THE MOMENT AFTER - PRESS

August, 2007
Jazz Improv NY

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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August, 2007
JazzTimes

July, 2007
Jazz Improv

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

April 1, 2007
Marcus Goldhaber @ The Rat Pack Café
Framingham, MA

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

April, 2007

"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

April 16, 2007 - Marcus Goldhaber / Makor

Jan. 2007 - CD Review: All About Jazz

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.

Jan. 2007 - Jersey Jazz

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Dec. 28th, 2007 - All About Jazz

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

Dec, 2006
Cabaret Scenes

"An incredibly pleasing voice!"
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December 23, 2006

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.

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

December 10, 2006

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.

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

November 17, 2006 - CD Review

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

November 15, 2006 - CD Review

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

October 4, 2006 - CD Review by ejazz news

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

October 1, 2006 - CD Review by All About Jazz

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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September 25, 2006 - CD Review by ejazz news

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

October 5, 2006 - CD Review by Talkin' Broadway

"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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Marcus Goldhaber @ Time Warner Center Music included in video documentary of
Image In Advertising Awards

February 27, 2006 - Goldhaber @ Kavehaz, NY

”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)

STAGE PRESS

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