Actually I could've made this review very short. A very impressive debut album of jazz standards by a gifted singer that will stick like glue in your CD player. And finally the one album of cover versions that makes me throw all my prejudice about cover albums to the winds. But of course you like to get some more information about the songstress that impresses me so much.
When you think of music from Philadelphia these days, you might think of artists like King Britt, Vikter Duplaix, Kindred Spirit or Jill Jones but Philly has much more to offer than the reinvention of soul music. And that's where Joanna Pascale steps in. Being only in her mid-twenties she offers a maturity as if she has been around for much longer. Of course she has absorbed all the well-known masters like Billie Holiday, Carmen McRae, Sarah Vaughn, or Nat King Cole and thus sings with the greatest of ease as if she has learned it from the cradle.
Joanna has found the right mixture of obscure and well-known standards to make this album very enjoyable. Accompanied by Terell Stafford (trumpet), Farid Baron & Gary Moran (piano), Madison Rast (bass), Byron Landham (drums), and Craig Ebner (guitar) the overall feeling created by Joanna is a fine late nite atmosphere somewhere between candle light dinner, torch songs and jazz club.
It's hard to pick out a favourite song here since all songs are great songs in itself (that's the advantage of cover songs) and Joanna's performance is flawless. But still, there are songs that mean a little more to the listener than others. For me Stardust is one of these songs, with just Joanna and Gary Moran on piano. Here we get a great vocal performance by Joanna and I especially like the way she begins the song.
Give Me The Simple Life is a great update of this Julie London tune and like already remarked on the introduction to Michelle Walker's album Slow Down the best things in life are not always free but usually very simple. So I really can't argue with the message of this song.
Funny that Joanna also does a version of Girl Talk, which is also the title track of Deborah J. Carter's recent live album, a song that I have never heard before and that now comes twice in a short time.
Other fine songs include Too Marvelous For Words, Fools Rush In, In The Still Of The Night or the swinging I Just Found Out About Love.
Like mentioned at the beginning the whole album just oozes perfection and it makes you wish to see Joanna live performing some songs of her working repertoire of over 400 songs. Although I wouldn't argue with her if she wants to do her whole repertoire in a live show.

"Yes, I have heard the CD and I think that it is wonderful. It's the type of music that I can listen to any time, any where or any place. Joanna has the tone of voice that soothes your heart if it's troubled, lifts your spirits if you're down or just plain makes you feel good inside. Thank you for the opportunity of allowing me to voice my opinion and gratitude for such a fine performer."