Album Notes

Paul gave up a promising career in musical theater 18 years ago for the security of corporate life. But the passion for performing never left him. So in 2008, he attended the esteemed Cabaret Conference at Yale University to jumpstart his return to singing. His debut cabaret show, This Time Around, was about making the most of second chances and capitalizing on new opportunities. Many of the selections on this CD--including the title track--relate to this theme.

Paul's debut cabaret show has played to sold-out houses at both Davenport's Chicago and The Metropolitan Room in New York City. Since then, Paul has been busy entertaining Chicago in various productions: The Songs of Tin Pan Alley at The Drury Lane Water Tower Theater, 100 Years of Broadway at Davenport's and Golly Gee: Broadway Musicals of the 1950's at The Skokie Theater.

Most recently, Paul was a featured performer at The Provincetown (Mass.) Cabaret Fest and participated in BabFab, a birthday tribute to Barbra Streisand at The Skokie Theater. Coming up, Paul can be seen in The Stops, a muscial by Eric Lane Barnes making its Midwest debut at The Skokie Theater in June, 2010.

Described as a contemporary Sinatra or Dean Martin, Paul grew up listening to these and other crooners in a large Italian-American family in Brooklyn, New York. He is a member of Chicago Cabaret Professionals and the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs (MAC).

Excerpts from Cabaret Scenes magazine review by Carla Gordon:

"...a fine interpreter having considerable vocal blessings"

"...Motondo radiates warmth on stage."

"...Motondo understands cabaret as conversation on pitch; his interpretations are unembellished and real."