Pianist Matt Catingub has reason to be paying tribute to the Rat Pack – a gaggle of musicians that included Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dean Martin, and others. Turns out there’s a closer connection than just enjoying the sounds of a time past.
“My mother was a jazz musician who was signed on by Frank Sinatra’s label in the 1960s,” says Catingub.
Being the son of a famous musician, Catingub was raised around music and at a young age started experimenting with music himself.
“I started playing the piano at seven years old, trying to emulate a lot of my mom’s records by ear,” he says. “I was just doing it for fun, but was teaching myself music at the same time. I’m blessed to have great musical genes.”
Catingub says he was inspired to do a tribute to the Rat Pack because of all the incredible music they’ve put out over the years, as well as how much that music means to him.
“I grew up with their music and was very closely interwoven into their scene,” he says, “so it became natural for me to gravitate towards their music and want to do a show representing their music.”
Catingub plays piano, but he’s also a saxophonist, woodwind artist, conductor, vocalist, composer, and arranger. And, like most of the shows Catingub is involved with, he arranged and orchestrated most of the music for his salute to the Rat Pack, including some surprises.
“I’ve written a few new pieces inspired by the Rat Pack music, particularly for this show in Victoria,” he says.
But Catingub’s musical talents don’t stop at Sinatra. Some of his upcoming shows include the Music of Ray Charles, Staying Alive: A Celebration of the ’70s, and A Night at the Movies.
“I choose the performance ideas based on the large variety of music I love,” says Catingub. “I come up with the idea, start writing, arranging, then organizing it with anyone else involved.”
For his upcoming Victoria shows, it’s all about one era and one group of people.
“You can expect to hear familiar classics from the Rat Pack, other songs from that era, as well as the music I’ve arranged, which was inspired by that era.”
A Salute to the Rat Pack
2pm Thursday, January 19
8pm Friday, January 20
8pm Saturday, January 21
Royal Theatre, $11-66
rmts.bc.ca
Attended January 20 performance at Royal Theatre at 8:00 in Victoria. Excellent music selections, superb performance by Matt Catingub and his drummer. The evening just flew by. Surrounded by patrons who were also delighted. Well done Matt!