Columnist Jerry Fink: Stars come out for Giovi’s Vegas debut

Friday, May 28, 2004 | 8:24 a.m.

We wrote a column a couple of weeks ago about the inspired, and inspiring, vocalist Mark Giovi, a wonderful singer who was born with cerebral palsy.

The 35-year-old native of Trenton, N.J., arrived in Las Vegas a couple of months ago to pursue his musical career.

Tuesday night he had his first professional gig in Vegas at Cafe Nicolle at West Sahara Avenue and Decatur Boulevard -- it was standing room only, with fans pouring onto the patio dining area.

There were plenty of local celebrities who came to cheer on the personable entertainer, who bills himself as White Chocolate. In the audience were Buddy Greco and wife Lezlie Anders, Sonny King and wife Peggy, Babe Pier and Clint Holmes and his musical director, Bill Fayne.

Louise Santoro, who represents Giovi, says he will be back at Cafe Nicolle on June 17. Plus, she says other venues have expressed interest in her client, who has a wide-ranging repertoire that includes blues, jazz, opera and standards.

Giovi has a natural musical talent that probably came from his father, Lou, a professional singer and saxophonist, and from being surrounded by music his entire life.

"My father and his brother had an act, the Giovi Brothers, when they were young," Giovi said. "My dad played sax, my uncle played drums. At the age of 15 they won a contest and appeared on the Ed Whiteman Show, like the Ed Sullivan Show, only it was (only shown) on the East Coast."

Their parents, Giovi's grandparents, opened a nightclub/restaurant in Trenton almost 40 years ago called Giovi's.

Giovi says his 87-year-old grandmother still runs the place.

"She works six days a week and closes the restaurant on Mondays," he said. "On Mondays she goes to Atlantic City and plays the slots."

Giovi's parents didn't want him to be a singer -- they pushed him toward a degree in law or medicine.

"But when I was 16 I started singing in heavy-metal bands," he said. "I had hair down to my waist."

But he didn't turn professional until after high school, when he began traveling with a band for about three years until age 22.

"We made a little money, but not much," Giovi said. "We made some recordings and opened up for some major acts in New York. But it was the end of the heavy-metal scene. It was dying out."

Giovi sang at his grandmother's restaurant and at weddings.

At 25 he took a vacation, visiting Los Angeles.

"I fell in love with the atmosphere," Giovi said. "After my vacation I came home, but three months later announced I was going to move. I only knew two people in L.A. at the time, but I wanted to give it a shot. I might have been the one in a million that made it."

He spent a year getting involved in the music scene, performing at open-mike nights until he began getting some paying gigs.

"My first was Frankie's on Melrose Avenue," Giovi said. "His wife, Teri, is from New Jersey. They liked the way I sang, so they gave me a night hosting open-mike night, then they increased it to two nights.

"Then I got a gig at George Hamilton's Cigar Bar a couple of nights a week."

Giovi did a few commercials, singing jingles for a restaurant.

"My day job was host at Gladstone's Restaurant," Giovi said. "A girl that worked there became a secretary for Aaron Carter, younger brother of Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys.

"She got me a job as his vocal coach, then I became his tour manager."

He worked for Aaron Carter for four years and then moved on.

"I wanted to focus myself back on my music," Giovi said.

He returned to New Jersey and eventually got married. A baby is due in July.

Giovi decided to see what Vegas had to offer.

"My career wasn't happening in Trenton," he said. "I needed to move forward, somewhere I could be seen. There are a lot of different venues in Las Vegas."

He contacted a friend of his, Joey Gian, who sings at Bootlegger Bistro.

"Joey and I performed together at Frankie's in L.A.," Giovi said.

He also has stayed in touch with Holmes. When Holmes was a television host in New York City he hosted a telethon on which Giovi, then 17, sang.

But Giovi hasn't had much vocal training.

"God gave me a gift," he said.

It's a gift Giovi is sharing with Vegas -- and maybe someday beyond.

Lounging around

The Sand Dollar, 3355 Spring Mountain Road, will host a 15th anniversary party from 9 p.m. today to 4 a.m. Saturday. Featured performers will be Moanin' Black Snakes, The Ruffnecks and The SpellCasters (who regularly perform at the blues venue from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursdays).

You can also catch the SpellCasters on June 4 at Murphy's, 3985 Sunset Road (corner of Sunset and Annie Oakley Avenue).

The Las Vegas Guitar Society will host a concert from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on June 11 at the Winchester Community Center Theater, 3130 S. McLeod Drive, featuring outstanding jazz guitarist Raj Rathor and the Raj Rathor Trio. Rathor's trio, which includes his wife, vocalist Diane Smith, performs Wednesday evenings at the Jazzed Cafe, 8615 W. Sahara Ave.

The Aladdin's Curve Ultra Lounge now features live jazz from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesdays. The Smooth Jazz Club is hosted by Curve and Oasis 105.7 FM. The two hours of live performances are followed by recorded jazz played by a DJ. There is no admission. Upcoming performers include The Brothers Ali (Wednesday), "2 A T" (June 9) and The Tommy Thompson Project (June 16).

Upcoming performers in June at The Lounge in the Palms include UnderCover (9 p.m. to 12 a.m. Thursdays); Vibe, featuring Guest DJs (9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays); Acoustic Jam (10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sundays); Acoustic Asylum (10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesdays) and Wired (10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Wednesdays).