Daniel Joseph Baker and Miguel Angel Vasquez—Nothing Less Than Phenomenal

By Michael Barbieri***In a world where opportunities to see entertainers performing live are next to nil, I felt very fortunate to have caught two wonderful young singers performing at Don’t Tell Mama on West 46th Street’s Restaurant Row.  Daniel Joseph Baker and Miguel Angel Vasquez put on a show that was nothing less than phenomenal and served as a perfect respite from the “quarantine blues” that many New Yorkers are suffering these days!

By now, we’re all aware of how the coronavirus pandemic has affected live entertainment the world over.  Basically, there is very little to see: Broadway is closed; there are no live concerts; movie theaters are closed and nightclubs are no longer presenting shows in their cabaret rooms.  A few New York venues, however, have found clever ways around the closures.  To this end, Don’t Tell Mama has set up a sidewalk pavilion where audiences can sip cocktails, have a light supper and watch cabaret shows performed on the stoop of the building that houses the club.

I first became aware of Daniel Joseph Baker when I saw him on Season 6 of NBC’s hit show, “America’s Got Talent.”  Barely out of his teens, Baker blew the judges away playing piano and singing Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance.”  Judges Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel all voted “Yes” and sent him to the Vegas round.  He eventually reached the semi-finals and Sharon Osbourne called him “a star!”  Since then, he released his self-titled debut CD and has toured the world with the Broadway smash, Kinky Boots.  I was so impressed with his talent and positive attitude, I began following him on social media, where we began something of an online friendship.  When I saw he was to appear at Don’t Tell Mama, I was eager to see him perform live and meet him in person!  And for an outdoor show where masks were required, Baker, singing with Miguel Angel Vasquez, had a fantastic turnout!

The evening began with a fun medley that ran the gamut from camp to pride.  First up was the Destiny’s Child hit, “Bills, Bills, Bills” (K. Briggs, K. Burruss, B. Knowles, L. Luckett, L. Roberson, K. Rowland).  Their delivery was humorous and campy, showing off both singers’ soulful high tenor wails.  That was paired with “I Put a Spell On You” (“Screamin’ Jay” Hawkins), which featured Vasquez’s formidable belting and clear, concise riffing.  That segued into the powerful anthem, “Feelin’ Good” (A. Newley, L. Bricusse) with both men dipping masterfully into their lower registers.  And while the song was a bit more serious, it never became maudlin—they kept the fun feel throughout, and Vasquez even finished with a gorgeous falsetto.

Both singers also favored us with some wonderful solo moments.  Baker was first with a spot-on comedic delivery of “I Believe,” from The Book of Mormon (T. Parker, R. Lopez, M. Stone).  As I listened to this pitch-perfect rendition, all I could think was that this young man belongs on Broadway.  I could easily picture him in Hamilton, Wicked or as a fabulous Carmen Ghia in a revival of The Producers!  So let’s hope Broadway comes back soon!  Vasquez also blew me away with his deeply emotional interpretation of Craig Carnelia’s “Flight” – a personal favorite of mine!  Unfortunately, as he was singing, a jogger ran by on the sidewalk in front of him, distracting him momentarily and throwing him off his lyric.  But like a true professional, he recovered with hardly a misstep, and finished beautifully, showing off his vocal range to its best!

Some of the most moving moments involved their duets, including a sweet performance of Rihanna’s “Stay” (M. Ekko, J. Parker, E. Loelv) and the romantic, emotional “Fall On Me” (I. Axel, C. Vaccarino, F. Zampaglione, M. Bocelli).  Their delivery of this latter duet showed Vasquez and Baker’s deep friendship and affection for each other, which was truly heartwarming.

Other memorable numbers included Vasquez’s playful take on Billy Paul’s hit, “Me and Mrs. Jones” (K. Gamble, L. Huff, C. Gilbert), during which he wandered down onto the sidewalk, flirting with the audience.

To my mind, the true bravura moment came when Baker gave us two numbers from Kinky Boots.  He started with the poignant, heartfelt “Hold Me in Your Heart,” followed by the show-stopping “Land of Lola” (both songs: music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper).  Here, he worked the audience, strutting through the crowd sporting a smile that could light up an entire room—or in this case—an entire sidewalk!

Baker and Vasquez wrapped up the evening with another gorgeous duet: “What About Love?” from Broadway’s The Color Purple.  Once again, the boys demonstrated their superb interplay and expressive vocals.  One definitely understood that these two men are the closest of friends, which brought a lovely energy to West 46th Street!

I’m anxious to see what’s next for these two terrific performers.  Miguel Angel Vasquez has a performance booked at Don’t Tell Mama on November 21st at 3:15 pm, along with his friend Gabrielle Lakshmi.  As for Baker, well, I’m not certain, yet.  But as I said, I hope to see him on a Broadway stage in the future.  But if you see Daniel Joseph Baker appearing anywhere near you, mask up and run to see him.  I’m sure he’ll win you over the way he did me!