By Marilyn Lester***The delightful cabaret room at Pangea was already abuzz with excited anticipation—and the energy lifted even more noticeably with the entrance of the duo of vocalist Mafalda Minnozzi and guitarist Paul Ricci, making one of their rare NYC appearances. It’s a musical partnership that began in 
1996 when the two bonded over a shared passion for Brazilian music. Ricci had worked as a sideman for Astrud Gilberto, and Minnozzi, originally from Pavia, Italy, not only loved the rhythms of bossa nova, but also brought to the table a background in Italian “Musica Leggera” tradition and French chanson, This delightful international smörgåsbord of music was on display in this sophisticated and joyful show—which, Minnozzi announced, was dedicated to women vocalist in honor of March, Women’s History Month.
Opener, the familiar and ever-popular Jobim tune, “Garota de Ipanema” aka “The Girl from Ipanema” (Antônio Carlos Jobim, Vinícius de Moraes) revealed a stunning command of Brazilian Portuguese (likewise, Minnozzi offers lyrics in French like a native). Jobim was heavily represented in the set with numbers familiar to the America ear—so much so that in over five decades they have become enduring standards (with English titles and lyrics), in the American songbook. That girl from Ipanema (a famous Rio beach) wasn’t the first Jobim tune to come to the US but it was the first hit, introducing Astrud Gilberto tolisteners. “Dindi,” the yearning Jobim tune with lyrics
by Aloysio de Oliveira, was famously performed in the US by jazz pianist-singer Shirley Horn, among others.
Two evocative Jobim medleys were performed. The first was “Corcovado/Insensatez.” Lyrics, are respectively by João Gilberto, who first recorded the tune, and de Moraes, also first recorded by Gilberto. The second Jobim medley, “Desafinado/Samba de una Nota Só,” are tunes both with lyrics by Newton Mendonça and recorded by João Gilberto. And what about the distaff connected to these standards? They were all recorded by heavy-hitters including Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Margaret Whiting and others. Minnozzi also sang a glorious interpretation of the upbeat, joyous and now legendary Jobim tune, “Águas de Março,” aka “Waters of March” with lyrics by Jobim and first recorded with the great Elis Regina.
Minnozzi can be charmingly described as Piaf-esque and her tribute song to the French icon was another “imported” to the US hit, “Ne me quitte pas” (known in the English version as “If You Go Away”), written by Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel. Minnozzi’s interpretation was a smart one: singing this song of love’s desperation as a blues. Several tunes were, of course, those made famous in the singer’s native Italy. Among them was 1978’s “Ancora, ancora, ancora” (Gian Pietro Felisatti, Mina), which is something of a landmark in Italian popular music, marking the last public
appearance of a legendary singer, Mina (Mina Anna Maria Mazzini) as well as furthering a more sensualized style of Italian pop singing. No tribute to the distaff in song would be complete without acknowledging Ella Fitzgerald, who was described by the great Duke Ellington as, “beyond category.” In her lovely English, Minnozzi chose “There’s a Small Hotel,” offering a subset tribute to songwriting legends, Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart.
During this cosmopolitan tour of legendary songs and the singers notably attached to them, one dynamic became clear at the top of the set: the synergy between the two performers. They truly operate as one unit. Ricci is not only a skilled guitarist but a masterful accompanist. Sitting close to the singer, he’s attuned to her, providing effortless support to her vocals, which are themselves made rich by a full investment of animation and passion in her storytelling. For those not familiar with this dynamic duo of the jazz/cabaret/concert worlds, they are a treat, not to be missed.
