(Vocal Jazz) Joanna Pascale - Through My Eyes - 2008, APE (image+.cue) lossless

Since emerging onto Philadelphia's jazz scene, vocalist Joanna Pascale has established herself as a compelling and skilled vocalist. At just 24 years old Joanna already has a working repertoire of over 400 songs. She brings a strong emotional element as well as a solid sense of swing to her uncommonly large catalogue of jazz standards. Joanna has regular gigs as a leader at some of Philadelphia's premiere jazz venues, as well as regular appearances with Philadelphia's most respected jazz musicians.
Joanna began her musical education as a listener to the music in her household. “I grew up listening to old vinyl albums of Billie Holiday, Carmen McRae, Sarah Vaughan, and Nat King Cole,” recalls Pascale, “I learned these songs as if they were a part of my generation's popular music.”
Joanna's love for jazz voice eventually took her to Philadelphia's Performing Arts High School, and then to Temple University, where she studied music with such instructors as Terell Stafford and Bruce Barth. While still a student in high school, Joanna began to develop her unique repertoire.
“When I started going to jam sessions, vocalists would always do the same couple of songs,” stated Pascale, “it would amaze me that gems like 'Serenade in Blue' or 'Once in a While', for example, would fall through the cracks. I made it my mission to learn these under performed standards, and to search for other songs that need to be remembered.”
What really sets Joanna apart from other vocalists, though, is not her repertoire, but her musicianship. Despite her young age, Joanna brings a depth of artistry to her music that rivals that of many singers who have been in the business for decades. The Philadelphia Metro raved, “Don't let her age fool you, Joanna Pascale is a highly sophisticated singer.”
Review by Alex Henderson:
Joanna Pascale's debut album, When Lights Are Low, demonstrated that the Philadelphia-based jazz vocalist not only had impressive vocal chops she also brought a wealth of feeling and soulfulness to the table. The disc's main shortcoming was a problem that is all too common in both instrumental and vocal jazz: the warhorse factor. In other words, When Lights Are Low was dominated by beaten-to-death warhorses that have been recorded much too often for their own good. When Lights Are Low indicated that Pascale needed to become more adventurous in her choice of material, and she makes some progress in that area on her second album, Through My Eyes. Although not devoid of warhorses, this 2008 release also contains its share of gems that haven't been beaten to death by jazz vocalists for example, "When I Grow Too Old to Dream," "P.S. I Love You," and Bob Russell's "Blue Gardenia." Pascale even finds the jazz potential in Ruby & the Romantics' 1963 soul-pop classic "Our Day Will Come," which works enjoyably well for her. And the fact that Pascale is broadening her repertoire is important because having an interesting, far-reaching repertoire is one of the things that can make an artist stand out in the ultra-crowded jazz vocal field. Emotionally, Pascale hasn't lost anything on Through My Eyes; she still values expression over technique, combining Shirley Horn's subtle introspection with elements of Billie Holiday, Jimmy Scott (a male singer with primarily female influences), and Dinah Washington. Combine all that feeling with perfect intonation and strong vocal chops, and you have a major talent on your hands. Pascale still has some work to do when it comes to broadening and expanding her repertoire in the studio; she's still more Tin Pan Alley-centric than she needs to be. But Through My Eyes is definitely a step in the right direction and reaffirms the fact that this Philadelphia resident is someone to pay close attention to.

Joanna Pascale (vocals), Madison Rast (bass), Andrew Adair (piano), Tim Warfield, (saxophones), Dan Monaghan (drums)