Ashley Pezzotti
Birdland Theater, NYC, July 18, 2023
Reviewed by Bart Greenberg
Ashley Pezzotti
Ashley Pezzotti enjoyed an early Tuesday evening residency at Birdland Theater in July. She’s a highly attractive performer with a strong voice and a charming manner. Her choice in music and her delivery were constantly surprising and refreshing as she welcomed her audience on her journey. Although there was no through line to the evening, the variety of material kept our attention throughout. Her choice of a mix of standards from the Great American Songbook with more contemporary numbers kept things lively, and her excellent enunciation and attention to the lyrics was highly praiseworthy, as was her care to name the composers and lyricists.
She kicked things off with the Gershwins’ classic “But Not for Me,” first taken at a ballad tempo which then moved into swing without losing the effect of the melancholy words. The arrangement also allowed for a brilliant bass solo by Jason Clotter. Pezzotti then shifted to a song she penned herself, “Don’t Tell Me,” a clever, anti-romance number in the style of the classics.
“I Bet You Thought I’d Never Find You” was given a Latin rhythm and a delivery that suggested a stalker situation—a clever way to give this Jon Hendricks number an updated viewpoint. In between this section was her delivery of “Someone to Watch Over Me” that was as perfect as anyone could ask for.
Besides Clotter, Pezzotti received excellent musical support from music director/pianist Miki Yamanaka. Tenor saxophonist Griffin Ross joined the show for two numbers—a larkish “I Can’t Give You Anything but Love,” complete with a lot of scatting from the diva, and an electrifying “Squeeze Me (But Don’t Tease Me)” that gave Pezzotti the chance to show off her insolence and Ross a chance to let go with an incredible solo. These moments, along with the earlier Gershwin selections, are what jazz cabaret is about. Hopefully, Pezzotti will be back soon to create more memories.
