Review: Singer-Songwriter Anthony Nunziata Warmed the Heart at Café Carlyle

Singer-songwriter and internationally acclaimed classical-crossover recording artist Anthony Nunziata returned to Café Carlyle on February 28 for a sold-out, two-night run. Nunziata, whose name has graced Broadway World's pages many times in stellar reviews, has a beautiful, soaring tenor voice and a magnetic presence. A favorite here at Broadway World, Nunziata was recently interviewed for this show by Rebecca Kaplan (HERE).

Nunziata arrived at the stage dressed impeccably in a charcoal sharkskin tuxedo and a black necktie, with patent leather shoes. He is tall and handsome, with a warm smile and a boyish enthusiasm. Nunziata is engaging and often funny, with patter that felt fresh and off the cuff.

Accompanied only by pianist and arranger Yasuhiko Fukuoka, he opened with the Neapolitan song "'O Solo Mio" (Eduardo di Capua and Alfredo Mazzucchi/Giovanni Capurro).

After a powerfully sung medley of songs associated with Elvis Presley ("Can't Help Falling in Love" and "Unchained Melody"), Nunziata told his story. He aimed to provide fresh arrangements of the traditional Italian ballads and Great American Songbook standards that have inspired his own songwriting, as well as a handful of his own compositions. The Brooklyn native, who now lives in Nashville, quipped, "You're gonna hear a lot of 'Youses' and 'Y'alls!".

With such an intimate venue (capacity: 80), Nunziata approached the gig as if performing from his front porch or in the living room of his Italian family. In fact, his parents and his sister Annie were in the room. The star also has a twin brother, the very talented Will Nunziata, his former co-star, who retired from singing in favor of writing and producing stellar entertainment both here and on the West End.

Nunziata performed a superb pair of his original tunes, written in partnership with several songwriters. The first, "One More Star" (with Jeff Franzel and Nina Ossoff) is meant as a "circle of life," about the bond between parent and child. As the lyrics became increasingly potent, his passion was palpable in his voice and face.

In a heightened emotional state, Nunziata spoke of the love between his parents, and how the idea of someone being his "everyday" inspired the next original, "Will You Be My Every Day" (with Jeff Franzel and Tom Kimmel) a terrific, well-constructed song that has the makings of a big hit. (In a funny aside, he revealed that his parents asked if he'd be singing the "condo" song: the song that will one day allow their son to buy them a condo!)

The star introduced "Is It Raining Where You Are," a song he wrote "yesterday" with Nashville songwriters Christiana Allaire and Elena Jones, and inspired by two of his best friends. One, Mary, visiting from Washington, D.C., was seated next to this writer, and was clearly gobsmacked by this surprise. The song is a country ballad, and interestingly, Nunziata's voice seemed took on a "country tinge" as he took on the mantle of "country singer."

Surprise guest singer Vanessa Racci came on as something of a mid-show dessert. The delightful performer, making her Café Carlyle debut, was resplendent in a blue outfit. (Racci first came to my attention when I produced Masters of My Public Domain for The American Popular Song Society, in which she performed at the suggestion of my co-producer, the late Danny Bacher.) She performed an Italian ballad before singing a jazzy rendition of Cole Porter's "Just One of Those Things," that included the rarely performed verse.

The star's rendition of "When I Fall in Love," complete with the very rare verse, was beautiful and quite romantic in a "holding hands" sort of way.

Nunziata was at his most relaxed and confident in an especially wonderful family segment of the show. He was very funny talking about his family, and his declaration that Italians and Jews are basically the same. "Food, family, and guilt!" He declared, "we're all family." He included the audience in a call-and-response for two Italian songs, "Cosi-Cosa" and "Funiculi-Funicula."

As a songwriter, Nunziata brings much to the table. His songs are well-constructed, with clear and catchy hooks, and lyrics that really hit home. He debuted "That's God Talking," a country song he wrote with Steve Schmidt. Nunziata has a bit of vocal chameleon to him, and he again took on something of a country drawl here. The number is moving and spiritual, and which, in this writer's opinion, could someday win Nunziata a Country Music Association (CMA) award.

Nunziata's "I Found A Home," written during the pandemic with Jeff Franzel and Tom Kimmel, has been played all over the world. But it was "Just One Prayer Away" (with Maria Christensen) that had the greatest emotional impact of the set. Nunziata's singing here was sweet and tender, with an almost angelic tone. Several patrons were dabbing away tears by the end of the number, including this reviewer.

An evening at the very intimate Café Carlyle - made most famous by the late, great Bobby Short - is one of New York's greatest pleasures, a venue that is right out of an old Woody Allen movie. (Woody and his band played here most Monday nights for many years.) From the ambience, to the service, to the food and, of course, the entertainment, it is first-class all the way, and worth every cent.

An evening with Anthony Nunziata makes for a potent cure for the winter blues. He is a terrific entertainer with a voice and delivery that can melt hearts, if not ice.

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You can learn more about Anthony Nunziata on his website here. You can find him on Facebook here and on Instagram here.

For more great shows at Café Carlyle, visit their website here.

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