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By Roger McBain
- Posted February 4, 2010 at midnight
His vocal stylings and his musical arrangements sound like Frank Sinatra's, and his program with the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra this weekend is titled "Simply Sinatra," but Steve Lippia won't appear wearing a fedora and pinkie ring, striking iconic poses.
"I'm a singer, not a Sinatra wannabe or look-alike. I'm not trying to be him or copy him," he said in at telephone call from Las Vegas. "That would be kind of embarrassing and cheesy. I don't do that stuff."
What he will do is perform a score of standards from the American songbook that Sinatra put his personal stamp on in recordings, concerts, films and television appearances that still resonate with audiences a dozen years after Sinatra's death.
Lippia's performance will pay homage to Sinatra through the music.
"I have arrangements that are very close to (Sinatra's) originals, and I certainly borrow from his approach to music as far as phasing goes," he said.
Lippia, 53, grew up buying and listening to pop and rock music, but he surprised his friends, when, on a dare, he chose to sing "It Was a Very Good Year" in a high school talent show. He'd heard Sinatra's Grammy-winning recording of composer Ervin Drake's best-known song at home, on his parents' recordings.
"This was really the music of their generation," he said, "but I never thought of it being outside of myself."
That has remained true for succeeding generations. If you don't believe it, check out the songbook in a local karaoke joint sometime, said Lippia. Flip through the songs by artist, "and you'll see Elvis, Tony Bennett, Bobby Darin, the Beatles, U2 and whoever else," he said, but when you get to Frank Sinatra, "you'll see that even today, there's perhaps more music dedicated in that book to him than to any other artist."
He expects audiences for the Saturday and Sunday pops concerts to know nearly all the music on the program.
The list will include "Witchcraft," "Fly Me to the Moon," "The Lady is a Tramp, " "It Was a Very Good Year," "Send in the Clowns," "I've Got You Under My Skin" and a dozen other songs written and arranged by some of America's greatest talents and performed and recorded by lots of artists, but most memorably, perhaps, by Sinatra.
With his choices of material and arrangers, his signature style and "his ability to dramatize the lyric as if he was living in the moment," Sinatra came to own the songs he sang, said Lippia. "He was a conduit to people's souls with these great songs."
IF YOU GO
What: Guest singer Steve Lippia will perform with the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra in "Simply Sinatra," a program featuring songs popularized by Frank Sinatra.
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
Where: The Victory
Admission: Tickets cost $15 to $61 for adults, $5 to $61 for those 12 and younger, $10.50 at the door for students (hour before concert)
Information: For reservations or information, call (812) 425-5050 or go to http://www.evansvillephilharmonic.org/
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/feb/04/sinatras-stylings-playing-the-victory-this/
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