
Grammy Award winner Jon Secada has been burning up the pop music charts for two decades, but with his soon-to-be-released CD Expressions, he’s taking his music in a slightly different direction. “This has a very old-school, lounge-like, jazz feel,” says Secada. “We recorded it with me singing with all the instrumentalists in the same room, so it also has an almost live performance feel to it, which is exactly what we wanted.”
And speaking of live performances, Secada will launch the CD with an engagement at Feinstein’s at the Loews Regency, September 15-19 “It’s the perfect venue to showcase the CD,” he says. “I grew up going to and working in small clubs, and having that kind of proximity to the audience is wonderful. There are certain ways of communicating you can only do in that kind of atmosphere.”
The CD offers an eclectic mix of tunes, ranging from originals written by Secada to pop standards, showtunes. and even new takes on two of the singer’s biggest hits,”Angel” and “Just Another Day.” Says Secada of the selections: Some of the songs I wrote go back to when I was in college at the University of Miami. And there’s ‘Chances Are,’ because when I started out, a lot of people told me I could be the Latino Johnny Mathis, and that was always a flattering notion. I first sang ‘I Don’t Care Much’ when I did Cabaret on Broadway and loved it — even if you feel you’re ready to cut your wrists. And it was fun to revisit a song like ‘Angel’ and flip it around to give it a silky feel; I like transforming songs to have a different kind of substance.”
Secada, who also did a stint on Broadway in Grease, says he would love to return to the Broadway stage. “I am always seeking the right opportunity in the right show, but it also has to fit into my schedule,” he says. “I spend about five months every year down in Argentina working on the Latin American version of American Idol; I’ve been so impressed with the talent we find in all the different countries. It’s a great way for these kids to get their minute of fame. And I’m going to be touring Brazil next year in conjunction with this DVD of a concert I did in Rio de Janiero.”