Melinda Rose Rodriguez
Birdland, NYC, February 10, 2020
Reviewed by Marilyn Lester
There’s a certain thrill to be had when emerging young talent comes on the scene. Such was the case with 24-year-old Melinda Rose Rodriguez, making her Birdland debut with original songs and standards. Rodriguez has a clear, bright tone—a quality reminiscent of Jane Monheit, one of her mentors. She’s by no means a Monheit clone. Rodriguez very much brings her own style to the table, which ranges from fairly straightforward pop delivery to a swinging jazz approach marked by exquisite phrasing and scat-ability off the scales. Her renditions of “Taking a Chance on Love” (Vernon Duke, John Latouche, Ted Fetter) and “Honeysuckle Rose” (Fats Waller. Andy Razaf) were prime examples of her abilities in this arena. The former featured a fresh arrangement with Rodriguez accompanied by just bass. Dan Montgomery, a young player of uncommon skill was bass-forward for most of the set, which suited the singer’s style and approach. (Since Rodriguez herself is a bass player, her preference for the instrument is understandable!) On the latter number, Montgomery traded a call-and-response solo with Evan Hyde, a drummer of sensitive and subtle talents.Rodriguez has a clear, bright tone—a quality reminiscent of Jane MonheiThere’s a certain thrill to be had when emerging young talent comes on the scene. Such was the case with 24-year-old Melinda Rose Rodriguez, making her Birdland debut with original songs and standards. Rodriguez has a clear, bright tone—a quality reminiscent of Jane Monheit, one of her mentors. She’s by no means a Monheit clone. Rodriguez very much brings her own style to the table, which ranges from fairly straightforward pop delivery to a swinging jazz approach marked by exquisite phrasing and scat-ability off the scales. Her renditions of “Taking a Chance on Love” (Vernon Duke, John Latouche, Ted Fetter) and “Honeysuckle Rose” (Fats Waller. Andy Razaf) were prime examples of her abilities in this arena. The former featured a fresh arrangement with Rodriguez accompanied by just bass. Dan Montgomery, a young player of uncommon skill was bass-forward for most of the set, which suited the singer’s style and approach. (Since Rodriguez herself is a bass player, her preference for the instrument is understandable!) On the latter number, Montgomery traded a call-and-response solo with Evan Hyde, a drummer of sensitive and subtle talents.
The third member of the trio backing Rodriguez was Alina Engibaryan, a pianist with a markedly cool, laid-back style, but also with a very fine vocal instrument and feeling for jazz to boot. With Rodriguez she dueted on several songs, including the ballad, “The Nearness of You” (Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington). The contrast between Engibaryan’s sure, smoky voice to Rodriguez’s higher, lighter tone gave texture to their delivery of their work together; this was basically a matter of trading off segments of each number. It would have been interesting to hear the duo sing in harmony, at least for several bars of any given duet, but still, the arrangements that provided individual vocals were satisfying.
As a songwriter, Rodriguez writes melodically, with lyrics very personally connected to her own experience. The selections, including “If You Spoke Klingon I’d Learn It for You,” a soft swing number and the ballad “I Didn’t Ask” spoke to love’s disappointments, with a twist of wry to be heard, as well as bits of cleverness amidst the youthful angst. In a varied set there was plenty to admire. Rodriguez has been off to a good start. She recently won first place in the 2019 International Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition and since high school has been a four-time Downbeat Music Award winner and a two-time YoungArts winner. She was also recently a contestant on Season 17 of NBC’s hit singing show, The Voice, where she worked closely with Kelly Clarkson. There are many more such credits to her name. She’s got a pleasing personality and a likeable stage presence. With a bit more polish—namely more dynamism, solid anchoring, and focus in her presentation and less casualness, as one would behave with friends hanging out, Rodriguez should go far––and deservedly so.