Nicole Zuraitis
Birdland, NYC, January 28, 2019
Reviewed by Chris Struck for Cabaret Scenes
Photo: Lindsey Victoria Photography
Showcased as part of a “music history lesson” series at Birdland called Music Talks, Nicole Zuraitis made a mark for herself there. She and her band stuck to the darker musical tones to feature an exploration of the blues rather than its lighter counterpart, jazz.
Will there be more blues invading the New York jazz club scene starting with Birdland? Perhaps that is wishful thinking.
More likely, Zuraitis and her Grammy-nominated “Jolene” (Dolly Parton) will be the only taste of this more mysterious fruit. Emerging onto the scene with a notably warm personality, Zuraitis, vocalist extraordinaire, gave her audience a blues “clinic.”
The takeaway of the evening was that the blues can be very much alive. Zuraitis avoided the sadder, more depressing renditions of the genre that’s spawned iconic languishing. Instead, she went for pining love songs featuring soaring vocals and keen deliveries that required her to have an intimate familiarity with both the material and her band. “That Old Black Magic” (Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer) and B.B. King’s hit “How Blue Can You Get?” (Jane Feather/Leonard Feather) highlighted a lineup of heavy music.
With a flicker of intonation and dreamy clarity, Zuraitis made “I bought you a $10 dinner and you said thank you for the snack” sound somewhere between a gospel hymn and Carnegie Hall.
Nowhere was this style done better than on the finale, “Jolene,” whose arrangement was nominated for this year’s Grammy.
Where Zuraitis’ style may not make the blues as desperate-sounding, the simplicity of piano, vocal, and percussion brought the intimacy of the song’s pleas to the forefront of one’s imagination.
“Who is Jolene” and “Why is it so easy for her to take what she doesn’t seem to want” are two questions that sprung into my mind as I watched, transfixed by Zuraitis’s careful mastery of both piano and vocal. Plunging deeper into the echoing emotion, it felt as if we were being strapped into a roller coaster car, waiting for the drop.
Supporting Zuraitis throughout this performance were Dan Pugach on the drums and special guest Don Braden on flute for “Jolene,” on saxophone for others.
Pete McCann was on guitar, Micha Gilad played piano on all songs except for “Jolene,” and Inbar Paz impressed on the upright bass, especially during her solos.
