Over the years I’ve had gigs in clubs in New York. Los Angeles and of course in Jamaica when I was livng there. I was bi-coastal for a number of years. I’ve sung in doors and out of doors, in clubs and concert halls. When I left home and came to New York I was not certain which path I wanted to take. Nightclubs, Broadway? Life has a way of deciding some of those things for you. I was fortunate to earn a living as a voiceover actor – a working actor. But I continued to sing in clubs whenever and wherever I could.
My first gig out of town was at the Heublein Hotel in Hartford Conn. One of the many spots I have sung in that have disappeared. I was 21 or 22 years old. I was there for a week singing with a very talented trio of jazz musicians from the Hart School of Music. The hotel is gone but the music school has gone on to produce many great jazz musicians. Singing at this hotel in their restaurant was a new, different and wonderful experience. I did love it but it was the first and last time I had a week’s gig anywhere. That gig led to my subletting the apartment of one of the musicians on the gig when he left for the winter gig in Vermont. And yes, I am still in that building all these years later. So every experience does has a reason even if you can’t tell what it is at the time.
When I performed at the Heublein, I was still singing under my “born name” Elaine Katz. Seeing that name on the marquee outside made it very clear to me it needed to be changed. The reference to Katz’s Deli ( no relative) didn’t seem very jazzy and I became Lainie Cooke very soon after.
Gig Life is hard. Being on the road is hard. It’s a very difficult way to earn a living and even today clubs in NYC pay relatively the same amount they paid performers 40 or 50 years ago. You HAVE to travel. You HAVE to leave town or you have to teach in order to pay your rent and put food on the table. I didn’t like being on the road. It was very lonely. Voiceover work allowed me to do all of the above without having to travel; in fact I needed to be in town in order to be available for auditions and recording sessions. But today, as always, singing gigs are my joy. There is no greater feeling for me than standing in the middle of the music, in the center of the musicians, in front of and with them. The problem is – singing gigs can be hard to get and having done all kinds of singing gigs there are some, unfortunately I have no desire to repeat.
Also, clubs open and close. New York has always been a beacon for talent and new people arrive every day to make their mark.Unlike voiceover work – there are NO auditions. It’s all about who you know, who you went to school with, how often , how much and how long you can hang out and make those connections. It’s about a whole different kind of showing up.
YES, I hope to to be performing when I am 90. Jazz has a way of validating and supporting those who have continued. Hard as it may seem some days. Difficult as it may be when opportunities are fewer. For many of us there simply is no question. You can take a break – you cannot quit.
I know I took a break and my life took the turn that led me to producing and the work I do today. And, who knows? The years in Jamaica running a business, the years on the Union board; I am sure all worked to create the me today.
Still there is no greater joy for me than being part of the music. Whether I’m swingin’ or singing a ballad. It’s still the best place in the world to be.
