Lisa Moscatiello: Trouble from the Start
This album by Takoma Park chanteuse Lisa Mosciatello was proclaimed the 2005 album of the year at the Wammies (awards by the Washington Area Music Association) held in February.
Moscatiello has taken many paths in her career. She got her start at 16, singing traditional Irish songs for Ceoltiori. Later, she moved on to British folk rock with The New Saint George. More recently, she has explored both techno and Celtic fusion.
But the listener who only knows her from Trouble by the Start could easily conclude that she has spent the last 20 years in jazz clubs. This collection, which Moscatiello describes as “acid cabaret.” poses an appropriate counterweight to the more innocent love of Haydée’s album. Moscatiello projects the maturity of a woman who’s known love gone wrong.
“You were trouble from the start,” she sighs in the title track, “but I let you near my heart. You had all the warning signs. Said, 'I’m not the faithful kind.' Stole my heart and lost my mind. What am I going to do?”
As she covers Steve Knightley’s “Exile”, Moscatiello sings, “One thousand miles lie between us. Still, if I could cross a hundred borders, there’s no going home.”
Most of the songs on the albums are well-chosen covers (though Moscatiello shares writing credits with frequent collaborator Bev Stanton for “Trouble from the Start” and “What Happens After Love”). The combination of songwriters gives the album depth as Moscatiello interprets the work of such diverse songwriters as jazz legend Quincy Jones (“You’re Crying”), soul singer Jerry Butler (“A Brand new Me”). and Italian screen composer Pino Donaggio (“Come Sinfonia”—which Moscatiello delivers in impeccable Italian).
Throughout the album, Moscatiello’s viola-smooth voice reminds the listener of such jazz greats as Sarah Vaughn and Lena Horne. And a few tracks, like, “You’re Crying” and “You’re in Love Again” would not be out of place at the 1954 Newport Jazz Festival.
Other songs, like “Trouble from the Start” and “Feel the Love” sound like they would be more at home at the 2006 Takoma Park Folk Festival (although the snatches of Al Cooper-style organ on “Trouble from the Start” take the song to an even funkier place).
Still other songs, like “Ashtray”, could be delivered at a stadium rock show.
Yet, Moscatiello pulls them all together into an album, the entirety of which would make a fantastic concert at Blues Alley.
As with the songs she’s chosen, Moscatiello draws from the best when it comes to the musicians with whom she collaborates on this album. Some of the locals include Harry Appelman (keyboards) Robbie Magruder (drums), Jon Nazdin (bass), Phil Mathieu (accoustic guitar) Erik Wenberg (electric guitar), and Fred Lieder (cello).
If you’re interested in supporting local artists, you could do no better than starting with this album.
—Eric Bond