Photo and story by Patrice Raplee
With half of his face in silhouette, Tony Starlight takes a puff of his cigarette and gazes from behind a cloud of smoke swirling up through the stage light. He flashes a grin at the audience and introduces the musicians clustered around him, and with great enthusiasm, announces, "Ladies and gentlemen, the Arte Dayvis Trio; my boys."
The trio, often a quartet, is an integral part of the show. These top jazz musicians embody Ralph Huntley piano; Tom Miller bass; John vanOeveren drums; Steve Cannon trumpet; and Richard Huntley who fills in on drums.
Often appearing at Jimmy Mak's, N.W. 10th and Everett, Starlight and "the boys" vary the theme of their show. A cross between Las Vegas and the best of the jazz vocal era is mixed with a little Weird Al Yankovic. Strangely, this hybrid of music, showmanship and slightly warped social commentary coalesce into a fantastic performance.
A salute to Frank Sinatra complete with sound bytes and photo slides opened the Dec. 26 act. As the crowd grew, so did the intensity of the show, as well as Starlight's rapier wit.
Starlight, who learned to play guitar and sing in a church choir, is the son of a minister. This background may account for some of his eyebrow raising lyrics; or possibly living in Eugene just long enough to loathe hippies, might have been the catalyst. When asked if some of the audience found the material offensive, Starlight replied, "If they don't (find it offensive) then I feel I haven't tried hard enough to offend everyone".
Constantly on the verge of being politically incorrect, (and sometimes crossing the line) Starlight feels society is too tense. "I like to try to make people laugh; quite often they will look around at each other to make sure it's OK to laugh." OK or not, it would be nearly impossible to keep from howling at some of the more raucous fare. Starlight is quick to inject, there is no malicious intent involved, just comedy.
Commenting in response to the query about his personal life involving children, he says, "I don't want kids because I don't want to listen to the kind of crap they're going to listen to when they're teenagers."
Don't
The "Tony Starlight" character was the concept of original member Ralph Huntley four years ago. The overall act was thought up by Starlight. Tom Miller joined the team two and a half years ago and is the restraining element when Starlight exceeds the bounds of propriety. The newest members, John vanOeveren and Steve Cannon have been playing with the group for just over a year. Recently Starlight and "the boys" were on a loungeapalooza tour that finished in San Francisco. Playing to a packed house, they were well received with many encores. let the name lounge sway your thinking or compare this band with Buddy Love. The style of this group is completely different. These veteran jazz musicians have crafted a novel show that has attracted a lot of attention. On their proverbial way up, the band has appeared on the Channel 6 Good Morning show with ardent requests for a repeat performance.
With a CD in the works that reflects the music they are currently playing, Starlight is in the process of writing songs about Portland. Fascinated with the jazz vocal era, he feels it's a little more challenging to the listener. If you want to bring a little Starlight home with you, check out the group's current CD, available at Music Millennium and Locals Only. While catching a live performance of the band, pick up a 1998 Tony Starlight and the Arte Dayvis Trio calendar, which is a reflection of their personality. Watch local listings for club dates.
Finally, when Starlight was asked what the point of his show is, he says, "Paying homage to the days of entertainment. Baby."