoes.
What?
Speaker 6 (23:40):
can I lose?
I'm flat, well, that's it.
I'm all alone when I lower mylamp.
That's why the lady is a tramp.
Take it, andy.
So.
Speaker 7 (24:37):
I like the free and fresh wind in my hair.
A life without care.
I'm still broke.
It's okay.
Hates California.
It's cold and it's damp.
Speaker 6 (24:48):
That's why the lady is a tramp.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
That's why the lady is a tramp.
Oh, thank you, Nelson.
Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
So fun.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
Such a good time and I'm so jealous, I'm going to try
, like I'm so just want to liketry to figure out a way to get
there, get to New York to seethis show that you guys are
going to put on.
Um, and Megan in the chat saysNelson we were talking about
Nelson on his performance onstage and she says Nelson's live
(25:39):
show is an absolute treat.
His birthday cabaret was one ofthe best times I ever had treat
.
His birthday cabaret was one ofthe best times I ever had.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
She's one of our titaniacs.
Yeah she came to us from TitanicTalk and made the trip to New
York and the venue is lovely,the Green Room 42.
And we'll be there for fourshows at the end of July and the
beginning of August.
The July shows commemorate thepassing of Tony and the August
shows commemorate the birth ofTony.
So it's really a special timeand worth the trip.
(26:10):
And if you can't be in New Yorkin person, we do have the
streaming option for the August4th show.
The August 4th show will livestream and, as it's explained to
me, if you get a live streamticket, the link is good for a
week.
So if you're not in a conducivetime zone or a place to watch
it at that exact time, you'llstill have access to it for a
(26:31):
week.
And I noticed in the chatsomebody was asking about guest
stars and because we're doing somuch Tony material but there is
one performance the July 24thperformance we are having a
guest star, which is a treat ayoung man named Tommy O'Neill.
And what's exciting about Tommyis he is a direct reflection of
(26:53):
the kind of philanthropist andhumanitarian that Tony Bennett
was.
Tony Bennett endowed the FrankSinatra High School of the
Performing Arts here in New YorkCity and you know, usually you
think, oh, if some big celebrityis going to endow something,
they're going to put their nameon it.
No, it's the Frank SinatraSchool of the Arts.
(27:14):
But they did name and TonyBennett founded that school and
they named the concert hall theTony Bennett Concert Hall.
And I've known Tommy since hewas practically a baby and I
didn't realize he was attendingthat school and his proud dad
showed me a video of him.
There's Tommy.
His dad showed me a video ofhim singing a Tony Bennett song
(27:37):
and I'm like you know, if Tommywould like to come and sing a
Tony Bennett song with the band,that would be amazing.
And he will be joining us onJuly 24th, which, as it turns
out, is the night before heturns 17 years old.
So it's a real gift from Tonyand to Tony that we're going to
(27:58):
be joined by Tommy.
Speaker 4 (28:00):
That is so neat, and these specific dates are Sunday
July 21st and Wednesday July24th and, as he mentioned,
sunday August 4th and WednesdayAugust 7th, my birthday.
I'll actually be.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
August 7th is your birthday.
I should have known you were aLeo.
Speaker 4 (28:21):
You mentioned the Tony Bennett, obviously
interviewing him him how thatkind of inspired the show.
But how did the you know?
Toward the end of his career hereleased that duets album, at
least one with the modern uh popor musicians of the time uh
doing duets with all kinds of uhdifferent artists.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
But and the viva duets too, and espanol oh yeah
so there's a whole other album.
Because I go to puerto rico allthe time.
It's interesting that thosesongs are what people really
know.
Um, because he recorded with alot of spanish singing stars
like palia and romeo santos andmark anthony.
Speaker 4 (29:03):
Yeah wow, okay, I'll have to check those out as well.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
Alison will be doing some of our songs in the show.
She will be doing in otherlanguages as well.
So it's going to be an amazingnight and we will have the clips
of Tony from that interview aswell, interspersed with the
songs and the stories.
So it's really something.
I had seen Tony around town, youknow.
(29:29):
He was always out and about.
I would run into him on thestreet and then one day I ran
into him in the TV studio whereI worked and I got to talking
with him and he was talkingabout his painting and I was
like I'd love to do a story onthis.
And he was like, yeah, come onup to the house.
And I'm like okay.
And I remember I was in thebathroom thinking I got to get a
really close shave and I, whatam I going to wear?
And I got to his house to do asort of reconnaissance mission
(29:52):
and while I was getting ready hewas on the NBC Today show
singing a Christmas carol on theNBC Today show, because it was
Christmas week, I think.
And I get down to his apartmenton Central Park South and I was
.
I wasn't there five minutesgetting set up when he walked in
and I'm like Mr Bennett.
You know we're not starting forlike another hour and a half.
He's like man, you know.
(30:14):
What do you want to see?
You should give him this CDwhat are their names?
And he just couldn't have beenmore hospitable.
And the thing about his sort ofintergenerational appeal.
You can thank his son for that,because when Tony's career was
sort of paused for lack of abetter word it was his son who
(30:39):
reinvented his career by sayingDad, you should be on MTV.
And they got him on MTV andintroduced him to a whole new
audience.
And then he became cool again,like he ever wasn't cool, but
that let him maintain hisprofile and his appeal with
younger artists right up untilthe very end.
(31:01):
His last public performancewith Lady Gaga at Radio City,
you know, when he was alreadystruggling with Alzheimer's.
But you wouldn't know it inthat show man they were, they
were something else.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
Wow and all completely sold out.
By the way, all all those showswhere I know people who were
selling them on the black marketto desperate music lovers long
(31:35):
as they're performing.
Speaker 4 (31:36):
You got to get out and see live shows and live
music.
You want to see your favoriteperformers live before you.
You never know when the end ofthe tour is going to be for them
.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
You know it's so funny.
You say that, Paul, because Iknow as a kid growing up I was
such a theater nerd growing upand I lived outside Philadelphia
and whenever, like AnthonyQuinn would come by and Zorba
and Mickey Rooney and Ann Millerand Sugar Babies and Yul
Brynner and the King and I youknow these, these tours would
(32:03):
sweep through and my parentstook me to see them because it
yeah, and now I can say that Igot to see Anthony Quinn and Yul
Brynner and Mickey Rooney,whereas not many people can say
that it's important.
Brenner and Mickey.
Speaker 4 (32:16):
Rooney, whereas not many people can say that it's
important Absolutely and not tobe morbid, but we have to make
sure we see Alison and Nelsonlive.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
While you still can, while we can.
Speaker 4 (32:25):
That's what I'm saying Grab your tickets.
The link is in the live YouTubechat and also in the show notes
of the audio podcast and we'llthrow it back to another
performance.
We mentioned a little earlierabout the Monster Mash at your
October show and we do have alittle clip of that.
Doesn't matter what time ofyear it is, monster Mash is
(32:48):
always a fun listen.
And here are Nelson and Allisonperforming live on stage.
A little Monster Mash.
Speaker 2 (32:56):
Here we go See, if you're old enough to remember
this.
Speaker 7 (33:04):
I was working in the lab late one night when my eyes
beheld an eerie sight for mymonster from his slab began to
rise and suddenly, to mysurprise, he did the mash.
He did the monster mash.
It was a graveyard smash.
He did the mash.
(33:24):
It caught on in a flash.
He did the mash.
He did the monster mash.
From my laboratory in thecastle east, from the master
bedroom where the vampires feast, the ghouls all came from their
humble abode to get a jolt frommy electrodes.
They did the mash.
He did the monster mash, themonster mash.
(33:47):
It was a graveyard smash.
They did the mash.
It caught on in a flash.
They did the mash.
He did the monster mash.
The zombies were having fun.
The party had just begun.
The guests included Wolfman,dracula and his son.
(34:07):
The scene was rockin'.
Oh, we're diggin' the sounds.
Igor on chains, backed by hisbaying hound Coffin bangers
about to arrive with their hoglegroup, the crypt kicker five.
They did the mash.
They did the monster mash, themonster mash.
It was a graveyard smash.
(34:27):
They did the mash.
It caught on in a flash.
They did the mash.
They played the monster mashOut from his coffin.
Drax voiced it ring Seems he wastroubled by just one thing he
shook his fist, opened the lidand said Whatever happened to my
Transylvania twist.
It's now the Mash.
It's now the Monster Mash, theMonster Mash, and it's a
(34:52):
graveyard smash.
He did the Mash.
It cuts on in a flash.
He did the Mash.
He did the mash.
It cuts on in a flash.
He did the mash.
He did the monster mash.
Now everything's cool.
Drax, a part of the band, andmy monster mash is the hit of
the land.
For you, the living, this mashwas meant to.
When you get to my door, tellthem Boris sent you and you can
(35:12):
mash.
And you can monster mash,monster mash.
It is a graveyard smash and youcan mash.
And you can monster mash,monster mash.
It is a graveyard smash.
Then you can mash.
You'll catch on in a flash.
Then you can mash.
Then you can monster mash.
Mmm Mash good.
Remember that.
Mmm Mmm Mash good.
Speaker 1 (35:40):
I forgot how much fun we have on stage.
Speaker 4 (35:44):
Oh, my goodness.
And so if you're in the livechat, nelson's saying there was
a costume contest and, as wecould hear you out there calling
out who you were seeing, you'resaying the Scarlett O'Hara
Carol Burnett costume madefamous by Bob Mackie.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
Yeah, there was a very famous sketch and Carol
Burnett was doing a spoof ofScarlett O'Hara when she made
the curtain dress.
But as Carol Burnett wore it,she wore it with an actual
curtain rod in it.
So it was very, it was very.
It was a brilliantly executedcomedy skit back in the 70s and
the gal that won the costumecontest brilliantly executed
(36:21):
replicating it.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
Well, so exciting for your upcoming show.
Is there anything else you wantto mention about the show
specifically?
Speaker 2 (36:31):
Well, I would encourage people, especially for
the July shows.
They're already selling out, sothere are more seats at the
moment for the August shows.
Don't let that deter you,though.
Go on to thegreenroom42.com andget your ticket soon.
There are all sorts ofdifferent tiers of seating.
It's one of the cool thingsabout that venue and I've been
performing almost exclusivelythere for the last five or six
(36:53):
years is that there's no minimum.
You buy your ticket and they'renot forcing you to eat and
drink.
You just go and you eat anddrink what you want.
It also has some of the mostbeautiful vistas outside.
If you're an Instagram personor if you want to just get some
good shots of the city.
There are all these adjacentbeautifully designed bars
(37:14):
overlooking the skyscrapers.
It's just a great place to hangout.
So that's what we'll be doingWe'll be singing and then we're
going to be hanging out, so we'dlove you to join us.
Speaker 4 (37:23):
So very cool.
And, of course, as I mentioned,the link is in the live chat
and it's also in the show notesof the audio podcast.
There's also a link to thepress release.
The Broadway World pressrelease is there for you to
peruse as well.
And, gosh, I really want to getto one of those July shows,
maybe on our way out to Irelandor something.
I can make that happen, butbefore we can't, of course, go
(37:48):
without talking about any themillions of other projects that
Nelson's been working on.
Of course, in season one wementioned his book and, as I
mentioned at the top of theepisode, the sequel's coming out
.
This came pretty quick here.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
Nelson, I know that's actually the very first look.
You're getting the exclusivefirst look at the cover.
We did want it to resemble theprevious cover, which it does.
It's the same sort of look, butnow, instead of just dancing
between the raindrops, whichcovered the 80s in New York City
of my life, now we're dancingbetween the raindrops, the
Hollywood years, which coversthe 22 years I spent in Los
(38:25):
Angeles and I have always said22 years in Los Angeles.
You get less for murder and partof my experience in Los Angeles
included for the better, my theadvent of my television career
and, interestingly, a big partsof that show business career, in
addition to all the celebrityinterviews and experiences of
(38:48):
traveling that I got to do, werecovering some notable passings
like the death of Heath Ledger,the, the death of Michael
Jackson, the death of FarrahFawcett, the death of Whitney
Houston, the death of RobinWilliams.
I mean it made the differencein my reporting career from just
being yeah, showbiz news toserious reporting and journalism
(39:10):
.
As you know, I meanentertainment is a major part of
our pop culture lifestyle thesedays.
Of course, while I was livingin Los Angeles as well, I was
very closely involved in the OJSimpson double murder case
because I worked at theMezzaluna restaurant, which was
made famous as a result of themurder case, and there were many
(39:38):
connections.
And I delve into the OJ Simpsonexperience in the book as well
as the odd, you know, riots,earthquakes, all those other
things that seemed to happenover the course of the time I
was in Los Angeles.
So but it's all told with a.
It's fictionalized but verythinly veiled and all of my
nearest, dearest and most lovedpeople are represented in that.
And lots of celebrity namedropping.
(39:59):
And when you come across acelebrity's name that you don't
recognize it's because I had tochange it for legal purposes,
but otherwise you'll probablyfigure it all out.
So yes, that will be on sale.
Dancing Between the Raindropsthe Hollywood Years will be on
sale this week, so you can grabit on Amazon or ask for it at
your local bookstore.
If you thought the 80s in NewYork City were wild, wait till
(40:24):
you go.
Dancing Between the Raindropsin the Hollywood Years this
sequel to mysemi-autobiographical novel
about life, love and building astar-studded showbiz career
moves to Tinseltown in 1990 andcovers the tawdry 22 years there
among the rich and famous, Fromthe LA riots and OJ Simpson's
(40:45):
double murder trial to thedeaths of Michael Jackson and
Heath Ledger.
There are also plenty ofsexcapades and celebrity romps.
As we search for lasting lovein the City of Angels, don't
miss out on the misadventures.
Critics say it's the book youmust read if you don't read
anything else this year.
Wildly entertaining and a juicyjoyride through Hollywood.
(41:13):
Dancing Between the Raindrops,the Hollywood Years is available
on Amazon, or ask for it inyour local bookstore and grab an
extra copy for your bestie.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
Oh my gosh, who doesn't love?
Speaker 2 (41:24):
a juicy joyride.
I love it.
Speaker 4 (41:31):
And I know you initially had this idea to
present your story.
Speaker 5 (41:50):
You're loosely based on your life story in like three
books in a trilogy, was it?
Speaker 2 (41:54):
this was a like.
Okay, I knew I was going towrite the sequel and they said
my deadline was originallyNovember 1.
And I finished it five monthsahead of schedule and they said
we can get this out in time forSummer Beach reading.
And I'm like, let's do it,because I want to do a part
three.
So now I'm working on that andthere we go.
Also, I'm working on alittleanic something.
(42:15):
Uh, I've got up my sleeve.
So, yeah, I'm I'm a very busywriter at the moment and I do
want to say, while we still havea few minutes left, I want
allison to tell you about herburt backwrack album because, uh
, I was just thinking her, she'swearing her lovely yellow and
there are some photos of herfrom the burt backwrack album
where she is unbelievable inyellow.
(42:35):
Yellow is not an easy color topull off.
Allison, can you talk aboutthat?
Speaker 1 (42:40):
Oh sure, well, so the 60s, you know you got to go big
, big, bold colors, going withthese really fun, intricate
arrangements.
We just wrapped recording our20 song Burt Bacharach tribute
album.
My band and I did this winterand we will be releasing that
(43:04):
this July, highlighting a lot ofthe hits that Dionne Warwick
made famous, but also some ofthe other women that Burt
collaborated with DustySpringfield, cilla Black, also
(43:28):
Herb Alpert and Tijuana Brass.
So it's kind of a collection ofa lot of the well-known hits
and then a few that you probablyhaven't heard before.
So I was kind of digging deepin the catalog and there's some
that Peggy Lee debuted and Ihave one that has not been
recorded since she did it in the60s.
(43:50):
I have a Yiddish language tunefeaturing Broadway star Julie
Benko, whose husband, jasonYeager, is our pianist every day
for me and in these upcomingshows for Tony Bennett as well.
So we have a lot that went intothat album.
It's taking you back to that 60sworld I call it the sexy 60s
(44:11):
where the music was cool,everyone dressed fabulous and
color TV was the big thing, soit was just bright colors.
I wore orange for the firsttime in my life this year.
That was scary but I was like Ithink I could do.
Orange and yellow.
This is exciting.
So a new birth back rack albumon the way to find that perfect
(44:31):
balance of refreshing the oldiesbut goodies with a new sound
that honors the original.
Always finding that balance ofhonor.
What's special about theoriginal?
Put your new spin on it.
And we did this.
Just as a quintet, it's just afive-piece jazz band.
So instead of a massive studioorchestra, we paired it all the
(44:52):
way down so that you couldreally appreciate the
intricacies of Burt'sarrangements and Hal David's
lyrics.
Speaker 4 (45:01):
And?
But this isn't like your band'sfirst work that you're you're
putting out there.
As I discovered earlier when Imade the Instagram story, your,
your, your band has recordingsout there that people can listen
to.
Where, where do you suggestpeople find your music?
Speaker 1 (45:18):
This is our seventh studio album and we are on all
the streaming platforms.
We are a very high tech retroband.
So, uh, you can go to mywebsite, fleursalcom, or any
place that you listen to music.
Um, if you type in Fleursal, uh, you'll'll only find us and no
(45:39):
matter how you pronounce it,paul right, right.
Speaker 4 (45:43):
What's the translation of that?
Speaker 1 (45:45):
it means the lone flower, which and I just thought
it was cool at the time I waslike okay, this makes sense, but
my musicians always tease meand they go oh, so are we the
weeds?
No, that wasn't what I wasthinking at the time.
You guys are the leaves and thebranches, and the roots that
support, and I mentionedInstagram earlier.
Speaker 4 (46:07):
I encourage anybody out there listening to follow
both Allison and Nelson on Insta, if you aren't yet.
Both of their accounts are justa joy to peruse.
Nelson's at Nelson Aspen andAlison is at floor soul.
That's F?
L E U R S?
E?
U?
L?
(46:27):
E.
Yeah, just one L.
One L, though Correct, yes, andher website, as she mentioned,
floor soulcom.
Nelson's at Nelson Aspen yes,and her website, as she
mentioned, floresoulcom.
Nelson's at nelsonaspencom.
The show is on the Green Room42 website.
The Tony Bennett tribute iscoming up Now.
I do want to mention too we'vebeen talking about these two
(46:48):
books that Nelson wrote, and hejust teased a Titanic book as
well, but these aren't yourfirst books either.
Speaker 2 (46:57):
No, but they're my first fiction books, even though
they're based on my life.
They're my first novels.
I've written many sort ofanecdotal stories.
One's called Hollywood InsiderExposed, which was sort of
chronicling my time in Hollywoodprofessionally, sort of
chronicling my time in Hollywoodprofessionally.
(47:17):
I did a book, a how-to book,when I moved into my current
home, which was during thepandemic, and that's called your
Home is your Castle Live Likean A-Lister in a Post-Pandemic
World and that actually debutedat number one on Amazon's home
remodel and renovation charts,much to my surprise.
I don't know, I just I hit itlucky People, people like home
improvement, and there was thatand I did.
(47:40):
I did a couple of dinner partybooks.
So yeah, I've just been, I'mI'm a writing machine and I just
I just want to sort of tell thestories, and the dancing
between the raindrop series isreally a treat because it's it's
basically and I think it's oneof the reasons why I can write
it so quickly is it's theanecdotes that I have been
telling my whole life.
These are the stories that arethe most noteworthy to me from
(48:03):
my 60, almost 61 years on thisearth.
So I've told them so many timesNow.
I've just given them charactersand tell them that way.
So it's been fun to do and I'mreally enjoying the response.
I had to channel my innerJackie Collins and not be afraid
to be naughty and profane andgraphic, and that was hard for
(48:29):
me because I'm a pretty squeakyclean guy and I let her rip and
people liked it.
So wait till you read part two.
It really starts off with abang.
Speaker 4 (48:40):
I know you've been so self-conscious about letting a
bad word or two slip, but thelast time you were here I was
like dude, it's fine, it'stotally fine.
Speaker 2 (48:47):
You had me do a reading and I'm like, oh my God,
what have I started?
There's no going back.
Speaker 4 (48:54):
Yes and oh my gosh.
So we have so much to explore,so much to check out.
But, um, and I'm gonna do mydarndest to get there and to see
your tony bennett tribute live,and anyone that can, that's in
the manhattan area.
You, it's a must see, you gotto be there and, um, I'm, I'm
(49:15):
hoping that I can as well.
Speaker 2 (49:16):
But thank you, paul.
You're always so generous.
You're always so generous andand inclusive, and you know
that's why.
You know that's why we madefriends and stayed friends, so
we're grateful.
Speaker 1 (49:27):
Thank you for having us today and something about the
show itself, too, to not forgetis that we have these
incredibly intricate, uniquearrangements that Tony did.
His arrangements were verydifferent from what you
typically hear.
His version of Fly Me to theMoon was very different.
Our duets are a lot morecomplicated, the ones that he
(49:49):
did with Gaga on thosecollaborations very intricate
and not commonly heard.
So they're going to be freshversions that you're not
familiar with probably as wellas we've got a snappy, fabulous
band of mine that, nelson, youknow.
You've been working with us, soyou're going to get all kinds
(50:10):
of top caliber entertainmentsqueezed into one concert.
Speaker 2 (50:13):
There's a lot of talent out concert.
Our musical director, andyWarren, we.
You know it's impossible, withthe body of work that Tony
Bennett produced over the courseof his 96 years on earth, to
get it all in.
And so what we've done, we'veselected the songs that we
wanted to do for ourselves, butwe also wanted to make sure we
included as much as possible.
So Andy has concocted what wecall the mega medley, so that we
(50:39):
get as many Tony songs in as wecan and please, please
everybody.
We can't get it all in, but, boy, we're getting a lot in and
should run about 75 minutes byour calculations.
If you just hold for applause,it should run about.
Speaker 4 (50:55):
And, of course, if we can't get there live we
mentioned the August 4th showwill be live streamed.
This, this YouTube network, theVodacity Network, was born from
live streaming, liveperformances during covid, so a
lot of our audience here is usedto just watching a live stream
live performances If you can'tbe together in person.
Speaker 2 (51:16):
And that link.
The Green Room tells me that ifyou purchase the live stream
ticket, you have that link for aweek, so you don't have to
watch it live.
You'll have it for up to a week.
Speaker 4 (51:27):
Very excited and I'm so grateful to both of you for
joining us.
Nelson, just always a pleasureYou've mentioned, like me, being
gracious like the minute westarted talking.
You've just been nothing butthe most welcoming and
hospitable man and I can't thankyou enough for spending time
with us and Allison.
(51:47):
It was an absolute pleasure tomeet you and hopefully this is
not our last conversation, oh,and happy birthday.
Belated birthday weekend.
Thank you having me, oh, andhappy birthday Belated birthday
weekend.
Thank you 25 again and thank youNelson, thank you Allison.
Ladies and gentlemen, give hima hand and have a great rest of
(52:11):
your night.
See you soon.
Speaker 5 (52:16):
Well, they are wonderful they are.
They certainly are.
I definitely I'm going to seeif we can make an arrangement
when Susan and I plan on gettingout there to see Nelson.
I think that would be so cool.
Speaker 4 (52:27):
Yeah, and even just to meet him like that's what
Jamie and I went to his booksigning in December and he's
just the man you see on the livestream is who he is.
He's just so kind and welcomingand a wonderful person to chat
with for sure.
Speaker 5 (52:42):
Yeah, wow, love it.
I don't know if we have thetime for a poem, but I actually
did find a Tony Bennett poem.
Speaker 4 (52:49):
You did, yes, poetry, not even lyrics, but poetry
Poetry.
Okay, what's it about?
Speaker 5 (52:58):
Well, actually it's about Tony Bennett's later years
and it's from somebody by thename of James C Allen.
It was written in 2012.
I think he went and he saw he'salways been a fan of Tony
Bennett and so it actually doestalk about the duets and the
(53:19):
times.
His, you know, tony re-emergedand I agree with that, with what
was said.
Is he re-emerged because, whenyou think about it, uh, when
tony bennett came out and didthe duets album, uh, I mean, the
only reason why people wouldsee tony bennett was if, maybe,
their mother or father orgrandparents shared some of the
(53:41):
songs and maybe, if anybody knewabout you know, I left my heart
in san francisco that would bereally the only, um only reason
why people would say, oh, that'stony bennett.
And then he totally reinventshimself.
He does what he has always done, and what I love is, like even
(54:05):
the little story that, uh, thatwas shared earlier in the
podcast.
It, you know, it's like this istony you.
This is who I am and, like meor not, I'm not changing.
And this particular poem iscalled Elegant parentheses for
(54:27):
Tony Bennett, and it's just ashort poem, but it's really,
really nice.
Speaker 4 (54:34):
Craig Jackman's first poetry reading of season two.
Ladies and gentlemen, here'sElegant.
Speaker 5 (54:54):
Despite my initial impression, there was nothing
sour or bent about the directionhe has taken his music in
recent years.
The duets with Winehouse andGaga other things that I might
have thought would have been offwere sharp poking me to that
(55:16):
higher appreciation.
So this is what it means to bean artist the inevitable
transformation, his constantreinvention of the ancient style
, the inability to rest on one'slaurels even after delivering
the perfect song in SanFrancisco and just like that,
(56:02):
season two has launched.
Speaker 4 (56:03):
Be sure you're subscribed, as here in season
two, cove podcast will be onevery other tuesday and in the
tuesdays in between will be mynew show, titanic legacy podcast
.
Be sure you're subscribed tothat if titanic interests you.
But uh, can't wait for a brandnew season, catching up with old
friends and meeting new oneshere in the Cove.
And I want to say thank you toall of our Cove community
(56:24):
Patreon curators AngelicaBolschweiler, anna Gina Voller,
charity Swanson, emily Thatcher,gina Dobbs, josephus Snyder,
kelsey Blaine Gibson, kristaKing, meryl Milkey, the Farren
one helping us continue to goand grow.
And until the next one, makeeach day count.
Speaker 7 (56:54):
I put the coat on her .
We were at the Charlie Palmer Steakhouse in the
Knickerbocker Hotel, veryhistoric hotel where apparently
the martini was created.
Right, Nelson.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Well, I wasn't there at the time but, I've been
trying to make up for it eversince.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Carganilla
Online Variety EntertainmentPodcast.
Here's your host, PaulCarganilla.
Speaker 4 (00:31):
Hello everyone and welcome to Season 2 of Cove
Podcast.
This is the online variety showin which we aim to both
entertain and inspire ourpodcast listeners and YouTube
viewers through a wide varietyof art forms, including music,
poetry, storytelling, specialguest interviews, travel blogs,
(00:52):
dramatic readings a whole grabbag, a jambalaya of
conversations, experiences,thoughts, reflections to listen
to each week, to keep you goingand get you excited when you see
it drop in your podcast feed.
And here in season two we willbe catching up with friends we
met in Season 1 and also makingnew friends, creators and
performers with inspirationalstories we've yet to explore.
(01:15):
Today, in the first episode ofour second season, we'll be
doing exactly that catching upwith an old pal and meeting a
new one.
I can't wait to dig in.
But first, of course, we got tobring that cart back behind the
horse and say hello and good tosee you.
Producer Craig Craig Jackman.
Speaker 5 (01:34):
Welcome.
Well, thank you so very much.
I am excited as well fortoday's show.
I mean, first of all, when weif I may say his name right now,
nelson is you know when thatfirst meeting of Nelson was just
incredible, and it was.
It was a fun interview, it wasa great interview and he had so
(01:57):
much to share.
And when we, when you sharedthat we were going to once again
have another interview with himto follow up with what he's
doing, it was like, oh good, andnow he's bringing a friend
along.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
That's right.
And for anyone who remembersseason one, if you don't
remember, if you haven't seenthe first episode with Nelson
Aspin, go check that out.
But I can tell you and thosethat have seen it remember.
He is a global entertainmentreporter.
He has been for many decades.
He's also the co-host ofTitanic Talk with Alexandra Boyd
(02:32):
that Everly and I actually hadthe pleasure of being guests on.
That was a lot of fun.
And he's also a publishedauthor of both fiction and
nonfiction.
When we met him in season one,we talked about his book Dancing
Between the Raindrops.
When we met him in season one,we talked about his book Dancing
Between the Raindrops and he'sready to release his follow up,
the sequel, dancing Between theRaindrops the Hollywood Years.
So we'll talk about that today,excited to catch up with him.
(02:54):
But we'll also be chattingabout his upcoming live shows
there in Manhattan, new YorkCity.
They're going to be live onstage in a cabaret there, but
they will also be streamedonline.
Anyone anywhere in the worldcan buy a ticket and check it
out live.
We will talk about that and wealso will have the pleasure of
(03:16):
meeting his co-star in that show, alison Briggs.
We get to meet her tonight.
Alison Briggs has been adynamic band leader and
businesswoman in Manhattan forover a decade.
She is the founder and leaderof oh, I should have asked her
how to pronounce this.
Do you have any idea, craigFleur Soul.
I'd say either Fleur Soul orFleur Soulé Okay, which is
(03:36):
Manhattan's very own retro jazzband that brings the glamour and
swinging sounds of the goldenage of Hollywood to life on
stage in hundreds of public andprivate events around the world
every year.
She also serves as anentertainment consultant to
cruise lines, event planners andmultiple Times Square
hospitality teams.
What makes her unique is herequal levels of experience on
(03:59):
stage in front of clients andbehind the scenes, working with
those clients to bring theirvisions to life, offering her
unparalleled work experience andinsight.
She has great relationshipswith the entertainment
industry's top vendors and withher incredible team she creates
unforgettable events and can'twait to talk to her and Nelson
(04:20):
about the incredible events theyhave coming up in July and
August.
Ladies and gentlemen, pleasejoin me in welcoming Back to
Cove her and Nelson about theincredible events they have
coming up in July and August.
Ladies and gentlemen, pleasejoin me in welcoming Back to the
Cove podcast Nelson Aspin andwelcoming Alison Briggs.
Hello from across the country,friends, oh hello.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Hello Alison, Hello Craig, Fancy meeting you here.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Yes, alison.
Hello Craig, Fancy meeting youhere.
Yes, yes, here on the interwebs, in that whole lovely
introduction of Alison and FleurSull.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
you neglected to mention how drop-dead gorgeous
she is.
She is also becoming known as abit of a fashion plate, as you
can see on all of her socialmedia, she is something else.
I can't say enough amazingthings about this amazing woman.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
I will say, when I saw the videos that we're going
to share with everybody,stunning yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Married.
Sorry, all right.
Not to me.
Yes, dropped in gorgeous aswell.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
Thank you both for joining us and just spending
some time with us telling usabout the new stuff you've got
going.
But first, we can't go anyfurther without introducing
Allison with this 60 secondicebreaker introduction
challenge that we do here on theshow.
We challenge our guests to tellus everything we could possibly
(05:44):
know about you in 60 seconds orless.
Now, this is all the like notprofessional stuff, right?
So I read your bio, so anythingthat wasn't on there that you
can squeeze into one minute, Ihave to say Nelson Aspin, what
has been the number one?
Because he's got a timer in hishead.
He nailed it to the second.
But we're not going to stop youif you go over and if you go
(06:05):
under, I'll just have to throwsome, some random questions at
you.
But are you ready for thechallenge?
Yeah, let's take it awaywhenever you're ready.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Well about me, besides what you did mention.
Thank you very much for that.
So, or anything close to that,is how you say the band name.
I'm also a voiceover actor, soI do a lot of work here in my
booth, talking to myself in mycloset, so that's how I spend my
days, and then I spend mynights behind the microphone
singing and performing.
I am also a parrot mom.
I have a little bird namedZiggy who is my little assistant
(06:42):
.
I have a little bird namedZiggy who is my little assistant
, and I absolutely love allthings performing and fashion.
So it's music, it's vintagefashion, it's all the parts of
it the jewelry, hair, clothing,every part of it.
I love it.
I miss that glam and style andI'm on a mission to bring it
(07:07):
back in everything I do, so ifthere's anything else that I
left out, I'll think about that.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
That was pretty good, Nelson.
How'd she do?
Speaker 2 (07:14):
She did great.
I could talk about her for twohours and not just 60 seconds.
But yeah, she is an amazinggifted performer, and not just
with Fleur Saul and leading herband with all of this incredible
music, but she is a verypopular and sought-after
presence.
A lot of Broadway shows likefor their opening parties or any
(07:36):
of those kinds of high-endevents at the high-end places
around Manhattan.
She appears and dazzles andshe's quite famous.
It's so funny how we makecottage industries for ourselves
in other countries.
I had a 20-year television gigin Australia so I'm
quote-unquote famous inAustralia.
(07:58):
Alison is very famous in PuertoRico.
It's just so funny how theworld works and she's a global
superstar and I'm so excitedthat I get to perform with her.
And even how we met wasnoteworthy.
I saw her at one of her gigs.
I was a guest at this event andI was so dazzled by her that I
(08:23):
sought her out to know her.
I was doing a gig at the GreenRoom 42, where we'll be doing
the Tony Bennett show.
I was doing a different show atthe time and I asked her to be
my guest star and it was areally good way to see if we had
that kind of chemistry, and wedid.
She's a far more giftedmusician than I.
She makes me better Even whenwe're in the studio rehearsing
(08:46):
together.
I really have to up my gamebecause I feel like she's a
superstar and I need to bebetter.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
Well, I meant, how'd she do?
As far as 60 seconds went.
But that was a perfectcomplimentary introduction to
her and thank you to everybodywho's tuning in live in the live
YouTube chat.
A friend of yours, I assumenamed by the name of David
Barfield, says Happy Birthday,Allison.
Is it your birthday?
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Thank you, david.
It was on Thursday and I'vebeen kind of celebrating all
throughout the weekend, so we'restretching it out birthday week
and you're joining us on yourbirthday weekend.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
That's amazing.
Thank you for that.
Well, nelson mentioned this andI, of course, I had to join him
, so and David's gonna give methe perfect transition into our
first video we're gonna share.
She, he says here in the chatshe sings in multiple languages
too, and we happen to have avideo clip of Alison with her
band, floor Soul.
(09:48):
Thank you for letting me knowhow to pronounce that, and this
is a little La Vie en Rose ¶¶.
Speaker 6 (10:12):
The alabaster always comes out of the mouth that I
hold when he takes me in hisarms.
(10:35):
He speaks to me openly.
I see life in red.
He asks me for love.
He asks me every day and itdoes something to me.
(11:01):
He is in my heart, thank you.
The more I persuade him, themore I feel his heart, my heart
(11:50):
that wants Thank you when hetook me in his arms.
(13:07):
He told me everything I hadnever seen.
He told me about my love, Aboutme love, the love of all time.
And I had a few days of light.
(13:33):
He entered my heart, a path ofhappiness.
And we talk about happinesswhen I take the call.
I live for myself, Even if Idie.
(13:58):
He will not tell me.
Il me l'a dit.
Je dirai nous l'aimons Le plusjeune.
Je perçois alors.
(14:20):
Je sens dans moi Mon cœurguébain, Just on the line.
I'm okay, Give me.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
Fantastic Move over Louis Armstrongstrong.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
I have a new favorite version of that tune edith who
so right and you know I have totell you something about
allison's performance of thatsong.
Uh, so my husband and I we'vebeen married a while, but we'd
never had a honeymoon.
And we were discussing where togo for our honeymoon
Anniversary's in January, and sowe thought, oh, we'll go
(15:09):
someplace warm.
But we actually had Alison's,one of her albums, on Sonos, and
so we were listening to thatand La Vie en Rose came on as we
were discussing our honeymoonand I said, honey, we haven't
been to Paris since before thepandemic, and we ended up taking
our honeymoon belatedly inParis thanks to Alison's
rendition of La Vie en Rose.
(15:30):
Just happened to be playingthere, that's, that's kismet,
wow.
Speaker 4 (15:36):
And who could blame that inspiration with such a
fantastic performance?
Well done.
So tell me, how did you getinto music and when did you
start singing?
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Gosh, when I was probably five, four or five, I
did my first musical theaterperformance.
It just, I think, was in mefrom birth.
My parents played everything.
I'm really grateful that theyplayed such a wide range of
styles because it exposed me toso much, from a lot of Frank
(16:07):
Sinatra, but also the Carpenters, opera, country R&B, lots of
Aretha Franklin my dad lovesAretha Franklin, so it was kind
of a huge range of styles andvocalists.
Yeah, in that you know timecapsule of like maybe the
twenties to the eighties, when Ithink music was the best and
(16:29):
that sparked something in me andI just couldn't.
I just never stopped singingsince I was like five years old.
Speaker 4 (16:36):
I love that and any parents out there in still give
your children the gift of musicI beg of you.
I had the pleasure of.
My father was a band teachergrowing up and he toured the
country with the Air Force JazzBand and I was exposed to a lot
of big band, a lot of FrankSinatra growing up, and I'm
still so grateful for the tothis day for that.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Any of your listeners who aren't aware Paul, you and
your wife are magnificent,magnificent singers as well.
When Paul surprised us onTitanic Talk, he and his wife on
the anniversary of the Titanictragedy, he and his wife sang
Nearer my God to Thee and wejust no pun intended.
(17:17):
It was a religious experience,it was just beautiful and we're
so grateful that we have thisever, ever expanding family of
talented, kind people.
Speaker 4 (17:27):
And thank you again for inviting us to be a part of
that.
I'm glad the queen Mary's wifilet us at least glitch in a
little bit, but also, like thatold timey, I'd love the Rat Pack
era, the the Maryland look, andif anybody's just listening to
the audio podcast, I encourageyou to find this on YouTube and
you you can see.
Of course we've mentioned she'sgorgeous, but she just has that
(17:49):
whole.
If Marilyn Monroe was a legitsinger like that's, that seems
like what you embody on stageand that is just so wonderful.
So tell me so.
You met by Nelson, seeing youin a show with your, with your
band.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
You met by Nelson seeing you in a show with your
band.
We were at the Charlie PalmerSteakhouse in the Knickerbocker
Hotel, very historic hotel whereapparently the martini was
created.
Right, nelson.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Well, I wasn't there at the time, but I've been
trying to make up for it eversince.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
That's what I think really was their claim to fame.
And I performed there for manyyears and we were doing, I think
, a series over Easter weekendand we got to chatting and and
(18:43):
then one thing led to anotherand it just all started kind of
clicking and we did thecollaboration in June of last
year and they said you know what, I have another idea for this
Tony Bennett tribute thing.
And I was like, oh, that soundspretty interesting.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Yeah, it was June I was doing so.
It was a year ago.
This is our one yearanniversary, Alison, Is that
right?
Yeah, it was my 60th birthdayshow, and so she was my guest
star for my 60th birthday show.
And then after that, I had TonyBennett had passed away.
In July, we're coming up on theone year anniversary of Tony
Bennett passing away and I haddone a marvelous interview for
(19:20):
my Australian show without withTony Bennett back in 2014, where
he had invited me to his hometo discuss his painting, and I
spent this incredible day withTony Bennett in his home.
It made for a wonderful segmentand when Tony passed away, I
was like let's take that segmentand create a Tony Bennett
(19:41):
tribute show around it, becausehe said these gems, pearls of
wisdom about art, artistry, hisupbringing, encouraging new
talent, which he was such amaster of encouraging new talent
and I thought Alison is theperfect foil in all of this,
because Tony is so famous forhaving performed with Amy
Winehouse and Lady Gaga andDiana Krall and Judy Garland.
(20:05):
I mean, he performed with somany different artists over the
years, including male and female.
But I was like what if we canrecreate some of those moments
together?
Not, not, not doing imitationsof Tony and anyone else?
Our own inter, our owninterpretations, not imitations.
And so we thought we would dothat, and then at Halloween time
(20:26):
, alison was doing a gig andasked me to be her guest star,
and that was the first time wedid a Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
song together.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
Yes, and Nelson does a mean monster mash I may put
out there.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
That's a great tease because we're going to visit
that in just a moment, but let'spull the cart back behind the
horse on your show from lastJune Is this when you did?
Lady is a Tramp.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
That was the Halloween show, allison's
Halloween show we did.
That was the first time weperformed any of the Tony
Bennett material.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
Gotcha, gotcha, all right.
Well, let's drop in and givethe audience aifted to from
Maine to Albuquerque.
Speaker 6 (21:30):
Alas, I missed the Bozart ball and, what is twice
as sad, I was never at a partywhere when they honored Noel
Catt.
But social circles spin toofast for me.
My hobohemia is the place to be.
Speaker 7 (21:57):
She gets too hungry for dinner at eight.
She loves the theater but nevercomes late.
Speaker 6 (22:07):
I never bother with people that I hate.
Speaker 7 (22:12):
That's why the lady is a champ.
She don't play crap games withbarons and earls.
Speaker 6 (22:22):
Won't go to Harlem in her earlmans and pearls, and
you know I won't go to Harlemeat her almonds and pearls and
you know I won't dish the dirtwith the best of those lovely
girls.
Speaker 7 (22:31):
That's why the lady is a tramp.
Speaker 6 (22:35):
I like the free and fresh cobwebs in my hair.
Speaker 7 (22:41):
Life without care, I'm broke.
Speaker 6 (22:45):
It's oak.
I hate California.
It's too cold and too damp.
That's why the lady has a jam.
How we doing.
Speaker 7 (22:56):
I go to Coney's Well, the beach is divine.
I go to ball games and thebleachers are fine.
Speaker 6 (23:06):
I follow the New York Times Reads every line.
That's why the lady is a tramp.
Speaker 7 (23:16):
I love a prize fight.
Yes, it isn't a fake.
Speaker 6 (23:20):
You know I love the rowing, but Tony's such a park
link.
Speaker 7 (23:24):
She goes to the opera and stays wide awake.
That's why the lady is a tramp.
She likes the green grass underher shoes.
What?
Speaker 6 (23:40):
can I lose?
I'm flat, well, that's it.
I'm all alone when I lower mylamp.
That's why the lady is a tramp.
Take it, andy.
So.
Speaker 7 (24:37):
I like the free and fresh wind in my hair.
A life without care.
I'm still broke.
It's okay.
Hates California.
It's cold and it's damp.
Speaker 6 (24:48):
That's why the lady is a tramp.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
That's why the lady is a tramp.
Oh, thank you, Nelson.
Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
So fun.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
Such a good time and I'm so jealous, I'm going to try
, like I'm so just want to liketry to figure out a way to get
there, get to New York to seethis show that you guys are
going to put on.
Um, and Megan in the chat saysNelson we were talking about
Nelson on his performance onstage and she says Nelson's live
(25:39):
show is an absolute treat.
His birthday cabaret was one ofthe best times I ever had treat
.
His birthday cabaret was one ofthe best times I ever had.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
She's one of our titaniacs.
Yeah she came to us from TitanicTalk and made the trip to New
York and the venue is lovely,the Green Room 42.
And we'll be there for fourshows at the end of July and the
beginning of August.
The July shows commemorate thepassing of Tony and the August
shows commemorate the birth ofTony.
So it's really a special timeand worth the trip.
(26:10):
And if you can't be in New Yorkin person, we do have the
streaming option for the August4th show.
The August 4th show will livestream and, as it's explained to
me, if you get a live streamticket, the link is good for a
week.
So if you're not in a conducivetime zone or a place to watch
it at that exact time, you'llstill have access to it for a
(26:31):
week.
And I noticed in the chatsomebody was asking about guest
stars and because we're doing somuch Tony material but there is
one performance the July 24thperformance we are having a
guest star, which is a treat ayoung man named Tommy O'Neill.
And what's exciting about Tommyis he is a direct reflection of
(26:53):
the kind of philanthropist andhumanitarian that Tony Bennett
was.
Tony Bennett endowed the FrankSinatra High School of the
Performing Arts here in New YorkCity and you know, usually you
think, oh, if some big celebrityis going to endow something,
they're going to put their nameon it.
No, it's the Frank SinatraSchool of the Arts.
(27:14):
But they did name and TonyBennett founded that school and
they named the concert hall theTony Bennett Concert Hall.
And I've known Tommy since hewas practically a baby and I
didn't realize he was attendingthat school and his proud dad
showed me a video of him.
There's Tommy.
His dad showed me a video ofhim singing a Tony Bennett song
(27:37):
and I'm like you know, if Tommywould like to come and sing a
Tony Bennett song with the band,that would be amazing.
And he will be joining us onJuly 24th, which, as it turns
out, is the night before heturns 17 years old.
So it's a real gift from Tonyand to Tony that we're going to
(27:58):
be joined by Tommy.
Speaker 4 (28:00):
That is so neat, and these specific dates are Sunday
July 21st and Wednesday July24th and, as he mentioned,
sunday August 4th and WednesdayAugust 7th, my birthday.
I'll actually be.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
August 7th is your birthday.
I should have known you were aLeo.
Speaker 4 (28:21):
You mentioned the Tony Bennett, obviously
interviewing him him how thatkind of inspired the show.
But how did the you know?
Toward the end of his career hereleased that duets album, at
least one with the modern uh popor musicians of the time uh
doing duets with all kinds of uhdifferent artists.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
But and the viva duets too, and espanol oh yeah
so there's a whole other album.
Because I go to puerto rico allthe time.
It's interesting that thosesongs are what people really
know.
Um, because he recorded with alot of spanish singing stars
like palia and romeo santos andmark anthony.
Speaker 4 (29:03):
Yeah wow, okay, I'll have to check those out as well.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
Alison will be doing some of our songs in the show.
She will be doing in otherlanguages as well.
So it's going to be an amazingnight and we will have the clips
of Tony from that interview aswell, interspersed with the
songs and the stories.
So it's really something.
I had seen Tony around town, youknow.
(29:29):
He was always out and about.
I would run into him on thestreet and then one day I ran
into him in the TV studio whereI worked and I got to talking
with him and he was talkingabout his painting and I was
like I'd love to do a story onthis.
And he was like, yeah, come onup to the house.
And I'm like okay.
And I remember I was in thebathroom thinking I got to get a
really close shave and I, whatam I going to wear?
And I got to his house to do asort of reconnaissance mission
(29:52):
and while I was getting ready hewas on the NBC Today show
singing a Christmas carol on theNBC Today show, because it was
Christmas week, I think.
And I get down to his apartmenton Central Park South and I was
.
I wasn't there five minutesgetting set up when he walked in
and I'm like Mr Bennett.
You know we're not starting forlike another hour and a half.
He's like man, you know.
(30:14):
What do you want to see?
You should give him this CDwhat are their names?
And he just couldn't have beenmore hospitable.
And the thing about his sort ofintergenerational appeal.
You can thank his son for that,because when Tony's career was
sort of paused for lack of abetter word it was his son who
(30:39):
reinvented his career by sayingDad, you should be on MTV.
And they got him on MTV andintroduced him to a whole new
audience.
And then he became cool again,like he ever wasn't cool, but
that let him maintain hisprofile and his appeal with
younger artists right up untilthe very end.
(31:01):
His last public performancewith Lady Gaga at Radio City,
you know, when he was alreadystruggling with Alzheimer's.
But you wouldn't know it inthat show man they were, they
were something else.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
Wow and all completely sold out.
By the way, all all those showswhere I know people who were
selling them on the black marketto desperate music lovers long
(31:35):
as they're performing.
Speaker 4 (31:36):
You got to get out and see live shows and live
music.
You want to see your favoriteperformers live before you.
You never know when the end ofthe tour is going to be for them
.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
You know it's so funny.
You say that, Paul, because Iknow as a kid growing up I was
such a theater nerd growing upand I lived outside Philadelphia
and whenever, like AnthonyQuinn would come by and Zorba
and Mickey Rooney and Ann Millerand Sugar Babies and Yul
Brynner and the King and I youknow these, these tours would
(32:03):
sweep through and my parentstook me to see them because it
yeah, and now I can say that Igot to see Anthony Quinn and Yul
Brynner and Mickey Rooney,whereas not many people can say
that it's important.
Brenner and Mickey.
Speaker 4 (32:16):
Rooney, whereas not many people can say that it's
important Absolutely and not tobe morbid, but we have to make
sure we see Alison and Nelsonlive.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
While you still can, while we can.
Speaker 4 (32:25):
That's what I'm saying Grab your tickets.
The link is in the live YouTubechat and also in the show notes
of the audio podcast and we'llthrow it back to another
performance.
We mentioned a little earlierabout the Monster Mash at your
October show and we do have alittle clip of that.
Doesn't matter what time ofyear it is, monster Mash is
(32:48):
always a fun listen.
And here are Nelson and Allisonperforming live on stage.
A little Monster Mash.
Speaker 2 (32:56):
Here we go See, if you're old enough to remember
this.
Speaker 7 (33:04):
I was working in the lab late one night when my eyes
beheld an eerie sight for mymonster from his slab began to
rise and suddenly, to mysurprise, he did the mash.
He did the monster mash.
It was a graveyard smash.
He did the mash.
(33:24):
It caught on in a flash.
He did the mash.
He did the monster mash.
From my laboratory in thecastle east, from the master
bedroom where the vampires feast, the ghouls all came from their
humble abode to get a jolt frommy electrodes.
They did the mash.
He did the monster mash, themonster mash.
(33:47):
It was a graveyard smash.
They did the mash.
It caught on in a flash.
They did the mash.
He did the monster mash.
The zombies were having fun.
The party had just begun.
The guests included Wolfman,dracula and his son.
(34:07):
The scene was rockin'.
Oh, we're diggin' the sounds.
Igor on chains, backed by hisbaying hound Coffin bangers
about to arrive with their hoglegroup, the crypt kicker five.
They did the mash.
They did the monster mash, themonster mash.
It was a graveyard smash.
(34:27):
They did the mash.
It caught on in a flash.
They did the mash.
They played the monster mashOut from his coffin.
Drax voiced it ring Seems he wastroubled by just one thing he
shook his fist, opened the lidand said Whatever happened to my
Transylvania twist.
It's now the Mash.
It's now the Monster Mash, theMonster Mash, and it's a
(34:52):
graveyard smash.
He did the Mash.
It cuts on in a flash.
He did the Mash.
He did the mash.
It cuts on in a flash.
He did the mash.
He did the monster mash.
Now everything's cool.
Drax, a part of the band, andmy monster mash is the hit of
the land.
For you, the living, this mashwas meant to.
When you get to my door, tellthem Boris sent you and you can
(35:12):
mash.
And you can monster mash,monster mash.
It is a graveyard smash and youcan mash.
And you can monster mash,monster mash.
It is a graveyard smash.
Then you can mash.
You'll catch on in a flash.
Then you can mash.
Then you can monster mash.
Mmm Mash good.
Remember that.
Mmm Mmm Mash good.
Speaker 1 (35:40):
I forgot how much fun we have on stage.
Speaker 4 (35:44):
Oh, my goodness.
And so if you're in the livechat, nelson's saying there was
a costume contest and, as wecould hear you out there calling
out who you were seeing, you'resaying the Scarlett O'Hara
Carol Burnett costume madefamous by Bob Mackie.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
Yeah, there was a very famous sketch and Carol
Burnett was doing a spoof ofScarlett O'Hara when she made
the curtain dress.
But as Carol Burnett wore it,she wore it with an actual
curtain rod in it.
So it was very, it was very.
It was a brilliantly executedcomedy skit back in the 70s and
the gal that won the costumecontest brilliantly executed
(36:21):
replicating it.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
Well, so exciting for your upcoming show.
Is there anything else you wantto mention about the show
specifically?
Speaker 2 (36:31):
Well, I would encourage people, especially for
the July shows.
They're already selling out, sothere are more seats at the
moment for the August shows.
Don't let that deter you,though.
Go on to thegreenroom42.com andget your ticket soon.
There are all sorts ofdifferent tiers of seating.
It's one of the cool thingsabout that venue and I've been
performing almost exclusivelythere for the last five or six
(36:53):
years is that there's no minimum.
You buy your ticket and they'renot forcing you to eat and
drink.
You just go and you eat anddrink what you want.
It also has some of the mostbeautiful vistas outside.
If you're an Instagram personor if you want to just get some
good shots of the city.
There are all these adjacentbeautifully designed bars
(37:14):
overlooking the skyscrapers.
It's just a great place to hangout.
So that's what we'll be doingWe'll be singing and then we're
going to be hanging out, so we'dlove you to join us.
Speaker 4 (37:23):
So very cool.
And, of course, as I mentioned,the link is in the live chat
and it's also in the show notesof the audio podcast.
There's also a link to thepress release.
The Broadway World pressrelease is there for you to
peruse as well.
And, gosh, I really want to getto one of those July shows,
maybe on our way out to Irelandor something.
I can make that happen, butbefore we can't, of course, go
(37:48):
without talking about any themillions of other projects that
Nelson's been working on.
Of course, in season one wementioned his book and, as I
mentioned at the top of theepisode, the sequel's coming out
.
This came pretty quick here.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
Nelson, I know that's actually the very first look.
You're getting the exclusivefirst look at the cover.
We did want it to resemble theprevious cover, which it does.
It's the same sort of look, butnow, instead of just dancing
between the raindrops, whichcovered the 80s in New York City
of my life, now we're dancingbetween the raindrops, the
Hollywood years, which coversthe 22 years I spent in Los
(38:25):
Angeles and I have always said22 years in Los Angeles.
You get less for murder and partof my experience in Los Angeles
included for the better, my theadvent of my television career
and, interestingly, a big partsof that show business career, in
addition to all the celebrityinterviews and experiences of
(38:48):
traveling that I got to do, werecovering some notable passings
like the death of Heath Ledger,the, the death of Michael
Jackson, the death of FarrahFawcett, the death of Whitney
Houston, the death of RobinWilliams.
I mean it made the differencein my reporting career from just
being yeah, showbiz news toserious reporting and journalism
(39:10):
.
As you know, I meanentertainment is a major part of
our pop culture lifestyle thesedays.
Of course, while I was livingin Los Angeles as well, I was
very closely involved in the OJSimpson double murder case
because I worked at theMezzaluna restaurant, which was
made famous as a result of themurder case, and there were many
(39:38):
connections.
And I delve into the OJ Simpsonexperience in the book as well
as the odd, you know, riots,earthquakes, all those other
things that seemed to happenover the course of the time I
was in Los Angeles.
So but it's all told with a.
It's fictionalized but verythinly veiled and all of my
nearest, dearest and most lovedpeople are represented in that.
And lots of celebrity namedropping.
(39:59):
And when you come across acelebrity's name that you don't
recognize it's because I had tochange it for legal purposes,
but otherwise you'll probablyfigure it all out.
So yes, that will be on sale.
Dancing Between the Raindropsthe Hollywood Years will be on
sale this week, so you can grabit on Amazon or ask for it at
your local bookstore.
If you thought the 80s in NewYork City were wild, wait till
(40:24):
you go.
Dancing Between the Raindropsin the Hollywood Years this
sequel to mysemi-autobiographical novel
about life, love and building astar-studded showbiz career
moves to Tinseltown in 1990 andcovers the tawdry 22 years there
among the rich and famous, Fromthe LA riots and OJ Simpson's
(40:45):
double murder trial to thedeaths of Michael Jackson and
Heath Ledger.
There are also plenty ofsexcapades and celebrity romps.
As we search for lasting lovein the City of Angels, don't
miss out on the misadventures.
Critics say it's the book youmust read if you don't read
anything else this year.
Wildly entertaining and a juicyjoyride through Hollywood.
(41:13):
Dancing Between the Raindrops,the Hollywood Years is available
on Amazon, or ask for it inyour local bookstore and grab an
extra copy for your bestie.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
Oh my gosh, who doesn't love?
Speaker 2 (41:24):
a juicy joyride.
I love it.
Speaker 4 (41:31):
And I know you initially had this idea to
present your story.
Speaker 5 (41:50):
You're loosely based on your life story in like three
books in a trilogy, was it?
Speaker 2 (41:54):
this was a like.
Okay, I knew I was going towrite the sequel and they said
my deadline was originallyNovember 1.
And I finished it five monthsahead of schedule and they said
we can get this out in time forSummer Beach reading.
And I'm like, let's do it,because I want to do a part
three.
So now I'm working on that andthere we go.
Also, I'm working on alittleanic something.
(42:15):
Uh, I've got up my sleeve.
So, yeah, I'm I'm a very busywriter at the moment and I do
want to say, while we still havea few minutes left, I want
allison to tell you about herburt backwrack album because, uh
, I was just thinking her, she'swearing her lovely yellow and
there are some photos of herfrom the burt backwrack album
where she is unbelievable inyellow.
(42:35):
Yellow is not an easy color topull off.
Allison, can you talk aboutthat?
Speaker 1 (42:40):
Oh sure, well, so the 60s, you know you got to go big
, big, bold colors, going withthese really fun, intricate
arrangements.
We just wrapped recording our20 song Burt Bacharach tribute
album.
My band and I did this winterand we will be releasing that
(43:04):
this July, highlighting a lot ofthe hits that Dionne Warwick
made famous, but also some ofthe other women that Burt
collaborated with DustySpringfield, cilla Black, also
(43:28):
Herb Alpert and Tijuana Brass.
So it's kind of a collection ofa lot of the well-known hits
and then a few that you probablyhaven't heard before.
So I was kind of digging deepin the catalog and there's some
that Peggy Lee debuted and Ihave one that has not been
recorded since she did it in the60s.
(43:50):
I have a Yiddish language tunefeaturing Broadway star Julie
Benko, whose husband, jasonYeager, is our pianist every day
for me and in these upcomingshows for Tony Bennett as well.
So we have a lot that went intothat album.
It's taking you back to that 60sworld I call it the sexy 60s
(44:11):
where the music was cool,everyone dressed fabulous and
color TV was the big thing, soit was just bright colors.
I wore orange for the firsttime in my life this year.
That was scary but I was like Ithink I could do.
Orange and yellow.
This is exciting.
So a new birth back rack albumon the way to find that perfect
(44:31):
balance of refreshing the oldiesbut goodies with a new sound
that honors the original.
Always finding that balance ofhonor.
What's special about theoriginal?
Put your new spin on it.
And we did this.
Just as a quintet, it's just afive-piece jazz band.
So instead of a massive studioorchestra, we paired it all the
(44:52):
way down so that you couldreally appreciate the
intricacies of Burt'sarrangements and Hal David's
lyrics.
Speaker 4 (45:01):
And?
But this isn't like your band'sfirst work that you're you're
putting out there.
As I discovered earlier when Imade the Instagram story, your,
your, your band has recordingsout there that people can listen
to.
Where, where do you suggestpeople find your music?
Speaker 1 (45:18):
This is our seventh studio album and we are on all
the streaming platforms.
We are a very high tech retroband.
So, uh, you can go to mywebsite, fleursalcom, or any
place that you listen to music.
Um, if you type in Fleursal, uh, you'll'll only find us and no
(45:39):
matter how you pronounce it,paul right, right.
Speaker 4 (45:43):
What's the translation of that?
Speaker 1 (45:45):
it means the lone flower, which and I just thought
it was cool at the time I waslike okay, this makes sense, but
my musicians always tease meand they go oh, so are we the
weeds?
No, that wasn't what I wasthinking at the time.
You guys are the leaves and thebranches, and the roots that
support, and I mentionedInstagram earlier.
Speaker 4 (46:07):
I encourage anybody out there listening to follow
both Allison and Nelson on Insta, if you aren't yet.
Both of their accounts are justa joy to peruse.
Nelson's at Nelson Aspen andAlison is at floor soul.
That's F?
L E U R S?
E?
U?
L?
(46:27):
E.
Yeah, just one L.
One L, though Correct, yes, andher website, as she mentioned,
floor soulcom.
Nelson's at Nelson Aspen yes,and her website, as she
mentioned, floresoulcom.
Nelson's at nelsonaspencom.
The show is on the Green Room42 website.
The Tony Bennett tribute iscoming up Now.
I do want to mention too we'vebeen talking about these two
(46:48):
books that Nelson wrote, and hejust teased a Titanic book as
well, but these aren't yourfirst books either.
Speaker 2 (46:57):
No, but they're my first fiction books, even though
they're based on my life.
They're my first novels.
I've written many sort ofanecdotal stories.
One's called Hollywood InsiderExposed, which was sort of
chronicling my time in Hollywoodprofessionally, sort of
chronicling my time in Hollywoodprofessionally.
(47:17):
I did a book, a how-to book,when I moved into my current
home, which was during thepandemic, and that's called your
Home is your Castle Live Likean A-Lister in a Post-Pandemic
World and that actually debutedat number one on Amazon's home
remodel and renovation charts,much to my surprise.
I don't know, I just I hit itlucky People, people like home
improvement, and there was thatand I did.
(47:40):
I did a couple of dinner partybooks.
So yeah, I've just been, I'mI'm a writing machine and I just
I just want to sort of tell thestories, and the dancing
between the raindrop series isreally a treat because it's it's
basically and I think it's oneof the reasons why I can write
it so quickly is it's theanecdotes that I have been
telling my whole life.
These are the stories that arethe most noteworthy to me from
(48:03):
my 60, almost 61 years on thisearth.
So I've told them so many timesNow.
I've just given them charactersand tell them that way.
So it's been fun to do and I'mreally enjoying the response.
I had to channel my innerJackie Collins and not be afraid
to be naughty and profane andgraphic, and that was hard for
(48:29):
me because I'm a pretty squeakyclean guy and I let her rip and
people liked it.
So wait till you read part two.
It really starts off with abang.
Speaker 4 (48:40):
I know you've been so self-conscious about letting a
bad word or two slip, but thelast time you were here I was
like dude, it's fine, it'stotally fine.
Speaker 2 (48:47):
You had me do a reading and I'm like, oh my God,
what have I started?
There's no going back.
Speaker 4 (48:54):
Yes and oh my gosh.
So we have so much to explore,so much to check out.
But, um, and I'm gonna do mydarndest to get there and to see
your tony bennett tribute live,and anyone that can, that's in
the manhattan area.
You, it's a must see, you gotto be there and, um, I'm, I'm
(49:15):
hoping that I can as well.
Speaker 2 (49:16):
But thank you, paul.
You're always so generous.
You're always so generous andand inclusive, and you know
that's why.
You know that's why we madefriends and stayed friends, so
we're grateful.
Speaker 1 (49:27):
Thank you for having us today and something about the
show itself, too, to not forgetis that we have these
incredibly intricate, uniquearrangements that Tony did.
His arrangements were verydifferent from what you
typically hear.
His version of Fly Me to theMoon was very different.
Our duets are a lot morecomplicated, the ones that he
(49:49):
did with Gaga on thosecollaborations very intricate
and not commonly heard.
So they're going to be freshversions that you're not
familiar with probably as wellas we've got a snappy, fabulous
band of mine that, nelson, youknow.
You've been working with us, soyou're going to get all kinds
(50:10):
of top caliber entertainmentsqueezed into one concert.
Speaker 2 (50:13):
There's a lot of talent out concert.
Our musical director, andyWarren, we.
You know it's impossible, withthe body of work that Tony
Bennett produced over the courseof his 96 years on earth, to
get it all in.
And so what we've done, we'veselected the songs that we
wanted to do for ourselves, butwe also wanted to make sure we
included as much as possible.
So Andy has concocted what wecall the mega medley, so that we
(50:39):
get as many Tony songs in as wecan and please, please
everybody.
We can't get it all in, but, boy, we're getting a lot in and
should run about 75 minutes byour calculations.
If you just hold for applause,it should run about.
Speaker 4 (50:55):
And, of course, if we can't get there live we
mentioned the August 4th showwill be live streamed.
This, this YouTube network, theVodacity Network, was born from
live streaming, liveperformances during covid, so a
lot of our audience here is usedto just watching a live stream
live performances If you can'tbe together in person.
Speaker 2 (51:16):
And that link.
The Green Room tells me that ifyou purchase the live stream
ticket, you have that link for aweek, so you don't have to
watch it live.
You'll have it for up to a week.
Speaker 4 (51:27):
Very excited and I'm so grateful to both of you for
joining us.
Nelson, just always a pleasureYou've mentioned, like me, being
gracious like the minute westarted talking.
You've just been nothing butthe most welcoming and
hospitable man and I can't thankyou enough for spending time
with us and Allison.
(51:47):
It was an absolute pleasure tomeet you and hopefully this is
not our last conversation, oh,and happy birthday.
Belated birthday weekend.
Thank you having me, oh, andhappy birthday Belated birthday
weekend.
Thank you 25 again and thank youNelson, thank you Allison.
Ladies and gentlemen, give hima hand and have a great rest of
(52:11):
your night.
See you soon.
Speaker 5 (52:16):
Well, they are wonderful they are.
They certainly are.
I definitely I'm going to seeif we can make an arrangement
when Susan and I plan on gettingout there to see Nelson.
I think that would be so cool.
Speaker 4 (52:27):
Yeah, and even just to meet him like that's what
Jamie and I went to his booksigning in December and he's
just the man you see on the livestream is who he is.
He's just so kind and welcomingand a wonderful person to chat
with for sure.
Speaker 5 (52:42):
Yeah, wow, love it.
I don't know if we have thetime for a poem, but I actually
did find a Tony Bennett poem.
Speaker 4 (52:49):
You did, yes, poetry, not even lyrics, but poetry
Poetry.
Okay, what's it about?
Speaker 5 (52:58):
Well, actually it's about Tony Bennett's later years
and it's from somebody by thename of James C Allen.
It was written in 2012.
I think he went and he saw he'salways been a fan of Tony
Bennett and so it actually doestalk about the duets and the
(53:19):
times.
His, you know, tony re-emergedand I agree with that, with what
was said.
Is he re-emerged because, whenyou think about it, uh, when
tony bennett came out and didthe duets album, uh, I mean, the
only reason why people wouldsee tony bennett was if, maybe,
their mother or father orgrandparents shared some of the
(53:41):
songs and maybe, if anybody knewabout you know, I left my heart
in san francisco that would bereally the only, um only reason
why people would say, oh, that'stony bennett.
And then he totally reinventshimself.
He does what he has always done, and what I love is, like even
(54:05):
the little story that, uh, thatwas shared earlier in the
podcast.
It, you know, it's like this istony you.
This is who I am and, like meor not, I'm not changing.
And this particular poem iscalled Elegant parentheses for
(54:27):
Tony Bennett, and it's just ashort poem, but it's really,
really nice.
Speaker 4 (54:34):
Craig Jackman's first poetry reading of season two.
Ladies and gentlemen, here'sElegant.
Speaker 5 (54:54):
Despite my initial impression, there was nothing
sour or bent about the directionhe has taken his music in
recent years.
The duets with Winehouse andGaga other things that I might
have thought would have been offwere sharp poking me to that
(55:16):
higher appreciation.
So this is what it means to bean artist the inevitable
transformation, his constantreinvention of the ancient style
, the inability to rest on one'slaurels even after delivering
the perfect song in SanFrancisco and just like that,
(56:02):
season two has launched.
Speaker 4 (56:03):
Be sure you're subscribed, as here in season
two, cove podcast will be onevery other tuesday and in the
tuesdays in between will be mynew show, titanic legacy podcast
.
Be sure you're subscribed tothat if titanic interests you.
But uh, can't wait for a brandnew season, catching up with old
friends and meeting new oneshere in the Cove.
And I want to say thank you toall of our Cove community
(56:24):
Patreon curators AngelicaBolschweiler, anna Gina Voller,
charity Swanson, emily Thatcher,gina Dobbs, josephus Snyder,
kelsey Blaine Gibson, kristaKing, meryl Milkey, the Farren
one helping us continue to goand grow.
And until the next one, makeeach day count.
Speaker 7 (56:54):
I put the coat on her .
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