Devin Bing

Look out for Devin Bing. The 2003 Mount Sinai High School graduate may not yet be a household name but the youthful singer-songwriter has what it takes to make the jump from wannabe to successful recording artist, and you can catch one of his first area performances next Wednesday, May 19 at Theatre Three in Port Jefferson Village beginning at 8 pm.

Reminiscent of 70s smooth jazz icon Michael Franks, Bing brings a soothing and soulful vocal style to a variety of classic standards from the Great American Songbook as well as his own compositions in An Evening of Song. Bing will perform with himself on piano along with his backing band and three backup singers.

Some of you may remember Bing from the days of his cocktail lounge performances at the Elk Street Grille in Port Jefferson where he cut his teeth on jazz standards. After graduating Bing went south to the University of Miami (Florida) where he studied jazz performance. "I've been playing piano since I was 6 and jazz piano since I was 12," Bing said in a recent interview. "It's not really a swing style but jazz with a bit more soul. Musically people can expect my approach to the Great American Songbook and standards with some of my own songs."

Kind of John Legend meets Michael Buble, says Bing, although he owes some of his influence to Harry Connick Jr. too. The style is apparent on his self-titled debut CD which is out on iTunes, but as yet Bing is still looking for that elusive record deal.

One person Bing has in his corner is former 50s soul hit maker Lloyd Price. Price, known for his hits "Lawdy Miss Clawdy," "Stagger Lee" and "Personality" took a liking to Bing. "He loved my stuff and he was a big part of helping me get off the ground," said Bing. "He told me that he thinks I have longevity. He thinks that I can make jazz accessible across the board from tweens to the older generation. This is only the beginning."

Bing was flattered with Price's assessment. "I mean who knows more about longevity than Lloyd — he's the king of the 50s."

One of the standards Bing will undoubtedly perform will be the Chet Baker classic "My Funny Valentine." "It's the first standard that I learned and performed," recounted Bing. "The first time I performed it for my parents (Marci and Bradlee Bing) they were in shock. I remember casually sitting down at the piano one day before dinner and performed it for my parents. By the end of the song they stood there motionless with their jaws dropped. I love singing the standards because they are timeless but in the end I want to leave something behind of my own, something that others can recreate much like I have. I enjoy observing the everyday road of life. There are so many experiences both good and bad that everyone can relate to in one form or another — sometimes funny, sometimes sad, but the experience that shapes you, and I like sharing that through the art of song."

One of those experiences that shaped Bing's life was the tragic fire in which his parents lost their home. "After the loss I felt numb," recounts Bing. "I lost everything and the only thing I could turn to was a piano. I wrote 'Be Alright' because I realized that even in the darkest of places, the strength of one's mind, body and spirit can work in amazing ways."

So get out and head over to Theatre Three next week and bear witness to this unique and wonderful talent. Ten years from now you might just be saying "I saw him when …" - Time Beacon Record