SPEAKING OF JIM A Conversation with Jim Speake

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How long exactly does it take to become a cabaret performer in big bad NYC?  Well, I suppose the question is extraordinarily open to interpretation, especially if you take a good look around at the great variety of newbies at the gate each and every year!  But in general, most folks try their luck at some point earlier than their 60^th birthday.  Not so with folksy, friendly and fascinating entertainer Jim Speake. A week or so ago Mr. Speake and I sat for a chat on the steps of a statue in Madison Square Park, and he filled me in on how this unusual turn of events took place.

It isn’t as if he didn’t have some theatrical aspirations as a youth in Decatur, Alabama, but they were not particularly championed by his parents. Not unusual for the time, and doubtless not so unusual today, unless perhaps "American Idol" comes calling! So, off to school he went where he obtained degrees from both the University of Alabama (Business) and the University of Georgia (Landscaping & Architecture), which eventually led to the creation of his own extremely successful company specializing in outdoor furniture. Still, Speake always had a passion for showbiz in his blood, which he fed by singing with the choruses at both of the institutions he attended. It was in Atlanta at the tender age of 48, that Mr. Speake began serious voice lessons and he finally decided to take that leap of faith, landing in the Big Apple in 2000. Right from the start he had the good fortune to participate in classes at the renowned HB Studios with esteemed teachers such as KT Sullivan and guest teacher Eric Michael Gillett, as well as voice instruction from Broadway star David Sabella (Chicago) and well known cabaret performer Patrick DeGenarro. All of this led, eventually, to his fortuitous enrollment in the popular and long running, Summer in the City seminar series taught by cabaret royalty Lennie Watts and Lina Koutrakos. The lessons learned and friendships made there eventually led to what was to be Speake’s NY debut show (0 to 60 in a NY Minute) which played at the  now defunct room “Mama Rose’s.”  The show was intensely autobiographical, tracing Speake’s journey in song to his current state. Speaking of states, Speakes tells me he was overwhelmed and thrilled with the turnout. “I had people from Alabama, Georgia, Washington DC…about 55 people were from out of town.” And to make extra sure his entrance into the NY cabaret society was complete, two gals from Alabama arrived with suitcases filled with cheese straws for the tables. After all, “Mother always said it’s not a good party unless you have cheese straws!”

When the time rolled around to formulate his latest endeavor, Mr. Speake took his cue from an arrangement class (with Watts and always ingenious musical director Steven Ray Watkins) where he performed a highly successful entwining of the classic tunes "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" and "You are My Sunshine." “I enjoyed it so much and performed it a couple times and people seemed to love it. I thought, I love that music that I grew up with, let’s do a show around it!” And that’s exactly what he did, creating a new  revue, still very personal and yet incorporating (and limited to) familiar and fondly recalled (at least to Mr. Speake and me!) melodies from the '60s and '70s pop canon. This fresh, popular concoction was titled Jim Speake Sings My Generation, which also became the moniker of his recently released debut recording.  Working  on the new evening with Watts and Watkins, Mr. Speake found ever so clever ways to relate the interesting story of his life through the rings and rhymes of popular artists as diverse as Carly Simon, James Taylor, Carole King, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Paul McCartney and more! The show has already had several successful runs at fabled and famous Times Square cabaret club Don’t Tell Mama, where it will return Saturday, October 9^th at 5:30pm to celebrate the release of the CD! Attendees will receive a copy of the disc as part of the cover and who knows, we can always close our eyes and wish real hard for one of those cheese straws.  Odder things have happened, like suddenly becoming a very well liked and respected NY cabaret performer in your 60's! Cheers!