BEL AIR—Deana Martin isn’t going to waste any time trying to convince you that she didn’t inherit her father’s flair.
The daughter of jazz legend Dean Martin, Deana grew-up as a member of Beverly Hills royalty, surrounded by celebrity and the larger-than-life personalities that helped shaped the city we’ve come to know in the 21st century.
Before Rodeo Drive became Rodeo Drive, Martin learned the art of live performance from the likes of not only her father, but Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr., stars that she knew simply as “Uncle Frank” and “Uncle Sammy.”
“I always try and connect with the audience, to bring them in,” said Martin. “It’s something that’s in my DNA. That’s what my dad did. That’s what I saw my Uncle Frank do. No matter how large the venue was, they would make you feel like you were a part of it.”
This Sunday, Martin, who currently spends mosts of her downtime in remote Branson, Missouri, is returning to her former stomping grounds for an exclusive performance at Herb Alpert’s Vibrato. Martin, who has performed at the Bel Air venue three times, feels a special connection with the small hometown venue.
“Herb Alberts Vibrato is just the coolest jazz bar and grill. The mix of genres that go in there is always exciting to me…You walk in and you feel everybody’s presence. It’s an exciting, wonderful place and the audiences are so great. The audience is right there. I can touch them. There’s just something about Herb Alpert’s Vibrato that’s super, super cool.”
Martin is planning on playing a number of different tunes from previous performances at the Vibrato, adding an element of the unknown to this particular visit to the City of Angels. However, based on past experience, Martin remains confident that Sunday’s show will yield instant chemistry with her Bel Air audience.
“You have to make the people relax. All audiences are different. There’s some people who are very reserved. If I come to a show and tell a certain line that always gets a laugh but it doesn’t, I’ll look over to my piano player and we both go, ‘uh-oh.'”
“But then there’s the shows when I’ll just turn my face a certain way and they audience is on the floor laughing. Those are the shows where you know it’s just going to be unbelievable, it’s just going to go sailing through. The music is right, the audience is right, the humor is right, and it’s great…I think this show will be an instant click.”
Herb Alpert’s Vibrato is located at:
2930 Beverly Glen Circle
Los Angeles, CA 90077
For tickets call: (310) 474-9400
