by Nick Christophers ♠♣♥♦ As I sat at the packed bar at The Carnegie Club, singer Steven Maglio was belting out “Luck Be a Lady.” If I were to close my eyes, I would swear Frank Sinatra was in front of me. It was like being in a time warp, nursing my Jack Daniels at the Sands in Las Vegas, with Frank serenading the audience.
(Editor’s Note: We asked our new writer —and longtime Sinatra admirer—Nick Christophers to attend a night of Maglio music in Manhattan’s midtown venue and arranged a private post-show chat with the performer. Here are his observations and what they discussed.)
Steven Maglio has nailed the legend’s voice like no one else I have ever heard. His persona and mannerisms are spot on, recreating how Sinatra acted on stage. The Carnegie Club has been hosting Sinatra Saturdays for 12 years now. Maglio has notched 1,200 shows at the venue so far and is not looking to stop now. His passion for the music is evident as soon as he picks up the microphone.
As a young man, Steven was always attracted to music in general. Yet, he was always scared to walk up to a mic. He would join friends and sing along at parties, but never solo. However, he would soon defeat his fear after eight years of voice lessons and built the courage to sing during a karaoke night. It turned out it was a contest and he won $100. His talent preceded him and he was asked to join Joe Battaglia and the New York Big Band. Steven made his debut at Tavern on the Green in Central Park 2002.
From there, he began performing at various venues like the Villa Roma in the Catskills.
He also had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Dean Martin’s daughter Deana Martin. He also did a private performance with Frankie Valli at the Beverly Hills home of CBS boss Les Moonves and his wife Julie Chen.
He told me, “I like Villa Roma in the Catskills because it’s set up like the old Las Vegas showrooms used to be. But, The Carnegie Club is my favorite because I feel so comfortable there with almost 1,200 shows. The audiences are tough at The Carnegie Club because they’re allowed to talk while the show is going on. The owner doesn’t want to lose the ‘bar’ feel during the show, so it can be distracting sometimes. The upside is– if I’m having an off night, nobody really cares because they’re not listening so closely.”
Steven soon released his own CDs and shared his voice with the world. His first release was Songs for Sinatra Lovers, in 2006. It did well and was given some play at stations like WHLI on Long Island. In 2014 he put out another album, You Belong to Me, with tracks that Frank never recorded — which is a gem for that fact alone. (The latest is Sinatra en Bossa Nova.)
Many celebrities and notables have commented on Steven’s talents, such as actor Gianni Russo, who commented, “On stage, Steven is Sinatra’s ghost.” The actor/owner of Rao’s, Frank Pellegrino, has stated, “Steven Maglio is soon to be a living legend.”
So, if you are looking for a classy place with classy people and great music, The Carnegie
Club at 156 West 56 Street in Manhattan in City Spire Centre is the place and Steven Maglio is the talent. Steven takes the floor (with an 11-piece big band) every Saturday for two shows: one at 8:30 pm and the next at 10:30. Smoking permitted at this cigar lounge. Phone: 212-957-9676. Don’t miss out!
More info and audio at www.StevenMaglio.com
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