BWW Reviews: Jazzy ALEXIS COLE Brings Her Effortless Musicality to Café Noctambulo

Alexis Cole makes it look easy. Even up-tempo, the performer never appears to be less than relaxed and enjoying what she's doing. Somewhere in the middle of her first number Saturday night at Café Noctambulo (at Pangea Restaurant on 2nd Avenue between 11th and 12th streets) the room seems to exhale. This evening, with her familiar collaborators David Finck (bass) and Kenny Hassler (drums) communicating in musical shorthand, Cole (also on piano) offers jazz, swing, bossa nova, and pop, putting her own subtle stamp on each, never, thankfully, losing melodic path.

During "Bye Bye Blackbird," Cole's vocal is purposely just a tad behind the beat. At other times, accompaniment arrives on the tail of a lyric. These are signature approaches--as if words and music were conversing rather than synchronizing. The song is mid-tempo; an insouciant shrug, no regret here. Brows down, Hassler seems to be scatting under his breath.

"Estate" is a languid bossa with quiet cymbals and Finck's bass in tenor mode. Cole's voice rises above the shadowy melody like light on wave caps, as if a colorful bird in flight. It's sensual. "Night and Day" rides on percussive sound. The artist has come up with her own repetitive, rather interesting underpinning. It's foot-tapping jazz. Untraditionally, the song grows big and celebratory, as if it were drunk rather than dreamy.

Dreamy then arrives in the form of a savored "Midnight Sun" with lyrics stretched like fresh taffy. Melancholy reminiscence is supported by bowed bass. The vocal is rich, soulful and utterly in control. Modulation is second nature to Cole. She has innate finesse. "Alone Together," which follows, would ordinarily be in the same vein. Here, it's jivey and unromantic in direct opposition to the lyric.

Guest Marcus Goldhaber (in photo right) joins the group for a vocal duet of his own composition "Somebody in Love." The number begins like "Route 66," but segues into a 1940s, swing influenced song with tongue in cheek spirit: I gotta get through to somebody in love . . . How did I get here?/Who do I bet here?/Where is my IQ? Lyrics are tart and good. Harmony is swell. (The song is on Goldberger's new CD A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening.)

A soft focus "Moonlight in Vermont" has the expansive feeling of countryside, then, the cozy aura of a fireplace. Imagine a long panned camera shot . . . Evening summer breeze/warbling of a meadowlark . . . Cole sings, head back, eyes closed. We get an appreciative grin out of Finck. "Joy Spring" is very 1950s. Piquant melody shifts up, down, and sideways. The bass skibbles and dosey-does with percussion; Cole scats, slip-sliding with gleeful grace.

"I Thought About You" strings together lyric lines not as written, but rather as complete thoughts. There's a horn sound to Cole's tone. A sassy bass riff causes Finck to lean in and bite his lip; shoulders go up in time to rhythm. Hassler is so adroit he gives the illusion of being casual even while notably persuasive . . . With every stop---pause---that we make/I thought about you. The set ends with a jaunty "Sunny Side of the Street" in duet with a gently bouncing Goldberger. The number is breezy, piano-centric tap. Bonhomie is obvious. These two work really well together. At one point, Cole stands away from the piano for a little acoustic acapella. Very cool. The song is perfectly phrased.

Café Noctambulo is a warm, well-run venue in which to hear music.

To post a comment, you must register and login.