NiteLife Exchange Celebrates Joan Jaffe with Six Questions

When Joan Jaffe premieres Little Girl Blue at Pangea on August 1st (with another show on August 6th), she’ll be exploring the classic songs and standards of some of the finest ladies in jazz, including a selection from June Christy, Carmen McRae, Cleo Laine and Rosemary Clooney, plus music from the pens of composers Rogers and Hart to Leonard Bernstein. Jaffe is at home singing in her favorite setting, the intimate cabaret room in this set of classic vocal Jazz, with a special guest appearance by actor, comedian Charles Baran. For tickets and more information about Little Girl Blue, visit www.pangeanyc.com

NiteLife Exchange celebrates Joan Jaffe with Six Questions and one more!:

NiteLife Exchange (NLE): When did you realize you had the gift of singing and what were your early influences?

Joan Jaffe (JJ): I started in the business as a dancer in musicals and all dancers had to sing. My early influences were, of course, musical comedies. While I was coaching with Mark Goodman, he got a job conducting a show in Japan, which was too far for me to go for a coaching session. He suggested that while he was away, I should start going to open mics and sing standards, since he felt I had a proclivity toward them. That eventually led to my doing cabaret, where I worked with Jerry Scott and later with the phenomenal jazz pianist/musician, Matt Baker.

NLE: You’ve appeared on the big screen, little screen and Broadway, and are currently seen in your recurring role of Gail Abbot in “Orange Is the New Black” Season 6. How did you get into acting?

JJ: I wanted to be more than a dancer/singer, so I began to study acting. I took acting classes with Bobby Lewis, Mary Tarsai and Bill Hickey to name a few. I’ve been a member of Polaris North, a theatrical cooperative for many years.

NLE: How did you eventually get into cabaret?

JJ: Oh, this is a long story—how much time do you have? I was doing a show, Charge It, Please! at the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, which was very successful and I signed with an agent, who told me I should start doing stand up comedy—and I did! I’d always wanted to do stand up and I thew myself into it. (My late husband Hal Blankenship and I had a little act—The Joan & Hal Show.) I later wanted to do a solo cabaret act and felt that way I could showcase all my talents in one place—singing, dancing and comedy. Jerry Scot began helping me put my first cabaret show together: Joan Jaffe Sings Funny. That was followed by a CD of the same name, followed by my next show Joan Jaffe Sings Funny… Part II. Then I did my 3rd cabaret show Joan Jaffe’s Man-ha-ha-ha-Tan—and it was so good, I won the MAC Award for Best Musical Comedy Performer. (Notice how I always get my name in there!) After that I did Food, and Something Cool. Now I’m thrilled to be doing Joan Jaffe—Little Girl Blue at Pangea.

NLE: You have been a great supporter of other cabaret artists over the years. What has that experience been like for you?

JJ: What has it been like for me? Expensive! Even with the MAC discounts! But you must get yourself out there and go see what other cabaret performers are doing. Besides being mostly entertained, you can always learn what TO do and what NOT to do.

NLE: Which is the most memorable experience you’ve had in both your singing and acting career?

JJ: All of them!

NLE: After such a full and rewarding career, is there anything you’d like to accomplish?

JJ: Well, I’ve always been a Moon, not a Star… yet. I suppose I’d like to be a star. I wonder if I could handle it?You can bet your Sweet Aunt Suzie—sure I could.

NLE:  What do you do in your spare time?

JJ: Shop—and eat!