Mark Mahar Headlines Quincy Italian Festival

Crooner, Mark Mahar to perform at the 20th Annual Quincy Italian Festival on Saturday September 11th, 1-4PM.

(PRWEB) August 27, 2004 -- If you are doing a double-take these days, it is no mistake...the "crooner" is slowly emerging once again in popular culture. From Harry Connick to Michael Buble, American Idol, and right in our own backyard. The big band style vocal sound that captured a generation is slowly making its way back into mainstream music.

Crooner Mark Mahar and The Cottage Tavern have teamed up to present a 3 hour concert in tribute to the great crooners of decades past.
A newly opened venue on Liberty Street in Quincy, the Cottage Tavern is celebrating their grand opening...which just so happens to coincide with the City's famed Annual Italian Festival. The tavern parking lot will be turned into an Italian villa, complete with a tent and outdoor seating. The festival is the 20th Annual event for the City.

Mark Mahar is a well known singer in these parts. Hip Bostonians know Mahar from his 15-month residency as the former host of "Sinatra Sundays" (at Lucky's Lounge). He will be performing a rare public concert with his band, and in the heart of the festival.

An extremely talented singer himself, Mahar is a vocal impressionist and sincere historian of some great artists. It is not uncommon for him to drop an impression of Sinatra, Darin, Dino, Sammy or Tony Bennett in the middle of a song...complete with historic references.

"This festival is a great place to visit with friends, experience the City's culture and, most importantly, to pay homage to some of the greatest vocalist of the 20th Century (a lot of whom were Italian)" says Mahar. "I've had a busy summer with travel and private functions, so I'm looking forward to seeing my friends in the audience at a free Saturday concert. The timing couldn't be better because after this we have to get serious again with our calendar of studio projects and destination bookings. We have fun at every show...this should be no exception."

Mahar is as authentic a renaissance man as you can find these days. His honest renditions of tunes made popular during the big band era have lead him to clients all over: Las Vegas, Mohegan Sun Casino, Palm Beach, Cape Islands, New York and everywhere in between. "Next year's focus for the company is on overseas performances", says Mahar. His entertainment company, Mahar Enterprises, Inc. is fast becoming an industry porthole- which according to Mahar "creates a lot more headaches and 'serious' work, but it adds a lot of fun because we work with so many talented artists and event companies".

Sinatra and many other incredible artists have either passed away or retired, and it has created a "crooner vacuum" as Mahar calls it. "You will be hearing a lot more from guys like me in the coming years. I am ridiculously eager to see the genre explode again- and it will. It is pure music, expressive, lyrically audible, crosses the generation gap, and it moves people beyond the 3 minutes that the song lasts".

Mahar looks back, but also looks forward:
This next generation crooner is currently working on another CD, scheduled for release over the winter. Following his first vocal CD, "Blame It On My Youth" the new project ("Careless Moon"), will be his first solo album of original music. "You may hear a new song or two at the concert" says Mahar, "I expect to focus mostly on Sinatra and Dean Martin though- given the festival theme (which is cool with me, because that's awesome stuff)".

For an enduring afternoon of entertainment you can catch Mark Mahar at the Cottage Tavern Event Site: 73 Liberty Street in Quincy MA. Show starts at 1PM on Saturday, September 11th.

Mark also hosts a Sunday show in tribute to the entire Rat Pack...every Sunday at Framingham's "Rat Pack Cafe" (RatPackCafe.com)

Jenn Kitchin,
Staff Writer

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