By Andrew Poretz***Jazz vocalist David Marino’s latest show at Birdland—an eclectic program of jazz—was a great way to end the year. This is the third show of 
Marino’s that this writer has covered since his impressive New York cabaret debut in 2023. At each outing, his performance has significantly improved.
Marino is now early into his peak phase in terms of his pure vocal sound: think 1953 Sinatra (though his timbre more resembles Mel Tormé’s), with full command over his formidable tenor instrument. His tone and power are exceptional, with a sound that can take one’s breath away. He is terribly sweet, with a fine sense of humor and growing confidence in his ability to charm and move an audience at a major club such as Birdland. He was accompanied by the excellent quartet of pianist-musical director Billy Stritch, bassist Steve Doyle, drummer Daniel Glass and guitarist Jeff Barone.
The singer’s emotional delivery and interpretive skills are also excellent. He has the rare ability to induce tears in multiple languages. (While French is the Montreal native’s first language, his English is accent-free in both speech and song. He also sang in flawless Italian and Spanish.) The opening
was quite strong, with a pair of well-crafted tunes: “I Hear Music” (Burton Lane, Frank Loesser) and”Lullaby of Broadway” (Harry Warren, Al Dubin). For the mid-Fifties “Italian” novelty song, “Come On-a My House” (Ross Bagdassarian,William Saroyan), Barone played his instrument as if it were a mandolin. Marino thankfully eschewed the parody Italian accent of the Rosemary Clooney hit record and followed with a real Italian song, “O sole mio,” a Neapolitan classic written in 1898 by Giovanni Capurro. With just guitar accompaniment at first, Marino displayed one of the purest, most beautiful voices this reviewer has heard, the kind that can cause goose bumps.
Marino returned to the novelty arena with Betty Hutton’s “It’s Oh So Quiet,” a fun, obscure half-lullaby, half-rocker introdu
ced by in 1951. Marino’s rendition reminded me of a young Bobby Rydell. (It’s clear that Marino could pull off a rock number with ease.) Daniel Glass’s flawless timing added greatly to the shifts from lullaby to rock. The rising star took things to another level entirely with a magnificent “I Got Lost in His Arms” (Irving Berlin). His emotional reading of this song took him completely inside the lyric. When he sang, “But look what I have found,” tissues were needed. If he was not singing about his own life, his acting skills were most profound.
The number that Marino performs in every one of his shows is “Caruso,” written by Italian singer-songwriter Lucio Dalla in 1986, dedicated to legendary tenor Enrico Caruso. The tune is his grandfather’s favorite song—and his love for his grandfather is so strong that he must compose himself, and so did his audience. There was not a dry eye in the house by the song’s end. (Marino’s parents were in the front row.) A standing ovation followed after Marino’s powe
rful rendition of Edith Piaf’s “Hymn To Love” (written with Marguerite Monnot) garnered a delicious encore of “Grateful” (John Buchino), with just Stritch on piano.
It’s gratifying to watch a young singer evolve, and David Marino’s future seems quite promising. In another era, Marino already would be all over television and radio.
David Marino can be found next at Pangea on February 12, for a rare, intimate show with pianist John DiMartino. Whether there or at a venue like Birdland, this compelling performer is not to be missed.
Photos by Andrew Poretz
