RANDOM: Raul Esparza's voice- Page 2

[theperformer]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 7:23pm

I, personally, feel Esparza is nearly perfect in every way vocally, acting wise, and physically

[keen on kean]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 7:25pm

As stated elsewhere - I have just discovered the cast recording of tick, tick . . . BOOM! The Esparza voice is perfect for that role too.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 7:27pm

I'm still trying to find a witty comment in response to the hypothetical hair discussion.

Other than something that consists of "ugh" and "chest."

[keen on kean]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 7:40pm

I am so naive - I actually meant the hair on his head, as in "raining hair gel." But we know from the musical HAIR that I might have meant a lot more.

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 7:43pm

It took me a while to warm up to Raul's voice. The first few times I heard him I really couldn't stand his vibrato, but I kept listening and now think that there is something about how different his voice is that captivates me. It's very different from the kinds of voices I normally listen to and prefer so I can completely understand why someone would hate it.

[sparrman]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 7:50pm

In general, I feel his rapid vibrato gives a very passionate texture to his voice, and I like it. But there are times I feel like I hear him fighting with his vibrato, struggling to subdue it, and it's not doing exactly what he wants. I'm thinking specifically of some moments in "Marry Me a Little."

[little_sally]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 7:50pm

God I love Raul's voice. Sometimes I'll put "Petrified" from Taboo on repeat and just listen to it over and over again.

[Craww]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 7:59pm

I know some people like him in spite of the vibrato, and some people acclimate to enjoying it, but I've personally always quite enjoyed a crazy vibrato and Raul Esparza's is EPIC.

Posted: 5/31/07 at 9:12pm

i like his voice. its not a cookie-cutter type broadway voice, and i think thats a good think.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 9:15pm

Wow, to the person who started this thread.

[JustABroadwaybaby2]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 9:38pm

I think it's really nice. It is very emotional. You can tell that in his characters he means what he says. I don't know why, but it's just very appealing! I don't really have a problem with his falsetto, except for maybe "waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiit" at the end of Someone is Waiting.
Edit: Sorry, changed it. Called a falsetto a vibrato. Kean on kean, I agree with you.

Updated On: 5/31/07 at 09:38 PM

[keen on kean]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 9:51pm

Isn't the "wait" at the end of "Someone is Waiting" falsetto? I don't care for anyone's falsetto voice much. The end of "Bring Him Home" in Les Miz bothers me, too, but I still like Alexander Gemingani's voice.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 10:05pm

Yes, the thread is definitely unnecessary, I agree.

But the real question is, and I pose it to the OP, what is "random" about a thread created to discuss a Broadway performer's voice on a Broadway board?

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 10:23pm

It's not nice to make fun of goat boy

You should post more often.

Yeah, "wait" is definitely falsetto. I never realized that that was an optional note until I heard that Dean Jones did it in the show (he doesn't on the OBC recording)...at first I just thought it was something added for Doyle's production. "Kermit" Bobby Adrian Lester also did it. I think it's a really nice touch -- it's so tenuous for a baritone to sing that note that it adds a lot of vulnerability.

[broadway86]

Posted: 6/1/07 at 12:03am

Not a fan of his voice, either (his vibrato does bug me a little). Nevertheless, he's also one of the most talented and dynamic stage presences we have.

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 6/1/07 at 12:06am

Haha I think you can have a seat right over there Jboy. Clearly you're on drugs.

[Jane2]

Posted: 6/1/07 at 12:07am

It's the vibrato that I like best about his voice.

And I don't mind this thread at all-I love talking about the wonder that is Raul~

[fishdancer23]

Posted: 6/1/07 at 2:02am

I admire his vocal range, his phrasing, and how he can color the sound of his voice to fit the character he playing and what he wants to convey. He has the ability to place his voice in more ways than anyone else I've ever heard. I think his head voice is gorgeous and a vibrato is necessary to support it, or or you'd get an airy "boy soprano" sound. But he can also really belt and add that gravel to it, too. Just imagine if he were on American Idol...you know he'd be able to do all the different styles.

I've also read complaints that he over enunciates in the Company recording. But Sondheim himself wants his songs sung that way and I know he gave notes for the recording session.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/1/07 at 2:06am

Why is he called Goat boy?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 6/1/07 at 2:09am

I've also read complaints that he over enunciates in the Company recording.

I'd prefer for him to over enunciate than to swallow his vowels like he does on the tTB recording, though. That drives me crazy, and not in the good way. There are parts where you cannot understand him at all.

Updated On: 6/1/07 at 02:09 AM

[BroadwayChica]

Posted: 6/1/07 at 2:51am

Just imagine if he were on American Idol...

Now THERE'S an image

And goat boy is pretty self explanatory, isn't it?

[alastor]

Posted: 6/1/07 at 2:53am

Is Awesome. Period.

[Craww]

Posted: 6/1/07 at 3:05am

I'd prefer for him to over enunciate than to swallow his vowels like he does on the tTB recording, though.

I feel that, ideally, the proper enunciation should come naturally or it's less pleasant to the flow of a song. I guess I would rather hear the 'swallowed vowels', as it's more organic and lends to a performer creating something unique in their phrasing.

But that's more theoretical for me. I didn't notice a problem with the enunciation, over or under, on either albums. I usually don't notice it with Broadway performers until it's pointed out to me, because of a life spent only listening to rock music.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 6/1/07 at 3:08am

I don't notice it on the Company album either. It sounds pretty normal to me. What you said makes sense, but there are a couple of spots on the tTB recordings where, because of the way he sings, the words get completely lost in the vibrato and throaty noises and whatever-the-hell else, to the point that he's totally incomprehensible. Over-enunciation would probably be preferable to that, but I do think there's got to be some middle-ground.

[Craww]

Posted: 6/1/07 at 3:20am

Essentially, I think we agree that a middle ground is preferable. But we disagree on the matter of over-enunciation VS incomprehensibility. I'd rather have to Google the lyrics once than listen to a near-robotic recitation of the lyrics every time I play it.