JESSICA MOLASKEY — A Kiss to Build a Dream On (2008) APE (image+.cue), lossless

When Broadway actress Jessica Molaskey met jazz guitarist/vocalist John Pizzarelli, an engaging partnership (both musical and marital) was formed. Molaskey enjoyed the musical family she married into, including father and guitarist Bucky and brother-in-law/bassist Martin, all of whom join her on her first CD for a purely jazz label. Rounding out the band is the talented young violinist Aaron Weinstein, a swinging, sensitive player in the Stéphane Grappelli tradition whose maturity on his instrument belies his youth. One of Molaskey's greatest strengths is her effortless ability to convey the emotion of each song without overdoing it, while her vocals are always right on the money. She also chose quite a few pieces that have long fallen into obscurity, including the upbeat "Happy Habit," the brightly swinging "Hello Sunshine Hello" (which interpolates "You Are My Sunshine" and utilizes multi-tracked vocals), and "Breezin' Along with the Breeze." John joins her for an intimate vocal duet of "Tea for Two" that includes the oft-omitted verse, along with their warm original "Hiding in Plain Sight," the latter adding guest Larry Fuller on piano. She also chose a pair of Stephen Sondheim songs, offering a playful rendition of "Everybody Loves Louis" (from Sunday in the Park with George and the sentimental ballad "Isn't He Something" (from Bounce. Jessica Molaskey will warm an audience of any size with this superb release.  Ken Dryden  
Tracklist :
1 Happy Habit 3:46
Dorothy Fields / Arthur Schwartz 
2 Medley: You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby/Baby Face 4:20
Harry Akst / Benny Davis / Johnny Mercer / Harry Warren 
3 Hello Sunshine Hello 3:28
Jack Murray / Charles Tobias 
4 A Kiss to Build a Dream On 4:11
Oscar Hammerstein II / Bert Kalmar / Harry Ruby 
5 Everybody Loves Louis 3:17
Stephen Sondheim 
6 Tea for Two 4:09
Irving Caesar / Vincent Youmans 
7 Take Me To You 3:41
Jessica Molaskey / John Pizzarelli 
8 Breezin' Along With the Breeze 4:12
Haven Gillespie / Seymour Simons / Richard A. Whiting 
9 Isn't He Something 3:47
Stephen Sondheim 
10 Hiding In Plain Sight 3:46
Jessica Molaskey / John Pizzarelli 
11 I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover 3:07
Mort Dixon / Harry Woods 
12 You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You 5:51
Larry Stock 
13 Ain't Misbehavin' 5:53
Harry Brooks / Andy Razaf / Fats Waller 
14 Bye Bye Blues 4:49
Dave Bennett / Chauncey Gray / Fred Hamm / Bert Lown 
15 Heart's Desire 2:48
Alan Broadbent / Dave Frishberg
Credits :
Jessica Molaskey, Composer, Cover Design, Vocals
Bucky Pizzarelli, Guitar
John Pizzarelli, Vocals
Martin Pizzarelli, Bass, Bass Instrument
Aaron Weinstein, Violin

JESSICA MOLASKEY — Pentimento (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

According to Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary, pentimento is defined as "the presence or emergence of earlier images, forms, or strokes that have been painted over." Musical theater star performer Jessica Molaskey's album of the same name gives a jazzy musical twist to this definition by updating songs from the 1920s and '30s. The play list is made up of those wonderful songs that people were enjoying during the pre-Depression flapper and Depression eras. Often their lyrics reflected the social and economic mores of the time, such as "We're in the Money"; others are just lovely songs from a bygone era, some of which have survived quite well to this day. These were the staples of many vaudeville and music hall performers and Tin Pan Alley song pluggers. Molaskey is joined by a stellar cast of musicians as she freshens up these vintage melodies, giving them a somewhat modern sheen, but not enough to completely mask their authenticity as classic American popular songs. The all-star band includes Ken Peplowski with his middle-register clarinet, Larry Goldings, and veteran Johnny Frigo. This group is augmented by Molaskey's husband, guitarist/vocalist John Pizzarelli, and his father, Bucky Pizzarelli. Molaskey delivers this wonderful material in an ungarnished, straightforward, clear, and pretty voice. She also has a way with taking these oldies and giving them a new look by simply changing the pulse. This happens on "I'm Just Wild About Harry," which is done as a plaintive ballad instead of the usually fast tap-dancing pace of its Broadway introduction in Shuffle Along in 1921. Even more than the pleasant warm feeling of nostalgia this fine album produces, it is a fun album of good music performed by excellent practitioners of their trade. Highly recommended for everybody who enjoys good music. Dave Nathan  
Tracklist :
1 Oh You Beautiful Doll 2:44
Nat D. Ayer / Seymour Brown
2 I'm Just Wild About Harry 3:02
Eubie Blake / Noble Sissle
3 Ain't We Got Fun 3:06
Raymond B. Egan / Gus Kahn / Richard A. Whiting
4 What'll I Do 3:31
Irving Berlin
5 Medley 3:22
Al Dubin / Harry Warren
Jessica Molaskey feat: John Pizzarelli
  6 Waitin' For the Train to Come In 2:29
Martin Block / Sunny Skylar
7 Red, Red Robin 2:42
Harry Woods
8 By the Beautiful Sea 1:57
Harold Atteridge / Harry Carroll
9 I'm Always Chasing Rainbows 2:49
Harry Carroll / Joseph McCarthy
10 Oh, How I Hate to Get up in the Morning 2:46
Irving Berlin
11 You Made Me Love You 4:12
Joseph McCarthy / James V. Monaco
12 I Tried Too Hard For Too Long 1:50
Jessica Molaskey / John Pizzarelli
13 When I Lost You 1:05
Irving Berlin
14 Look For the Silver Lining 1:55
Buddy DeSylva / Jerome Kern
15 I Can't Give You Anything But Love 3:18
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh
16 Beautiful Dreamer 1:37
Stephen Foster
17 Sail Away 2:57
Jessica Molaskey / John Pizzarelli
 Credits :
Johnny Frigo - Violin
Larry Goldings - Arranger, Piano, Piano Arrangement
Jesse Levy - Cello
Jessica Molaskey - Arranger, Composer, Vocals
Ken Peplowski - Clarinet
Bucky Pizzarelli - Guitar, Ukulele
John Pizzarelli - Arranger, Composer, Guitar, Producer, Ukulele, Vocals
Martin Pizzarelli - Bass
Tony Tedesco - Brushes, Percussion

JESSICA MOLASKEY – Sitting in Limbo (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Jessica Molaskey came up with a list of "limbo songs" for her fourth CD, describing them as pieces where someone is trying to figure out the difference between what seems to be taking place vs. what is actually going on. With a fine band that includes her husband, John Pizzarelli, on guitar, bassist Martin Pizzarelli, and drummer Tony Tedesco, with either Larry Goldings or Larry Fuller on piano, plus several appearances by saxophonist Harry Allen, she offers thoughtful interpretations of material drawn from the pop and rock of several decades, a few standards, and a pair of originals. She works magic with the unpromising soul hit "O-o-h Child" -- a simplistic ballad with a trite two-line lyric -- by slowing its tempo, accompanied solely by Goldings' thoughtful arrangement. Her humorous side comes out as she and her spouse interpolate "I Want to Be Happy" and "Sometimes I'm Happy" in a playful, sometimes conversational setting. They also jointly wrote the subtle but amusing ballad "Knowing You." This veteran Broadway singer/actress continues to shine in the spotlight, whether in the studio for a recording date or on-stage. Ken Dryden   
Tracklist :
1 Sitting in Limbo 3:58
Gully Bright / Jimmy Cliff
2 Heavy Cloud, No Rain 3:09
Jessica Molaskey
3 Summer, Highland Falls 4:16
Billy Joel
4 Ooh Child 3:00
Stan Vincent
5 I Want to Be Happy/Sometimes I'm Happy 2:13
Clifford Grey / Vincent Youmans
6 There Will Never Be Another You 3:12
Mack Gordon / Harry Warren
7 Knowing You 4:31
Jessica Molaskey / John Pizzarelli
8 I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter 3:31
Fred E. Ahlert / Joe Young
9 The Circle Game/Waters of March 4:48
Joni Mitchell
10 Walkin' After Midnight 3:35
Don Hecht
11 Hearts and Bones 4:11
Paul Simon
12 Morning Has Broken/I Woke Up One Early Morning 4:26
Eleanor Farjeon / Jessica Molaskey / John Pizzarelli / Traditional
Credits :
Bass – Martin Pizzarelli
Drums – Tony Tedesco
Guitar – John Pizzarelli
Piano – Larry Fuller (tracks: 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10)
Piano, Organ – Larry Goldings (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12)
Saxophone – Harry Allen