WHAT
A WAY TO GO,
the newest album by New York-based vocalist BEN CASSARA, is an
eclectic collection of songs culled from the Great American Songbook,
gems by Dave Frishberg and Antonio Carlos Jobim, and four tasty
originals by jazz pianist RONNY WHYTE, who also produced the
CD and plays piano on several compositions.
Cassara
is a mainstay on the New York City and New Jersey jazz scenes. He
performs regularly at clubs like Jazz at Kitano, Mid-Day Jazz at St. Peter’s,
North Square, the Metropolitan Room, Trumpets, and Shanghai Jazz. He
also curates a long-running jazz series at Pangea, an East Village
cabaret and jazz club, as co-runs the North Square jazz brunch in
Washington Square Park. This is Cassara’s second CD and follows Sister
Moon (2013). Critic George Harris of JazzWeekly said,
"Want a fresh voice in singers with an XY chromosome? Give this
guy Ben Cassara a try. His voice gives hints of Barry Manilow and Bob
Dorough - a mid-toned tenor that sounds comfortable in his skin …
Cassara sounds calm and collected on this cool collection of music,
perfect for a night of pensive thoughts."
New
York is rife with great musicians, and Cassara brought on board a
stellar cast of first-call accompanists, including bassist BOOTS
MALESON (Milt Jackson, Elvin Jones, Jaki Byard, Archie Shepp,
Kenny Barron, Dexter Gordon), drummer TIM HORNER (Hank Jones,
Clifford Jordan, Pepper Adams, Joe Locke, Randy Brecker, Vic Juris),
and pianist JOSH RICHMAN (Wynton Marsalis, Terell Stafford,
Randy Brecker, Peter Washington, Charles Fambrough). Guest artist HARRY
ALLEN, who has recorded over 70 CDs as a leader, lends his
velvety tenor sax sound to eight of the tunes.
Eschewing
vocal pyrotechnics, Cassara’s vocal style is urbane and
conversational. His mentors were Carol Fredette, Roz Corral, and
Marlene Ver Planck, jazz singers who are known for their ability to swing
hard while telling stories with finesse and honesty … an approach
that Cassara took to heart.
Cassara
is a big fan of Dave Frishberg’s droll lyrics. Abetted by Allen’s
lyrical swinging sax, he includes three of his popular compositions,
“Zanzibar,” “Let’s Eat Home,” and “Wheelers and Dealers.” Cassara
sings two Jobim tunes, a heartfelt rendition of “Fotografia” and
“Living on Dreams,” with alternate English lyrics by Susannah
McCorkle, which hew closer to the original Portuguese lyrics.
Ronnie
Whyte is one of the last of the old-fashioned piano bar/saloon
singers and his original compositions are reminiscent of the Great
American Songbook. Cassara performs Whyte’s bluesy “The Party
Upstairs,” the swinging “Throw Me a Word,” the heartfelt love song “Linger
a While,” and the theatrical ballad “I Think I Fell in Love Today.”
Whyte arranged and played piano on his originals.
Cassara
also covers several well-known chestnuts, including “I Just Found Out
About Love,” “Secret Love,” “I Wish I Knew,” and “I Let a Song Go Out
of My Heart.” Cassara also includes “What a Way to Go,” a
lesser-known ballad by June Tonkin that was most notably covered by
Mark Murphy.
ABOUT
BEN CASSARA
Born
and raised in NYC, Ben Cassara began singing around the family piano
and went on to perform in both church and high school choirs which
culminated in a televised performance at Carnegie Hall at the age of
16.
He
tried his hand at theater and after college performed in a number of
Off-Off Broadway productions. However, music was his first love, and
it didn’t take him long to start working in piano bars all around the
city and in the tri-state area.
After
a time, Cassara realized he’d prefer to be a “front man” and a while
back started studying with jazz vocal coach, Carol Fredette, and
working with different jazz accompanists around the city.
In
2013 Cassara released his first CD, Sister Moon on Chandler
Records with Tedd Firth on piano, David Finck on bass and Bob Mallach
on tenor, to great reviews.
In
2014 he debuted his Bobby Troup Project at Jazz at Kitano and has
since performed it at numerous venues around the New York tri-state
area.
# # #
WHAT
A WAY TO GO
was released December 30, 2022 and is available on Amazon, Apple
Music, Spotify, YouTube and selected platforms.
Online:
Bencassara.com
Facebook.com/ben.cassara
@Bencjazz
|