uCgCu sin pEftGEii' ia fit By HUGH WYATT BACK a half-century to the 5 old standards by a full orchestra. "Of course, I'm nervous about coming to New York," the 28-year-old Taco said in a recent telephone interview. "But I wouldn't say I'm intimidated, because I've been living on my last nerve for the past year since the era. I've also been compared to everybody from Rudy Vallee to Stevie Wonder to Lou Rawls." But it's Taco's recording of "Puttin' On the Ritz," which was written by Irving Berlin in 1929, that earned him the admiration of such a wide following of music buffs including oldsters '20s and Os. In fast-moving, sprawling urban towns from as a hobby.
Because of his father, Ocky, a shirt manufacturing executive, young Taco constantly traveled and eventually picked up several languages. AFTER GRADUATING from high school in Belgium, he moved to Hamburg, West Germany, in 1975 where he launched his professional career in clubs and local theaters. He made a name for himself locally after appearing in such productions as "Sweet. Charity" and "Chicago." He also toured the country playing the part of Chino in "West Side Story." It was in Hamburg that Taco met his wife, Ursula, a math teacher, who had been a fan of his. They were introduced by a mutual friend after she had seen him perform several times.
Taco said that when he's not on tour, he and Ursula spend most of their time in their cottage near Hamburg in the great outdoors of the country not in the big cities "Puttin" On the Ritz." -A, i and youthful rhythm bluesers and rock rollers. Berlin, at age 95, also endorsed Taco's rendition of the song. The video hasn't hurt, either. It features Taco dressed in formal attire and accompanied by backing dancers on "Ritz," which some say conjured up memories of Astaire tapping to the tune in the film "Rlne Skips" in record's success. I'm nervous by nature." Taco said he will, of course, perform many of the songs from his RCA album called "After Eight," like "Singing in the Rain," "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," "Cheek to Cheek," and "La Vie en Rose," but some of the songs, he noted, will also be contemporary rhythm 'n' blues.
"I feed on the reaction I get from my audiences and they seem to react more New York to New Orleans, San Francisco to San Antonio, "Puttin' On the Ritz" was not only a hit song, but its vision of white gloves, high hats, tuxes and tails was a way of life for some. Return now to the '80s. Dutch singer Taco is creating instant flashbacks of those olden years with both his new record and video of the classic "Puttin' On the Ritz" and others of that genre, and with his greased-back hairdo, powder blue cane, dance routines and other seemingly ancient accoutrements. TONIGHT, the nostalgic sensations of those golden years will spring forth here when Taco croons and high steps it at the Red Parrot, 617 W. 57th which itself has been fostering memories of the past in recent years with its ballroom dancing and the playing of Taco Born Taco Ockerse of Dutch parents in Jakarta, Indonesia, the performer studied piano, dance and theater as a child, but took up singing when I sing funky and let it all hang out singing 'n' b.
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