A SWING SET WITH
PROMISE AND PATCHES

Martin Bonventre’s energetic debut mixes
strong musicianship with uneven vocal control

Martin Bonventre sang a line in his act that was unintentionally relevant on the very last night of January, when the temperature in New York City had plunged to a punishingly low number. The song in question is one that questions the cause of unfamiliar physical symptoms, such as trembling and tingling, and the line is the one offering a logical explanation for one sensation: “I’m freezing – that’s because it’s cold out.” The wind-chill factor was off the charts that night, but that apparently didn’t factor into the vocalist’s mood singing the charts designed for his debut album Swingin’ in a New Dimension; he was “chill” and cheerful as he launched into this title number from the 1963 Broadway musical She Loves Me. And some in the very packed audience at The Laurie Beechman Theatre seemed to love him — at least for his desire to entertain with enthusiasm and energy that was matched by the excellent musicians. (He was in esteemed company, with primo pianist Jason Yeager leading a group of veteran players.)

There were, however, times when those assets in the set were offset by moments when something was off. While his voice has some robust qualities and can project joy, the sound can seem forced or “pushed,” causing a harsher nasal tone and disconcertingly unreliable intonation. Sometimes the notes one would expect to be more challenging or tricky were just fine, while simpler, shorter ones didn’t land squarely in the center. When relaxing into laid-back phrasing and tempi, without what might be “trying too hard,” things were smoother. Giving the man the benefit of the doubt in his debut at this venue, perhaps his focus wasn’t firmly on his tone.

Jason Yeager, Boots Maleson, and Martin Bonventre

Arrangements were by Jackie Presti, with whom he studies, and she was in the house—as were, apparently, a bevy of buddies, colleagues, and family. The band supplied great support and pleasing spotlight moments — Tony Tedesco on drums, Boots Maleson on bass, Greg Ruvolo on trumpet, and Matt Hong on sax and flute — and then there was the luxuriously long and pensive piano solo before the vocal on “You Must Believe in Spring.”

Patter could use some work. He didn’t share anything personal or offer any lesser-known facts about the songs or how he connects with their content. He recorded most of the material with the same musicians, and his running gag when some of those tunes came up was to mention that and say, with mock innocence, “Did I mention that this is on my upcoming E.P.?” Curiously, the emphasized word “upcoming” kept coming up when, in fact, it was officially released and being sold online as a physical disc and digitally eight days earlier. And he never stated its title! Although he announced the names of some of the songwriters, in a couple of instances he mentioned the name of the composer but not the lyricist. One example of that was his opening song, “The Song Is You,” just saying it was “written by Jerome Kern,” as if composer Kern also penned the lyric rather than the true wordsmith Oscar Hammerstein. (This incomplete crediting brings to mind an anecdote about another classic by the same collaborators. Someone talking to Mrs. Hammerstein expressed admiration for “Ol’ Man River,” referring to it as a song “written by Jerome Kern,” and the perturbed Mrs. H. retorted, “My husband wrote ‘Ol’ Man River.’ Jerome Kern wrote ‘dum-da-dum-dum.’”)

Playing characters in musical theatre may be more in Martin Bonventre’s wheelhouse than singing “as himself” in a way that audiences could feel they know him via the way he might “own” the lyrics. The performer has considerable experience in regional theatre, essaying a range of roles, some featuring his skills as a dancer, and one suspects that such terpsichorean talents are his strong suit at this point in his career.

Martin Bonventre and Vanessa Mitchell

A delightful highlight illustrated that when he and partner Vanessa Mitchell sailed across the stage with flair in a segment presenting two Irving Berlin numbers that reference that activity: “Change Partners” and “Let’s Face the Music and Dance.” Suddenly, he seemed to be fully in a true comfort zone, gliding gracefully despite the limited space. The other time he appeared to be most at home was at the very end, when the music genre changed from the otherwise predominant category (old standards, show tunes, and ballads) for pep with pop/rock, channeling Tom Jones swagger before calling it a night.

It was actually refreshing to hear “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” in a month other than December, since the whole point of its lyric is someone beating other potential suitors to be accepted as someone’s date (“Maybe it’s much too early in the game / Oh, but I thought I’d ask you just the same”). Maybe it’s much too early in the game to predict how Martin Bonventre might grow into a more assured stylist with dedication and determination. One need not wait all year, till New Year’s Eve; his next date at the Beechman is May 14. If the vexing vocal variables can be addressed and finessed, there’s potential for a sunny outlook. You must believe in spring.

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photos by Andrew Levine/NightLife Exchange

Martin Bonventre
Swingin’ in a New Dimension Album Release Show
The Laurie Beechman Theatre, NYC
Saturday, January 31, at 7PM
for more shows, visit The Beechman
for more info, visit Martin Bonventre
stream “Oh! Look At Me Now”

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