Regina Zona
Heart Songs: An American Medley
April 12, 2022
Reviewed by John Hoglund
One of the most gratifying things about Regina Zona’s new album, Heart Songs: An American Medley, is the breadth of her material; it takes the listener on a musical journey. Like other recent albums, it is also the singer’s way of bouncing back professionally after the pandemic. Ultimately, Zona and her team have created an articulate album that blends her classical roots together with pop, jazz, and cabaret. The result is a unique blend of elaborate vocals that show off the brilliance of her soprano along with some less showy moments that prove her worthy of more attention.
She knows who she is: an operatically trained soprano with years of professional experience singing the classical repertoire. She is also a respected voice teacher. Her vibrant soprano is thrilling. However, it is when she uses a slightly darker, delicately colored lower register along with an urgency in her phrasing that she shines brightest. A perfect example of this is a moving treatment of “Wild Is the Wind” (Dimitri Tiomkin/Ned Washington) that segues into “Animal Passion” (Jake Heggie/Gini Savage) and it is one of the album’s finest cuts.
Through several full-voiced soprano passages on the album, Zona proves she can be vocally versatile as well as introspective when she uses her soft voice. The soaring notes add luster to the recording, but they occasionally distract by placing the emphasis on vocal sound. Such is the case on “Down with Love” (Harold Arlen/Yip Harburg) where she also shows her flair for comedy on a bluesy number. However, vocally the treatment is too big. This is not an aria; nor is it an art song. It is a blues number with comic overtones, originally written for Kay Thompson, introduced by Vivian Vance on Broadway in 1937, and later recorded by Eddie Cantor, Bobby Darin, Blossom Dearie, and Barbra Streisand. On film, Judy Garland performed it as a song-and-dance number. Zona’s treatment misses the poignant spark of the song and teeters on becoming a vocal exercise that ends on a throat-scorching money note. It does show off her vocal chops, but it’s off the charts in terms of nailing the irony of the lyric.
Similarly, her showy soprano riffs on a few passages on the disc impress, but something is missing in the interpretation. Unlike opera, cabaret emphasizes words above all else. The standard advice is simple: less is more. That quibble aside, it is not the case throughout, fortunately. She offers a warm and well-paced reading of a bluesy “Toothbrush Time” (William Bolcom/Arnold Weinstein) that connects beautifully and displays great phrasing. The late Barbara Cook was classically trained (originally for opera); she reinvented herself for Broadway where she ruled as a beloved ingénue. She then moved on to cabaret and concert stages where she became one of the definitive musical exponents of her era. Her interpretations became the gold standard by which others were often measured. Zona is capable of going a similar route. Other operatic sopranos have adapted their voices through carefully chosen songs. Another example from yesteryear is the late dramatic soprano Eileen Farrell who sang popular music her whole life and also had a legendary opera career. She toned down her powerhouse vocals on blues standards, which made for a more expressive treatment. Zona might also expand her repertoire with more songs from the Great American Songbook.
There are many highlights on the CD. She shines on a trenchant “It Never Entered My Mind” (Rodgers and Hart). Other high spots that combine more than one genre of music include four songs by Ricky Ian Gordon—a wise choice. These songs are most interesting selections as Gordon, known for an eclectic body of work that includes art songs, suits this artist so well. His songs are intelligent and have a theatrical pastiche that’s not suited for every voice. Zona excels on such material, which is rarely heard in cabaret. A sensitively arranged “Once I Was” (Gordon) opens the album with panache and introduces her with a statement as to who she is artistically. Few singers can interpret an art song with such clarion-toned beauty. On other Gordon songs, she hits the mark to perfection and displays an obvious affinity for this material.
A surprise offering comes with an ideally crafted song called “The Maples” by Ellen Mandel and Glyn Maxwell that is riveting in its flowing melody and wistful sentiments. The Sondheim beauty, “Loving You” from Passion, paired with a Piaf mainstay, “If You Love Me (Really Love Me)” (Piaf/Marguerite Monnott/Geoffrey Parsons) is expressive. However, both songs are more effective on their own. “What Shall We Remember?” (Gordon) in medley with “By Myself” (Arthur Schwartz/Howard Dietz) would be a risky closer in lesser hands. But with such intelligent phrasing and sumptuous vocals, Zona makes this unlikely pairing a triumph as she wraps up her journey.
Ultimately, Regina Zona has presented an ambitious disc that personalizes her story in song. It’s always a challenge for a legit soprano, especially one of Zona’s caliber, to make a transition to more intimate arenas. But there is every reason to believe that with only some minor tweaks and by exploring her balmy lower register, she will show even more expressive qualities.
The album features some prominent musicianship with James Lowe and Jonathan K. Parks (piano), Sean Harkness (guitar), Mike Lunoe (percussion/drums), Sean Murphy (bass), Jeanette Stenson (cello), and Justin Vance (clarinet/tenor sax).
