John Minnock Returns To Don't Tell Mama August 18th

New-breed vocalist John Minnock, known for putting modern twists on cabaret classics, will present his innovative cabaret show Every Day Blues on Saturday, August 18th at Don't Tell Mama, located at 343 W 46th St, New York at 8:30pm (doors 8:00pm). Minnock will present his modern and diverse interpretations of classic blues and jazz hits, which he has precisely and appropriately chosen to represent the life experiences he has encountered as an openly gay man. The renowned cabaret venue is located at the current hub of New York's LGBTQ community (Times Square, Hell's Kitchen) and places Minnock in a perfect environment to explore and expand his music. This will be the last official performance of Every Day Blues; his next show at Don't Tell Mama, on October 6, will present a new program featuring the music of his forthcoming new album, due out this Fall.

Joining John for the momentous occasion will be special guest vocalist Deborah Lippmann. While Deborah is known as one of the worlds' premiere celebrity manicurists, music was, and remains, her first love. A seasoned jazz singer, Deborah has released two albums, "Nightingale" and "Vinyl", both available on iTunes. She is excited to be making her debut at Don't Tell Mama alongside John. More information about Deborah can be found on her website.

Tickets: $20.00 cover charge and a 2 drink minimum per person. Available here.

John Minnock, through his stellar, energetic performances, has developed himself into an audience favorite who is rapidly building a large New York following. He combines great originality, musicality and showmanship with clever wit and irreverent comedy to present a high-energy and entertaining evening of jazz, blues, funk and R&B. For John, music is a language and, perhaps because of the discrimination and oppression that communities of jazz and blues have also experienced throughout time, he feels that "jazz and blues is the language through which he feels most comfortable".

Minnock's core concept for his performances and overall aesthetic as a vocalist, immediately blossomed when he saw Ruth Brown's live show, which incorporated energy, enthusiasm, and her personal life experiences. Around the same time, Minnock and his friend, Erick Holmberg (who John consults with for many of his musical endeavors) were examining jazz music. Erick drew attention to Duke Ellington's 'Don't Get Around Much Anymore', which starts with the lyric 'Missed the Saturday Dance', and suggested that it would have to apply to a community where there is an expectation of showing up in the same place, at the same time, every Saturday - so it's either a small town, or if in an urban environment, a sub-culture - such as the African American community or the gay community. The seed was thus planted and it began to grow.

The New York native explains that jazz and blues were, essentially borne of the life experiences of an oppressed and discriminated against group - African Americans. The sound developed in and around New Orleans. Various cultures (beyond African Americans) have contributed their own experience and styles to the art form - and for John as an openly gay man, this same thing occurred in an evolutionary manner.

"I personally understand oppression and have experienced discrimination. I believe this is an underlying reason I gravitate toward the music."

One aspect that carries particular importance for John during his performances is authenticity. He ensures that he never disrespects the material, or intrudes in an area that isn't appropriate for his background.

"It's a new lens through which to look at the genre. And staying faithful to my background, not intruding on a life and experience that isn't mine, is key to continuing this."

Fan favorite Minnock is very excited to perform again at Don't Tell Mama and looks forward to continuing his series throughout the year.

MORE ABOUT JOHN MINNOCK

A new-breed vocalist who infuses diversity and modern interpretation into his jazz and blues show, John Minnock first gained popularity in Boston. He is the recipient of the "HotHouse Jazz 2016 Fans Decision Metropolitan Room Award", and recently released his debut album "Every Day Blues" (available at iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, and CDBaby). A classically trained musician, John's vocalizing recalls the likes of Billy Eckstein, Lou Rawls, George Benson and B.B. King. He often branches out into jazz improvisation and scat singing, and brings a rich history of the music to every performance. His wide repertoire of song renditions spans classic artists like King, Ruth Brown and Bill Withers to contemporaries such as Sara Bareilles, and Amy Winehouse.