In celebration of her first CD, jazz singer Dee Cassella held court at the Metropolitan Room in New York on a Saturday afternoon to a packed room of singers and friends from her open mic appearances. Before she made her entrance, the audience was treated to a wild jazz arrangement of "Just In Time" by the band consisting of top tier jazz musicians: her pianist-arranger-music director jazz notable Dena DeRose (who flew in from Austria where she has a professorship), Matt Wilson on drums, Dean Johnson on bass, Jed Levy on saxophone, and special guest Gene Bertoncini on guitar. There were strong turns individual turns by Levy and Bertoncini.

From "That Old Feeling," her opening number, Dee Cassella demonstrates that she is a first-class, A+, authentic jazz singer, singing lyrics with emotion, and scaling effortlessly complicated melodies without any hesitation on the high notes or the soft notes.

A beautiful slow version of the jazz waltz "Some Time Ago" by the Argentine Sergio Mihanovich followed. Introduced by lovely flute work by Levy, Cassella sang the lovely tune in a way that demonstrated that she has a voice that can really sing almost anything. "I'm In Love Again," the Cy Coleman-Peggy Lee composition, was sung tenderly with a samba beat, and there was stunning solo work by all the musicians during the break. "There's No You," a thoughtful ballad by Tom Adair and Hal Hopper, was sung sincerely with extraordinary work by Levy and the legendary Bertoncini. "Speak Low" (Kurt Weill-Ogden Nash) was sung with a Latin beat and strong work from DeRose and Levy. The second chorus was fast paced and Cassella's vocals were inventive but always respectful of the meaning of the music and lyrics.

Cassella announced that "Too Late Now" (Alan Jay Lerner-Burton Lane) is sometimes sung as a sad song but she saw it as a happy one. Beginning with only DeRosa's remarkable piano accompliment, she built the song to a joyful climax communicating to the audience all her wonder and happiness.

Discussing her late start in singing, Connecticut resident Cassella told us of her attending a Stanford University Jazz Week in 2002 where she first encountered DeRose and the bouncing jazz standard, "Lady Bird." It was a week of living and breathing jazz and it also introduced Cassella to one of her idols, Mark Murphy. When she returned home she began to study in earnest with DeRose. Cassella's singing of the rangy melody was flawless.

"When I Look Into Your Eyes" (the song by Leslie Bricusse from Dr. Doolittle that was sung by Rex Harrison to a seal) was tenderly dedicated to her grandchildren. Cassella sang it simply and beautifully.

Cassella told us at that Stanford week she heard Mark Murphy sing "Don't Ask Why," a song written by Murphy and Alan Broadbent. When she met Murphy in the elevator afterwards she told him how much she loved the song. Murphy went up to his room and gifted her with his lead sheet. "Don't Ask Why" is a love song that Cassella sings with great sadness and sensitivity. Somehow Cassella managed to bring freshness and discovery to two cabaret war-horses, "My Favorite Year" and "East of the Sun."

After acknowledging her great musicians, her director, Gerry Geddes. and her vocal coaches, including Carol Fredette and Vivian Lord, and one of her mentors, songwriter-music publisher Roy Passman, and the support of her family, Cassella tore into "It Could Happen To You," expertly scatting against DeRose's keyboard gymnastics after the first chorus. Her encore, appropriately, was a swinging version of "We'll Be Together Again" with each of the band taking solos during the breaks between the choruses.

Joe Regan, Jr.
Cabaret Scenes
September 6, 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org