Memory Lane
While in primary school, Foxtel’s Turner Classic Movies and Fox Classics TV channels introduced me to wonderful cinematic classics starring musical stars like Doris Day, Fred Astaire, and Judy Garland. My grandfather’s CD collection and local RTRFM radio show Nostalgia introduced me to classics by Tommy Dorsey’s Orchestra, Nat King Cole, and Frank Sinatra. It is to this musical and cinematic history that Memory Lane pays tribute.
Memory Lane is a nostalgic cabaret show for audiences young and old who appreciate and love the film, music, and radio stars of the 1910s-1950s. Featuring songs by Doris Day, Nat King Cole, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, and many more, Memory Lane at Ellington Jazz Club invites you to wander back through time on a sentimental journey as Jake Dennis and the Mint Jazz Band perform familiar and forgotten standards you love from cinematic and music icons of the first half of the 20th Century.
The perfect show for those who love to reminisce and sing-a-long, Memory Lane is scheduled for 6pm Sunday 22nd May. Tickets to Memory Lane make the perfect gift for yourself, your parents, or your friends who love jazz, swing, and blues classics and who love the intimate and classy atmosphere of The Ellington.
Jake Dennis and the Mint Jazz Band’s highly successful cabaret shows Classic Crooners, Come Fly With Me, Gatsby’s Cabaret, and Like Blown Smoke were performed to full houses at Perth’s best venues, including Downstairs at His Majesty’s Theatre, Ellington Jazz Club, Laneway Lounge, Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, Kalamunda Performing Arts Centre, and the Don Russell Performing Arts Centre. Book your tickets through Ellington Jazz Club today to secure your place for you and your family at Memory Lane.
No Regrets
The West Australian
One week after resigning from work at UWA, I was already in two newspapers for my work as an entertainer – The West Australian (for a Cancer Council Relay for Life fundraiser show) and The Manjimup-Bridgetown Times (for a feature at Jazz in the Jarrah, supporting the Royal Flying Doctors Service and Lions Club charities).
I also secured a booking for my first show at Rigby’s Bar and Bistro in St George’s Terrace to perform my third original cabaret show: “Gatsby’s Cabaret” which is inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel and the film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. A few weeks later, I was in the local papers again (Western Suburbs Weekly, twice, and once in The Post) and my first Fringe World show (a reprisal of my first cabaret show Come Fly With Me) sold out at the Ellington Jazz Club. To say I have no regrets for giving up well-paid fulltime employment at a highly respected institution is an understatement. I feel happier, stress-free, and more fulfilled than I have been in a long time.
The Post Newspapers.
SINGING
I left work to pursue my singing career and my achievements so far include a wonderful run at the Naked Fig Cafe with Mint Jazz Band, performing with a corporate band at the Laneway Lounge, taking Portuguese lessons to learn two verses of “The Girl from Ipanema,” being taught piano by my highly talented English teacher and friend Dr Mary Ellen MacDonald, entertaining in Manjimup, appearing at the Twilight Hawkers Market, being interviewed and performing on Radio Fremantle’s The Mixed Bag, singing at three cancer charity fundraisers in one week, and enjoying a completely sold out season at Fringe World!
SOLD OUT Fringe World Cabaret Show
ACTING
Curtin Library Fringe World Host
Curtin Library Fringe World Host
Many singers I admire are also brilliant actors (Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, Barbara Streisand, etc.) or have acted in various capacities (Jennifer Hudson, Whitney Houston, Nat King Cole, etc.). As an entertainer, I incorporate acting into a lot of my performances. It therefore seems natural that I have turned to acting to extend myself as a performing artist.
Over the last month I have been in one promotional lifestyle advertisement for a property company, one music video for a local band, featured once in Irish comedian Mary Bourke’s show “Muffragette” and acted as one of the sexy Curtin Library hosts in the Fringe World Pleasure Gardens.
I used to fear auditions but now I enjoy them. In this past week alone, I had four auditions – all parts I would love to play. Like waiting for the call from X Factor producers after successfully completing the first local rounds of auditions, I just have to wait for the call.
Landcorp Lifestyle Promotional Video Shoot Set
ENJOYING LIFE
SolarisCare Gala Dinner. Photo by JChance Photography
In the one month since resigning from work, I have had a blast! Spending time with my beautiful girlfriend Maneera (who started her own YouTube channel and Facebook page called Beauty by Maneera), completing a barista course at Dome Cafe, working as a show promoter at Fringe World, trying out a swing dancing class, and going to the gym, are some of the activities I have enjoyed. I also joined Weekend Notes as a contributor and put my English skills to use in two reviews: a comedy show review about Neel Kolhatkar’s latest comedy show and a theatre review of “Moving On Inc.”
Keep your eyes and ears ready for more great news to come!
P.S. Tickets to “Gatsby’s Cabaret,” a live cabaret show and three course dinner at Rigby’s Bar and Bistro, are selling fast. Book your tickets today! Jake Dennis and the Mint Jazz Band’s previous cabaret shows (Come Fly With Me and Like Blown Smoke) both sold out in advance of their opening nights! 😉
Tickets through Rigby’s Bar & Bistro
Jake Dennis 