In the News

3 Mo’ Tenors’ Shubert show benefits Christian Community Action

October 28th, 2014

NEW HAVEN >> The great thing about Three Mo’ Tenors, says its founder Marion Caffey, is that well into their concerts, “you’re not even thinking that 40 minutes ago these guys were singing very difficult arias and now they’re doing Ray Charles and then they’re doing a spiritual medley and then they’re doing a South African number ...” You’re just enjoying the moment.

The great thing for New Haven music fans — and Christian Community Action, which will benefit from the proceeds — is the Tenors will be doing a Thursday concert at the storied Shubert Theatre on College Street. “Our idea in fund-raising is not just to host an event that raises money,” said CCA Executive Director Bonita Grubbs. “While that’s important to be able to continue our mission, our task is to offer people something that’s entertaining, that’s different ... that might represent the diversity within our community, but offer something that people might naturally go to. 

She said the goal is to make it so ticket money ($35-$65 in this case) is well spent, on entertainment and a good cause. (Grubbs said she lucked into Wynton Marsalis performing here last year, so the bar is high.)

CCA uses the money raised to support programs and services, including its Hillside Family Shelter, the Stepping Stone Transitional Housing Program, “the work we attempt to do in our food pantry and other emergency services,” said Grubbs, “as well as trying to empower people, to provide opportunities for folks to really become leaders and get a sense of their own strength, worth and potential.”

Tickets are available at the shubert.com or the box office.

Caffey has been visiting New Haven this month to rehearse a choir from Educational Center for the Arts, which will be part of the upcoming show.

The Tenors group has showcased a total of 11 tenors over the years. “It was always intended to expose as many tenors as possible, with the vocal versatility of the original three. Since it was ‘Three Mo’ Tenors,’ we had to start with three, but it was always intended to showcase and expose classically trained African-American tenors who could sing multiple styles of music to the world.”

And how do audiences respond to these shows?

“The reaction has been extraordinary. I mean, standing ovations and clapping along. I think there’s been surprise that classically trained tenors can sing other styles of music.” Caffey said the idea for the group was inspired by seeing The Three Tenors (Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras), live in concert at Dodger Stadium.

“Of course they sang operatic works because that’s what they do. And I think for a lark, with tongue planted firmly in cheek, they did some Broadway-style numbers. And when I was listening to it, it sounded like classically trained tenors trying to sing other material. Which is exactly what it was, but they didn’t pretend to be anything else,” Caffey said.

“But my light-bulb moment was, well, I know classically trained tenors who sing opera and when they sing jazz, it doesn’t sound like operatic tenors trying to sing jazz. They negotiate the genre switch with ease, and they maintain the integrity of each style when they change styles.”

Caffey said his was the first variation of The Three Tenors before any of the other groups of tenors (Irish, Jewish, Polish, Russian) came along.

A “Great Performances” special with Three Mo’ Tenors on PBS was one of the biggest-selling shows, said Caffey, a former Broadway performer, writer and director.

These days, the group is doing 15 or 20 shows a year (down from its peak in the years after Caffey formed it in 2000). Singing in New Haven will be Victor Robertson, Phumzile Sojola and Duane Moody, backed by a five-piece band, Caffey said, who doesn’t travel with the group these days, but came to New Haven to rehearse the choir.

The group starts out with three classical numbers and then moves on to Broadway, jazz, soul, spirituals, R&B, South African and gospel. “More than anything, it’s a great family night out because there’s something for everybody in this show,” Caffey said. “If opera isn’t your thing, you would still have to appreciate somebody knocking out ‘La donna è mobile’ and then singing Bruno Mars, and it doesn’t sound like Pavarotti singing Bruno Mars.”

Caffey said it’s just a fun night.

“The only serious thing is that most human beings cannot do what we do, and that is a fact. Most tenors cannot negotiate nine styles in one night,” he said. “You can come and forget about the week, whatever the latest tragedy is on the news.”