Eric Comstock & Barbara Fasano: Painting the Town

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Eric Comstock & Barbara Fasano

Painting the Town

(Human Child Records)

January 26, 2025

Reviewed by Jacqueline Parker

Around the middle of the past century, record albums entitled Music to _____ By (fill in the blank as you will) or some variation of that, seemed to be everywhere. Eric Comstock’s and Barbara Fasano’s Painting the Town could be called Music to Light a Candle, Pour a Cocktail, and Enjoy a Memorable Romantic Journey By.

This cabaret couple, who have a two-decade marriage, share a love of the music from the American Songbook. This, their first CD together, is a testament to how their union benefits everyone who loves thoughtful interpretations of beautiful songs. As a whole, it could be the soundtrack of their relationship.

The album begins with a contemporary love song, “I Cannot Hear the City” (Marvin Hamlisch/Craig Carnelia from Sweet Smell of Success), and changes pace with “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” (Carole King/Gerry Goffin).  When one is accustomed to the version of this song by the Shirelles, the surprise of having it slowed down so that the sadness of the lyrics emerges strongly is powerful. This technique is used a few times in this recording, and each time is revelatory. The soulful accents of Houston Person’s saxophone were much appreciated here.

While several of these offerings were duets, or even partial duets, they each had their solo moments. Fasano imparted all the hopefulness of Irving Berlin’s “Blue Skies.” She continued with a rarely heard and thoughtfully rendered Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh number “Little What If.”  With a bit of seasoning from Person, they jazzed it up a bit with “Broadway” (Teddy McRae/Wilbur H. Bird/Henri Woode) before Fasano highlighted every emotional nuance in Joni Mitchell’s “Marcie.” Comstock, who plays the piano throughout, catches that mood with his masterful interpretation of Cole Porter’s “Just One of Those Things.” By slowing down a song that usually has a rather jaunty beat and adding just a pinch of irony he puts the focus on just how heartbreaking the end of an affair can be. He does the same with “Tonight” (Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim) with great effect.

A highlight is their duet on “Old Friends” by Paul Simon, who just happened to be in the studio when they were recording it!  Their version is a haunting and unforgettable one. Jim Lowe’s “The Hamptons” provides a touch of comic relief, and Billy Strayhorn’s “Still in Love” is the perfect way to end this peek into the love affair between these two cabaret stars. Special kudos to Houston Person on tenor sax, Sean Smith on bass, and Vito Lesczak on drums for helping make this CD the wonder that it is.

Jacqueline Parker

Like Ethel Merman, lifelong New Yorker Jacqueline Parker began her career as a stenographer. She spent more than two decades at the city's premier public agency, progressing through positions of increased responsibility after earning her BA in English from New York University (3.5 GPA/Dean’s List). She won national awards for her work in public relations and communication and had the privilege of working in the House of Commons for Stephen Ross, later Lord Ross of Newport. In the second half of her career, Jacqueline brought her innate organizational skills and creative talents to a variety of positions. While distinguishing herself in executive search, she also gave her talents to publishing, politics, writing, radio broadcasting and Delmonico's Restaurant. Most recently, she hosted Anything Goes! a radio show that paid homage to Cole Porter and by extension the world of Broadway musicals and the Great American Songbook. Other features of the show were New York living, classical music, books, restaurants, architecture and politics. This show highlighted the current Broadway scene, both in New York and around the country through performances and interviews with luminaries including Len Cariou, Charles Strouse, Laura Osnes, Steve Ross and Joan Copeland. Her pandemic project was immersion into the life, times and work of Alfred Hitchcock, about whom she has written a soon-to-be-published article. Jacqueline has been involved in a myriad of charitable causes, most notably the Walt Frazier Youth Foundation, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Sisters of Life, York Theatre, and the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival. She is a proud Founder of Hidden Water. Her greatest accomplishment is the parenting of her son, a lawyer specializing in mediation. She has many pretend grandchildren, nieces and nephews, on whom she dotes shamelessly, as well as a large circle of friends to whom she is devoted. Her interests in addition to theater and cabaret are cooking, entertaining, reading, and spending time on Queen Mary 2.

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