Jersey Boys Blog

On Wednesday evening, March 3, 2010, Travis Cloer will be performing “Setting the Standard” at the Cabaret Showroom at the Liberace Museum in Las Vegas! It was marvelous to catch up with Travis to find out more about his upcoming performances and exciting news about his forthcoming recording!

JBB: Travis, your two upcoming “Setting The Standard” concerts at the Liberace Museum sound like a great opportunity for you! How did the concerts come about?

Travis Cloer: I’ve wanted to do a concert version of my CD ever since I recorded it two years ago. It’s been in my mind forever and Vegas is the perfect setting for it. It’s the music this town was built on.

JBB: Your fans are looking SO forward to your big shows next week. Can you give us a little preview of what’s in store for us at the Liberace Museum?

TC: It’s going to be a night of great music featuring some of the best musicians in Vegas. You’ll hear some swinging tunes and some classic ballads.

JBB: We heard wonderful things about your cabaret performances when you were in New York. Is this your first solo concert performance you’ve done in Las Vegas?

TC: It is my first here in Vegas, but I’ve done my shows of course in New York as well as with major cruise lines before I joined JERSEY BOYS.

JBB: Why is this the right time for a concert?

TC: I’ve been here in Vegas for almost a year & a half (wow!), and it’s a town built on live entertainment. I love being a part of JERSEY BOYS, but performing live in shows like this is something I love as well and have missed doing. I’ve been a part of other concerts & benefits but I’m looking forward to sharing my CD with an audience in a live setting and showing Vegas a great night.

JBB: Could this turn into more than a one-time show?

TC: I’d love for it to. My schedule with JB is pretty busy, but this town has so many opportunities and venues. If it turns into a regular gig in one of the clubs or casinos, that would be great.

JBB: For you, what are the challenges of doing a solo performance at the Liberace Museum versus the challenges of doing a show such as JERSEY BOYS?

TC: Well, they are kind of apples and oranges really. In JB, I’m portraying someone else and locked into interpretation of the music. As a solo act, it’s all on you. You have to make sure the audience would rather sit in their seats for an hour or so instead of getting up and going somewhere else. I also have a lot more creative room to interpret the music my way and put my own twist on it.

JBB: Your first volume of “Setting The Standard” received rave reviews! What inspired you to record Volume II? Could you please give readers a “sneak peek” into what they can expect on your new recording?

TC: This genre of music has always influenced and inspired me. Not only are the songs so well written both musically and lyrically, but the artists that made them famous were known as REAL singers. That isn’t something you get nowadays in the business. I would listen to artists like Sinatra, Bennett, Torme, and later singers like Harry Connick Jr., Diana Krahl, and Michael Buble–and hear them using their instruments so precisely to deliver a performance. As a young singer, that made me want to be the best I could be. There are so many good songs from this era…I could easily do countless volumes. The new CD will have more of the best tunes and ones I love to sing.

JBB: We’d love to find out more about the recording of Volume II. Are you recording it here in Vegas? Are you the producer? What about your band?

TC: I am recording it here in Vegas as well as producing it, designing the art work, pretty much the whole thing. I’m kind of a hands on guy. A friend of mine out of the UK helps me with the band and putting the tracks together, then I add the vocals.

JBB: When will “Setting The Standard” Vol. II be available and where can fans purchase it?

TC: Hopefully by the end of the summer. I’m also recording the concert here next month both on CD & DVD, and will have that available for fans soon as well. All of my CDs can be purchased online thru iTunes, Rhapsody, CD Baby, as well as my website www.traviscloer.com. “Setting the Standard – Vol. I” can also be purchased at the JERSEY BOYS gift store at the Palazzo Resort Hotel and Casino here in Vegas.

JBB: As a kid and teenager, were you always into the standards? Who have been your major inspirations & influences from the music world?

TC: I’ve grown up with such a wide variety of music in my life. Jazz standards are definitely a major one because when I listen to music, I tend to be drawn towards melodies and lyrics. That’s one reason I’m a huge FOUR SEASONS fan…melody & harmony. Other influences of mine include Stevie Wonder, Barry Manilow, Journey…like I said, a wide variety.

JBB: So Travis, although you’ll be singing the standards from the great American songbook at your upcoming show, does playing pop/rock icon Frankie Valli in JERSEY BOYS give you inspiration for your upcoming concerts? How so?

TC: Absolutely. I think everyone dreams of success like Frankie has achieved. JERSEY BOYS has also shown me that that success is not handed to you and does not come easily. It takes hard work and lots of it. A friend of mine told me something that has stuck with me over the years : “An amateur works until he gets it right. A professional works until he can’t get it wrong.” That says it all to me.