Paul Transfers to a Solo Spotlight

It was a bit surprising when Alan Paul, a longtime member of the Manhattan Transfer, failed to mention his connection with the vocal ensemble during the opening set of a three-night solo stint at Catalina Bar & Grill on Friday night.

It’s true that, very early in his career, he was in the original cast of “Oliver!” (at age 12) and somewhat later he played Teen Angel in “Grease.” But since 1972, the Transfer has been his primary musical home, and his visibility traces almost entirely to his membership in the versatile vocal aggregation.

It’s understandable, of course, that Paul’s focus was placed squarely upon establishing his own independent musical identity. And toward that end, he included virtually nothing in his program that was especially linked to the Transfer style. But unlike singers Lauren Masse (an early member of the Transfer) and current member Janis Siegel, both of whom have come up with impressively individualistic solo outings, Paul offered little to affirm his status as a separate artist.

To his credit, his sweet-sounding voice brought some warmth to his interpretations of a mixed bag of standards--especially during an atmospheric rendering of “Lazy Afternoon.” But Paul’s delivery of the songs was not abetted by his tendency to sing with his eyes either closed or half shut, deeply diminishing the communicative potential of his performance.

Rhythm tunes were better, in part because of the vigorous, bop-tinged playing of pianist John Rodby and his quartet. And one of the high points of the evening was a spirited duet between Paul and his daughter, Arielle, singing Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “No More Blues” (“Chega de Saudade”)--perhaps because the brisk vocalizing was the one moment in the program calling up a resonance with the Transfer.

But if Paul is going to put together a successful solo act, he’ll have to give more thought to material, seeking out numbers that better display his easygoing persona. He would also benefit from a more careful consideration of lyrics, their flow and their storytelling characteristics. He’s got all the skills, but they won’t come together until he determines who he wants Alan Paul to be, as an independent artist, beyond the boundaries of the Manhattan Transfer.