Gabrielle Cavassa brings moods and vibes to the studio for this intimate episode on the OnBeat Sessions.
This unique vocalist, hailing from California and nurtured by New Orleans, has made a name for herself as she developed her distinctive style and role as a mood-setter. Gabrielle Cavassa has a knack for capturing the attention of any room she can sing to, as well as surrounding herself with talent that tastefully elevate her craft. Here, she brings in bassist Lex Warshawsky, trumpeter John Michael Bradford, drummer Thomas Glass and pianist Shea Pierre, all among the best players of their generation in New Orleans. They open with an homage to one of the most influential drummers and educators in this scene, playing James Black’s “Jasmine,” following by a steamy and dramatic original blues. Finally, Cavassa closes the set by delving into her Italian roots, pulling out a 1960’s love song first interpreted by Iva Zanicchi.
Of her singing style, Cavassa says, “I think honesty has a way of moving beyond the lyrics. If I was singing a song that lyrically wasn’t true, it could still have something that was real to me.”
Cavassa decided she had to to move to New Orleans while listening to an Americana band at the Hi-Ho Lounge on St. Claude Avenue.
“I just thought it was so incredible how much music there was,” she said of New Orleans. “I heard so many styles played at such a high level and with such passion in such a short amount of time. I feel like I learned so much and that I needed to be here. I just couldn’t imagine knowing that that place exists and not being in it.”
Recorded by
Gary Giofreda
Deven Raval Maxwell
Landry
mixed by
Gio Ventello
Shot and edited by Noé Cugny
assisted by Patricia Moscardo, Andy Thomas
