MARCUS GOLDHABER
NIGHT HOTEL/SEPTEMBER 3, 10, 17 AND 24
Barely into his thirties, Goldhaber ranks among those precocious jazz-pop-cabaret crooners from Harry Connick Jr. to Michael Feinstein to Michael Bublé, who embraced the past (crooning and classic pop standards) while still in their twenties. His latest album, Take Me Anywhere (Fallen Apple), includes seven original songs. Not as brash as Connick or Bublé, nor as suavely sophisticated as Feinstein, Goldhaber sings with lithe swing in a intimate style akin to Chet Baker’s. Besides the weekly Night Hotel gig with Janice Friedman Trio, he can also be heard at Prohibition September 7 and 14, this time with Jon Davis Trio. GK

“Every Thursday night all of you should be heading straight to the Night Hotel to hear the talented Marcus Goldhaber, Whom You Know’s Mover and Shaker.  It is the most entertaining and classiest Thursday night you could possibly have in Manhattan, which is usually packed with events on Thursdays.  Last night Peachy Deegan heard Marcus sing a variety of favorites including a New England favorite: Old Cape Cod. He threw in a little Gershwin and punctuated the numbers with anecdotes about growing up with his family and engaged the audience other times. Take Me, a top song from his latest album “Take Me Anywhere” was nicely done as well as Top Hat, White Tie and Tails. Marcus did a fabulous job with Ain’t She Sweet also.  The Night Hotel does a nice job hosting - Peachy recommends the Sparkling White Grape Cosmopolitan. The crowd listened enthusiastically and those that Peachy spoke with said they would definitely be back for another performance!  You can be assured you will be happier if you visit the Night Hotel on Thursday night to see Marcus Goldhaber perform!”

-Peachy Deegan, Whom You Know

“If you’re looking for an alternative to a sweaty, packed happy hour where you spend more time trying to get the bartender’s attention than actually enjoying your drink, mix up your routine with the Night Time jazz and cocktail event at The Night Hotel every Thursday from 6-9 pm through June 2. Crooner Marcus Goldhaber performs syncopated standards along the lines of Frank Sinatra that will transport you a world away from the bustle of the Theater District. I was there with a friend last week, and we both agreed that the hotel lounge’s black-and-white setting paired with the jazz would make for a great date. The performance was stirring and nostalgic, and it was refreshing to see musicians so comfortable in their element.”

-Selena Ricks, The Dizzy Fizz

Marcus Goldhaber’s new CD comes on like a plate full of comfort food. This collection of 17 songs (almost half of which are original and the rest familiar standards) is done straightforwardly with the Jon Davis Trio (Davis on piano, Martin Wind on bass and Marcello Pellitteri on drums with drummer Lieven Venken on one track). Goldhaber’s soft, warm voice and lyric-driven laid back style tells each story effortlessly…

This CD bears witness to the fact that Goldhaber is a hopeless romantic, that old-fashioned breed of singer called a crooner. In a climate which pushes reality and actuality, it’s nice to find something that bespeaks of light, both moon and candle.

To read the full review, click here.

Große Stücke, die zudem größtenteils auch noch aus der eigenen Feder von Marcus Goldhaber stammen, werden hier à la Chet Baker ziemlich lässig, man könnte schon fast sagen, “sanft hauchend” interpretiert. Begleitet wird er von einer starken, lebendigen und inspirierten Rhythmusgruppe: dem Jon Davis Trio, bestehend aus Pianist Jon Davis, Bassist Martin Wind sowie dem Schlagzeuger Marcello Pelliteri.

Marcus Goldhaber - “Take Me Anywhere”

Der in New York lebende Künstler, eigentlich dem Schauspielmetier entstammend, entdeckte erst später seine Passion für den Gesang. Und das macht er ziemlich gut. Das neue Album “Take Me Anywhere” ist mittlerweile sein zweites. Mit dem Titelsong “Take Me” und einigen anderen Tracks präsentiert er auch gewissermaßen seine ersten Eigenkompositionen, die er zusammen mit Jon Davis verwirklicht hat.

Zwischen den einzelnen Titeln besteht ein deutlicher Kontext, denn sie beschreiben die verschiedenen Stationen einer Romanze: Alles gestaltet sich wie großes Puzzle, welches sich dann am Ende zu einem Ganzen fügt.

Manchmal zwar fällt das gesamte Werk ein Quentchen moderat aus, womit sich der Interpret immerhin auf der sicheren Seite bewegt. Dennoch, alles in allem ist die Zusammenstellung sehr stimmig. Man wird von Marcus Goldhaber sicherlich noch einiges hören!

Chet Baker-inspired vocalist Marcus Goldhaber put out an excellent debut record (“The Moment After”) a couple of years ago, and it was just that; a good reinterpretation of standards with the subdued interpretation of well known lyrics. This time around, Goldhaber, along with the working Jon Davis Trio (Davis/p, Martin Wind/b, Marcello Pellitterri/dr) tackle not only some cool toned standard fare regarding the ups and downs of relationships, but has added his own adroitly observant pen into the fold, with some surprisingly successful tunes. Regarding the “love standards”-“I Get Along Without You Very Well” and “No Moon At All” feature the cool toned crooner in a hipper than hep environment with the sublime support of Davis’ trio. His own tunes, which deal with the struggles of commitment in a relationship, are pensive, clever, ironic, and completely in tune with modern male angst. “In The Oeuvre Of The In-Between” and “You’re Beautiful, You Know That” have some of the most poignant lyrics since early Tom Waits. “A Felony Called Love” has a wit about it that will have you nodding in agreement. This is a welcome and fresh sophomore release by a guy who needs to get back on the touring trail.

Marcus Goldhaber
Take Me Anywhere
Fallen Apple Records
By George W. Harris

“Jazz vocalist Marcus Goldhaber helps you start your morning right with a mellifluous register that makes you enjoy waking up to, and eases you comfortably into the day. Goldhaber has the refined stylizing of Michael Feinstein with a elegiac glide reflective of Cole Porter. Each track is as poetic as a Shakespearean sonnet and creates an intimate setting between the listener and Goldhaber.

Goldhaber’s album Take My Anywhere has 17-tracks that infuse blissful sensations with mellifluous strokes garnering an elegiac mood that complements Goldhaber’s relaxing vocal stride. His vocals linger on the moments of joy, and ache to be there when they aren’t. His songs are terribly romantic, and even more dangerous is he passes that trait onto the listener. With 17-tracks to choose from, he reels the listener into his pursuit for an ideal euphoria, and by the ending, your tenacity to reach it becomes as strong as his.”

Click here to read the full article.

-By Susan Frances for JazzReview.com

“Of the 16 + one tracks, the lyrics of seven were written by Goldhaber.  And, Goldhaber took adept liberties in “re-tooling” the lyrics of the standards he covers on this CD.  Goldhaber’s voice falls somewhere between that of Chet Baker and Michael Franks, a soft voice – with the perfect pitch for poetry - about the pain of passion too unbearable to confront.

Pianist Jon Davis collaborated with Goldhaber on the original compositions and in the re-arranging of the standards by such notables as Hoagy Carmichael, Cahn & Styne, Kurt Weill & Ira Gershwin and Irving Berlin. The Jon Davis Trio provides the backup to this singer’s light voicing by maintaining a graceful, though loungy, sound. Hendrik Meurkens’ harmonica adds a gorgeous solo on a tune that Goldhaber wrote about his own grandparents’ lifelong love affair.

Each song tells a story, and the stories blend together into an epic tale of – you guessed it – a love affair. And, for all the pain and uncertainty that the dreaded concept of “Love” brings to this new lyricist, he manages to wrap it up with a pretty bow and a happy ending with the Buddy DeSilva and Jerome Kern standard, “Look for The Silver Lining”, and the Tin Pan Alley bijou, “When I Take My Sugar to Tea.”

When Valentine’s Day rolls around, you’ll be hearing this CD played on my jazz show and, no doubt, the programming of other jazz and sweet music stations.”

-Blondy Van Weirden (Full Review)

“On first hearing Goldhaber, one is instantly reminded of a number of singers, but particularly trumpeter Chet Baker, who enhanced his reputation with vocals. In addition to Goldhaber’s sound, his new release features many original compositions and arrangements with pianist Jon Davis. His compositions are on the order of prose poems, pithy little narratives about love and misery. These songs can be very effecting, the titles indicate the content - “Take Me,” “The Oeuvre of the In-Between,’ “You’re Beautiful, You Know That,” “I Fall Apart,” or “A Felony Called Love.” Cute. Yet they strike a chord, and lines linger well after shutting it down. The fresh arrangements of such standards as ‘No Moon at All” (many will surely mistake Goldhaber for Baker for at least a few lines), “I Get Along Without You Very Well,” “A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening,” and “Top Hat, White Tie and Tails” round out an entertaining package.”

-Jean Timmons, JazzChicago.net

“Terrific! Wonderfully imaginative!”

“Tasteful and hip, Goldhaber has a gorgeous and sensitive vocal quality…There is a freshness to each track!”

“What a wonderful straight-ahead jazz vocalist from Buffalo; part Chet Baker meets a breathier Bobby Darin. Strong arrangements of some jazz standard classics and plenty of strong originals, especially the swinging lilt of “Take Me” with Hendrik Meurkens’s tasteful harmonica solo. Jon Davis and his trio play with just enough sauce to keep the songs from dragging.”

-Culture Catch on “Take Me Anywhere” by Marcus Goldhaber and The Jon Davis Trio

If you’re going to set yourself up as being the tradition of Frank Sinatra, et al, you better be able to deliver the goods or suffer the slings and arrows. There’s only going to be one Chairman ever, but there’s always room for more Tony Bennetts. Goldhaber has the passion and the smarts to pick the right songs from the era to grab the gold ring. As good as it gets from a young ‘un of today, he does the Sinatra style without killing it with wannabe moves. He’s his own man, he’s got his own sound and there’s no shame in trying to pattern yourself after the best. Contemporary jazz vocal fans have a new rallying point with this cat.

Marcus Goldhaber lightly approaches each tune and treats it gently, keeping the melody intact. He has a unique vocal quality unlike any of his predecessors. He sticks to slower tempos and caresses each tune with dignity and grace. There are 17 songs on this album and each is a winner. Range and depth are not the forte of this fine singer, he simply sings the song with no histrionics, letting the listener enjoy his euphonious efforts.

John Gilbert, eJazzNews

By Mercy Monet
A wonderful evening of smooth music was presented by bandleader and much praised vocalist Marcus Goldhaber. Goldhaber, who was supported by his talented trio, including veteran Jon Davis on piano, Matt Hughes on bass and Marcello Pellitteri on drums, began the set with a grand rendition of “I’ll Remember April.” The group opened with a slow vamp that seamlessly grew into a driving swing. The solos began with Davis playing with ease on piano followed by a complementary solo on bass from Matt Hughes. Next, Marcus took the spotlight with a nice arrangement of “No Moon At All”….

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“A gentle spirit that soothes.”  
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- Jim Santella, Jazz Improv 

As part of their Sunday night concert series, The Rat Pack Café brought the smoothly swinging style of singer Marcus Goldhaber from his usual gig spots in New York to his native Boston area for a special night of music, history, trivia and fun!

As the tight trio vamped through an overture, Goldhaber charmed the crowd before taking the mic for a gently coached sway through “That Old Feeling” that gave his slightly congested pipes time and space to loosen up into a velvety baritone. From the warm and wavering warning of “Be Careful It’s My Heart” to a well-versed “With Pelnty of Money” to a sweet and bright “Honeysuckle Rose” to his spicy signature send-off “Lulu’s Back in Town,” Goldhaber offered a variety of emotions and moods, each of which was enhanced by his impressive knowledge and understanding of the roots of each song. Though they had only met recently, Goldhaber’s backing band kept pace even when he changed from the melancholy of “I’d Rather Be Blue” to a chocky Samba through “Embraceable You” to a sweet and bright “Honeysuckle Rose” and a scatty, bass-driven taken on “I Don’t Know Enough About You.” In between musical offerings, Goldhaber offered interesting tidbits of musical history, bringing the audience back to each point of inspiration and then letting them find their own. And though the stories were useful and enjoyable, the greatest comment on the set came in the title of the song “A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening,” for it truly was!

www.ratpackcafe.com

- Matt Robinson
© 2007, M.S. Robinson, ARR

“Marcus Goldhaber appears to be a nice enough guy. He certainly cherishes childhood memories and the times that his family gathered around the piano and sang standards without sheet music. Goldhaber would sing with his mother while his father washed dishes. He would dance with his grandmother. He would sing duets with his grandfather. His sister would accompany on piano. In his youth, Goldhaber thought that all families behaved that way. I know mine didn’t. In fact, I personally don’t know of anyone else’s family who would regularly sing before dinner, or dance after dinner, or challenge one another to learn songs of personal meaning to one or another family member. I’ve heard of families whose bonds were achieved by the making of music, like the Pizzarellis. But then, I’ve heard of families who established bonds by playing board games or by farming too. The point is that singing was an important part of Marcus Goldhaber’s life since early childhood. He has carried that fondness—his possession by music—into his first recording, The Moment After…”

-Don Williamson Read Full Review

Go to Hot House Website>

Marcus Goldhaber’s background is in the standard songs of legendary popular music writers and those legendary singers who performed them. His debut album expectedly draws its material from songs dating from the ‘20s-50s and delivers them in a pleasing straight ahead manner. Goldhaber is assisted by Jon Davis (piano), Paul Gabrielson (bass) and Kyle Struve or Will Terrill (drums). The format is a simple one that emphasizes the vocalist with some tasteful solos by the band along the way. His voice, breathy at times, does not overpower but is able to convey an intimacy with his pleasant and easy manner of singing. Goldhaber also pays attention to the lyrics and, in a nice twist, sings some of the rarely-done verses. The album is an even balance of ballads and uptempo material. “Lulu’s Back In Town” (with verse) swings and gives bassist Gabrielson an opportunity for a tasty solo and the vocalist’s Latin treatment of Patti Page’s ‘50s pop hit “Old Cape Cod” is interesting but it is on the ballads that he shines with an intuition for telling the story simply and honestly. “Be Careful, It’s My Heart” is a prime example. Worth mentioning is Davis’ piano work on “Honeysuckle Rose” and drummer Struve’s brushwork on “That Old Feeling”. Goldhaber has a young voice that will mellow, but his feeling and delivery is already appealing. He could easily fall into the category of a ‘saloon singer’ which is not that bad, considering his company would include Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra. Goldhaber is at Penang Sundays.

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Jazz vocalist Marcus Goldhaber’s debut album, The Moment After, reveals quite an interesting family history. Goldhaber’s love of the Great American Songbook stems from the many times his mother would gather all around the 1928 Ivers & Pond upright piano and call out to young Marcus, “This one, you should know”—in the same manner that her parents had done when she was the same age as him. In a sense, this Buffalo, New York griot (forgive me, Goldhabers) was passing along an aural tradition that worked wonders, insofar as instilling the respect and familiarity with the great tunes of the Twentieth Century. I’m sorry that the album wasn’t titled “This One, You Should Know”!

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By Michael P. Gladstone

“An incredibly pleasing voice!” 
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A rising vocal talent in New York City, Marcus Goldhaber’s new CD offers a pleasing selection of standards such as ‘Wrap Your Trouble In Dreams’, ‘Like Someone In Love’ and ‘Lulu’s Back In Town’. Also here are two songs by Fats Waller and Andy Razaf, ‘Honeysuckle Rose’ and ‘Keepin’ Out Of Mischief Now’, and one indelibly associated with Fats, ‘I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter’. Accompanied here by pianist Jon Davis and bassist Paul Gabrielson, while drumming duties are shared by Kyle Struve and Will Terrill. This CD provides an opportunity for those of us who are too far away to hear Marcus live to discover what New Yorkers are fast learning; that this is a singer of considerable talent who well deserves much wider exposure.

– 
http://www.swing2bop.com/reviews.html#237

Marcus is a new man on the block, a crooner with a honey smooth and gentle voice. The trio behind him, Jon Davis (p), Paul Gabrielson (b) and Kyle Struve (d) is tight and very supportive adding impressive fills when Goldhaber isn’t singing and keeping the mood right. Among the best are “Honeysuckle Rose”, “Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams” and “That Old Feeling”. The pace is cool and everything comes together well. We think Marcus will be winning hearts for a while.

– 
D. Oscar Groomes 
O’s Place Jazz Newsletter
http://www.OsPlaceJazz.com

Marcus Goldhaber’s “The Moment After”: 

Sensually intelligent and stylish.

Just listen to Goldhaber’s “Like Someone in Love” and you will realize that this man can sing with style, originality and challenging romance. “The Moment After” is cleverly crafted, vivacious and happy. The bass is right on, the piano is eloquent, and the splashes of the drums sparkle. I love this album. It is a blend of a free form smooth jazz blended into unorthodox musical virtuosity and richly evocative voice. Two thumbs up. Buy it. You will enjoy it.

- Maximillien de Lafayette 

MARCUS GOLDHABER saunters up to the microphone next with selections from his newest THE MOMENT AFTER. Goldhaber has an interesting story. His family used to sing the old standards and it was intriguing to him. Reminds me of my family and how my dad mumbled around the house like Bing Crosby. My late younger brother loved music and made it his career, The Beatles, The Beach Boys and for some reason he loved Benny Goodman. It’s all about exposure and you hear the joy and exuberance in Goldhaber’s presentation. As if he had been there when small intimate audiences held hands while listening, for music and love makes the world go round! We played Fats Waller’s “Honeysuckle Rose” and “Be Careful It’s My Heart.” Goldhaber’s style somewhat resembles Chet Baker and Bobby Short who were more musician than singer and yet their styles are most memorable. And that’s what Marcus Goldhaber is all about.

- Dick Crockett
STILL ANOTHER JAZZ SHOW
Monday, 10 am & 10pm, Pacific
“The Voice” 88.7 FM

Marcus Goldhaber has a soft and delicate voice that lends itself to the 12 tracks on this album in a manner most apropos. His style is not forceful but it is effective in the tunes that he has chosen. A nice ensemble accompaniment makes for an enjoyable recording of jazz standards. 4 Stars.

- John Gilbert

Vocalist Marcus Goldhaber has more in common with John Pizzarelli and John Proulx than Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. Goldhaber is part of a group of singers who are more sweet-throated than virile. Their singing style is creamier than the vibrato-less androgyny of Chet Baker and denser in the lower range than Jimmy Scott. All of the aforementioned vocalists have shown a great reverence to the Great American Songbook pioneered by the likes of Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer, Sammy Cahn, Peggy Lee and Irving Berlin, and Goldhaber is no exception.

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Echoes of Mark Murphy & or Chet Baker, however jazz singer Marcus Goldhaber brings it all together in his own right. Plus, the group of players he uses is worthy of a serious listen as well. His choice of music is perfect for both Marcus’s vocalese as well as the inherent musical prowess manifest in the jazz quintet. Stylistically, Mark is very let’s say uniform in his delivery as he walks a musical tightrope between affirmation & animation, but his lyrics & interpretation are flawless. This is a vocal artist totally at home in the company of great jazz musicians.

- George W. Carroll/The Musicians’ Ombudsman

“Gentle” is the operative word for Marcus Goldhaber’s singing on The Moment After. He comes across as modest and tasteful, dreamy-eyed and sensitive. Since he has musical theater roles on his resume, one assumes he has more voice than he’s using here, but this is low-key, quiet time. It’s a pleasing sound and soothing atmosphere, especially when his trio also stays on decaf. Sometimes they cut loose and move with a drive and swing he seems to almost resist. But at the end of the day, it’s a fair balance. They feed him some energy that he gets into on the quicker-paced “Lulu’s Back in Town,” one of several songs from films.

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Music included in video documentary of Image In Advertising Awards

”Marcus Goldhaber revealed a set of smooth and rich standards with an air of Swing era casual cool. Goldhaber offered old songs in new ways and put the (night) cap on a memorable set from a hot new talent.”

-Matthew S. Robinson
www.jazzusa.com (read full review)

I LEFT MY HEART… A musical Salute to Tony Bennett @Cortland Repertory Theatre Aug. 23rd-Sept. 2nd, 2006

“Goldhaber, the Broadway pro, proved to be an interesting vocal stylist, exhibiting a keen crooner’s instinct.”

“Goldhaber displayed the sense of necessary rhythm and understanding of the vital contact between singer and song.”

“Goldhaber had a sense of showmanship about him, and he worked this well.”

- Paul Hansom, Ithaca Times

 

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