NYC Vocalist BEN CASSARA's "WHAT A WAY TO GO"

NYC VOCALIST BEN CASSARA RELEASES SECOND ALBUM

WHAT A WAY TO GO

A MIX OF GAS STANDARDS, ORIGINALS AND TASTY GEMS

Released on December 30, 2022 

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.

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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