By Michael Barbieri***Singer-actor Danny Bolero is Desi Arnaz! Over the years there have been many celebrity tributes and impersonations in cabaret—Liberace, Peggy Lee, Marlene Dietrich, Rita Hayworth and others come to mind. Danny Bolero’s fantastic show, They Call Me Cuban Pete: The Music and Genius of Desi Arnaz is one of the best I’ve se
en! At Don’t Tell Mama, Bolero brought Arnaz, the acclaimed Cuban bandleader, singer, actor and television mogul to vibrant new life.
Bolero has worked in television, films and on Broadway. Currently appearing in the revival of Plaza Suite, Bolero says he had always dreamed of doing a show about Desi Arnaz—recreating the feel of a 1950s nightclub, singing his music, telling his stories and reminding audiences of Arnaz’s many battles as well as his accomplishments.
Essentially a monologue with songs, Bolero began the evening as “Old Desi,” then switched gears, transforming into Arnaz’s younger personage. Never breaking character, he recounted events in his life and career—his escape from Cuba, his working relationship with bandleader Xavier Cugat, the formation of his own orchestra, his marriage to Lucille Ball, and his experiences working on the legendary “I Love Lucy” television show.
And then there was the music! As the Arnaz we recognize from his television days, Bolero launched into his opener, “El Cumbanchero” (R. Hernandez). Backed by his own version of Desi’s orchestra—Musical Director Drew Wutke on piano, Caroline Moore on percussion, Hajime Yoshida on guitar and Dennis Hernandez on trumpet, the feel of the music was uncannily reminiscent of a 1950s Latin orchestra. Indeed, the four musicians created the sound of a band five times their size.
With numbers like “Santiago, Chile, Tain’t Chilly at All” (Desi Arnaz & His Orchestra) and “The Straw Hat Song” (F. Karger, A. Roberts), Bolero was fun, flirty and cut a dashing figure. Channeling the look and sound of the bandleader so realistically, it was eerily close to the genuine article. Many of the songs were familiar, especially for those of us who watched “I Love Lucy”–and really, who didn’t?
Bolero’s delivery of the show’s familiar theme song, “I Love Lucy” (H. Adamson, E. Daniel) was appropriately sweet and sentimental and Desi’s signature number, “Babalu” (M. Lecuona) was performed in three different styles, showing not just the song’s evolution, but Desi’s as well. The history of the landmark comedy show, however, was tempered with tales of the discrimination Desi faced from studio executives. Acting the part beautifully, Bolero conveyed not only the humiliation Arnaz felt, but his strength in overcoming the bigotry by standing his ground, insisting on 
filming with a live audience and creating the show’s three-camera shooting system, all of which contributed to the success of “I Love Lucy.”
Occasionally, more modern songs were interpolated for perspective. Gloria Estefan’s “Mi Tierra,” spoke to Arnaz’s love of his homeland. Bolero’s delivery was melancholy and slow, expressing the pain Arnaz felt after fleeing Cuba. Here, Bolero exhibited not only tremendous vocal control, but displayed his dramatic skills, even choking up when telling of his flight to freedom. One of the cleverest uses of modern material was a mashup of Arnaz’s “The Lady in Red” and Chris DeBurgh’s 1986 hit of the same name. This sexy, dreamy medley told the story of Arnaz meeting and falling in love with Lucille Ball, and while the two songs couldn’t have been more disparate, the juxtaposition worked brilliantly.
Two other moments of note: Bolero’s languid, passionate rendition of “Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps” (O. Farrés; English lyrics by Joe Davis), a song of which Arnaz was particularly proud, having been the first Latin artist to record it in English. Also, his performance of “Cuban Cabby” (J. Cavanaugh, J. Redmond, N. Simon) showed off his formidable belt voice; his handling of the differing tempo signatures was masterful.
I have two minor quibbles with Cuban Pete—and they are indeed minor. First, I would have liked a showier reveal of Young Desi—something along the lines of Salieri’s transformation in Amadeus. Imagine Old Desi recalling the glory days of the La Conga Room, the lights fading to black and then with a burst of music, the lights bump up to full and the Desi we know and love is discovered there, singing his opening number. Second, the show felt a bit short. A couple more songs like “La Conga en Nueva York” or “Forever Darling” would have been most welcome. However, there’s a lot to be said for the old adage “…leave ‘em wanting more,” so my comment might just be irrelevant. Additionally, Bolero told me he plans on developing the act into a full-scale play similar to Lady Day at Emerson’t Bar & Grill, which he used as a model when writing the Arnaz show. I feel this could be hugely successful, as the show already has a solid theatrical base. As it stands, Cuban Pete is part entertainment and part history lesson, giving audiences a fascinating historical background of a personality they already know, without being teachy or preachy.
Quibbles aside, I loved They Call Me Cuban Pete. The show was fun, touching and flew by in a heartbeat. Bolero’s presen
ce is as big and magnetic as Arnaz himself was. So, as Desi might’ve said, “ARRIBA CON LA CONGA!!” Here’s to Cuban Pete!
Danny Bolero’s They Call Me Cuban Pete: The Music and Genius of Desi Arnaz returns to Don’t Tell Mama on Monday, July 11 at 7 PM. For information, go to www.donttellmamanyc.com
