Ali McGregor on James Morrison and Jazz Cigarettes
Friday, February 19, 2010 at 11:10AM Ali McGregor traverses the worlds of opera and popular culture like no other, either as an award winning principal Soprano with Opera Australia; as a regular cabaret performer in The Famous Spiegeltent around the world; or as a regular guest on ABC TV’s ‘Spicks & Specks’.
As a performer you run the gamut - playing intimate cabaret shows, performing on larger stages in opera and theatre, and working in television. Which of these brings you the most pleasure and which one makes you the most nervous?
This one is quite an easy question – the most pleasure is from shows with my band in intimate venues such as The Spiegeltent. I can see everyone, I can hear their reaction, I can talk to them and they can see every little nuance that we make. I get such a thrill from these shows. The most nervous is any audition. For anything. Ever. Give me an audience any day!
What was the first cabaret performance you remember seeing and what sort of impact did it have on you?
One of the cabaret performances I saw in recent ears that opened by eyes to what was possible was Camille O’Sullivan’s first solo show when we were both performing in La Clique. She took on characters, made us swoon, laugh and cry. These are now the three things I aim to make my audience do on a nightly basis!
What was your first performance in a cabaret setting?
My first ‘cabaret’ show was in The Spiegeltent in Melbourne. It was The Opera Burlesque and I later brought this show to Adelaide. I was joined by two other lovely operatic ladies and it started me off on a course I doubt I will leave now for the rest of my performing life!
We saw you at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival last year in 2009. Where has your work taken you since then?
Since last year’s cabaret festival I have been in the UK where I had a very successful season of my Variety Night in the renown Assembly Rooms at Edinburgh Fringe Festival. As a result of this show’s success I went on to appear on Radio 4 shows, performed on in the West End in Frank Skinner’s show and got the chance to appear in lots of fantastic cabaret and comedy venues around London.
Is there much room within your shows for them to change from night to night? Given that you have the opportunity to perform in different cities and different countries how do you feel your shows have developed from their initial creation?
The shows are a little different each night. I may change a few songs around or do one or two different songs altogether. I also love a surprise special guest, so I never say never to a one-off collaboration! I like to talk about the songs and why I have chosen them and that is not scripted. I find as the audience changes mood then so do I. I also have to make sure I keep the band entertained!
You’ve just finished recording your debut album. What sort of process did you go through to select the material that you’d record?
All the songs have been performed in my show at one time or another so they all have a very special meaning to me. The name ‘Jazz Cigarette’ refers to something that has been associated with Jazz since in very beginnings. All of these songs give me that same languid pleasure. I am attracted to songs with some sass, some heart and fair dose of sensuality. They also have to speak to me so I can tell a story as I perform them so there is never any filler! I will actually have some limited edition pre-release copies of this cd available at my shows in Adelaide.
I understand that James Morrison is featured on your recording. That can’t hurt your credibility with the jazz police! How did your association with James come about?
I thought that a trumpet playing on one song ‘Georgia on my Mind’ would be perfect. I was going to find a young trumpeter in Melbourne and then I thought – who would be my dream player. James was the answer so I literally wrote to him and asked him! We had met once on an episode of Spicks & Specks but I simply sent him a live copy of me singing Georgia and he said yes! It was a pretty big highlight for me and we managed to get him to play on two songs (one which is a surprising Britney cover that thrills me to bits!).
What other artists inspire you?
The classic ladies of Jazz, Ella, Billie, Sarah Vaughan, Bessie Smith, Nina, Cleo Laine. Modern day vixens like Camille O’Sullivan, Paul Capsis, Amanda Palmer, the ever changing cast of La Clique, David Campbell and his unbelievable energy and Britney for always giving me such entertainment!
Ali McGregor is presenting two shows in this year’s Adelaide Fringe. Get along to both of them and then return to cabaretconfessional.com and share your thoughts on the performance in the comments section below!
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ALI MCGREGOR’S LATE-NITE VARIETY-NITE NIGHT
Venue: The Garden of Unearthly Delights - Bosco Theatre
26 Feb, 5 March @ 11.30pm
Adult $25/Concession $20
Book at FringeTIX (1300-FRINGE) or click here.
The Garden of Unearthly Delights - The Spiegeltent
22-23 Feb @ 9.45pm
Adult $30/Concession $25
Book at FringeTIX (1300-FRINGE) or click here.
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Other cabaret shows featured in Adelaide Fringe 2010:
Everybody’s Got Something to Hide (Except for Melissa, Mark and Libby)
Grocery Girls Gone Wild OR Lock Up Your Porters
Nikki Aitken Presents - Cabaret Live and Kicking
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