The strong suit of Chicago singer Paul Motondo: SINCERITY. That’s the good news. In cabaret’s performer-to-listener, one-to-one direct line of communication, that’s a huge asset! That’s the case (and, here, case in point) whether the voice is huge or not-so-much huge (his is the latter), whether it might be Paul in a big hall or a room that’s small—or not in person at all, but recording for a CD heard in a room of one’s own. From the opening notes, he comes across as open-hearted, his emotions an open book. The CD is mostly life-affirming or self-empowering or reflective stuff, reflecting his return to singing in Act II of his life, after a seventeen-year intermission. Thus, the first track, Maltby & Shire’s “Today Is the First Day of the Rest of My Life” sets the mindset and set list’s agenda. Likewise, Dave Frishberg’s piece about following one’s “Heart’s Desire” desires the heartfelt approach, too, and gets it.

Sincerity, sincerity, sincerity…it rings true in a voice ringing with sweet tones in its own very modest, modulated, oh-so-gentle way. The problem is that more is required on some selections: oomph and guts, both far less evident. When he takes on lines like, “I’ll be stronger” and “Look out, world!” in Frank Wildhorn’s title song, I don’t believe for a second that a feather won’t knock him down. He often sounds more wan than one who can win. His shy-but-trying approach on some moments needing determination reminds me of that T shirt proclaiming, “I’m going to be more assertive…if it’s all right with you.” Accompaniment is just piano, with Mark Burnell playing mostly his own arrangements, also often lacking fire or originality of approach, somewhere between providing the surge to urge and enabling the Nice Guy hesitancy. With more experience and time, This Time Around’s singer may well do well—next time around. There are seeds here and blossoming could be ahead.

Rob Lester
Cabaret Scenes
October 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org