Recordings

All Things Gold features straight-up acoustic vocal jazz in a champagne glass – swinging, clean, cool and refined. These songs are intensely varied and deftly executed, fresh and unexpected, yet they sound like bold new additions to the American Songbook.

Melanie has surrounded herself with an assortment of the best New York jazz musicians around: Matt King on piano, Andy Eulau on bass, and Scott Neumann on drums. The band is rounded out with horn players Mike Lee (sax), Jim Cifelli (trumpet/flugelhorn), and Nick Afflitto (trumpet). They’re a tight unit and they mean business.

With an emphasis on story-telling, her engaging lyrics draw audiences in, while her stellar band provides the solid and rhythmic grid she spins her tales upon. It’s all there: good old-fashioned swing, bossas, rhumbas, funk, pop ballads, hard-driving and gritty tunes in unusual meters. Mitrano uses whatever is takes to get her point across, and she does it with skill and style.

Track 1. Immune ( 2:48 )
Track 2. Another Song about the Moon ( 4:11 )
Track 3. Something to Go On ( 4:38 )
Track 4. My Finest Hour ( 4:01 )
Track 5. The Man You Used to Be ( 2:40 )
Track 6. All Things Gold ( 4:31 )
Track 7. I Ain’t Got You ( 2:44 )
Track 8. Smarten Up ( 3:12 )
Track 9. She Floats Away ( 3:47 )
Track 10. You Can’t Unring Bells ( 3:21 )
Track 11. The King of Cryptology ( 3:46 )
Track 12. Backstory ( 3:58 )
Track 13. Never Been to Brazil ( 2:58 )
Track 14. Wednesdays ( 3:44 )
Track 15. Toccata Talk to Me ( 3:11 )

All titles composed by Melanie Mitrano, (ASCAP), copyright © 2009.

Big Round Records, BR8903, 2009

Purchase All Things Gold direct from MelanieMitrano.com/ATG-Sales

Songs in Transit: An American Expedition features a unique selection of songs that are not merely classical, but a hybrid mixture of styles which includes jazz, blues, musical theater, popular music, rock, hip-hop, electronic and world music. All of it is woven into the complex tapestry that makes up “American” music.

The disc highlights living American poets and composers, many of whom accompany their own songs at the piano. Among the composers are two Pulitzer Prize winners: David Del Tredici and Paul Moravec. Also featured are renowned composers Lee Hoiby, Tom Cipullo, and Lori Laitman, as well as works by Gene Pritsker, Beth Anderson, Allan Jaffe, and an original song cycle by Melanie Mitrano.

How To Get Heat Without Fire Tom Cipullo (accompanied by the composer)
Track 1. Why I Wear My Hair Long ( 1:21 )
Track 2. Saying Goodbye ( 2:08 )
Track 3. The Pocketbook ( 4:24 )
Track 4. How to Get Heat Without Fire ( 4:48 )

Track 5. The Hour ( 2:12 ) Lori Laitman (accompanied by the composer)
Track 6. Money ( 1:52 )

Three Ages of Woman Lee Hoiby (accompanied by the composer)
Track 7. Manners ( 3:06 )
Track 8. Filling Station ( 3:38 )
Track 9. Insomnia ( 3:38 )

Two Infatuations and a Phobia Melanie Mitrano (Judith Munro de Wette, piano)
Track 10. Your Little Voice ( 1:48 )
Track 11. Time for Tea ( 2:05 )
Track 12. Bona Petite ( 3:17 )

Track 13. Lullaby ( 1:37 ) Beth Anderson (Judith Munro de Wette, piano)
Track 14. Beauty Runs Faster (0:40)

Track 15. Perirrhanterium (Truth) ( 3:06 ) Gene Pritsker

Track 16. We Are Never Alone ( 3:36 ) Allan Jaffe (Judith Munro de Wette, piano)

Two Popular Songs Paul Moravec (accompanied by the composer)
Track 17. I Could Call You Up ( 3:11 )
Track 18. Main Street U.S.A. ( 3:44 )

Track 19. New Year’s Eve ( 4:07 ) David Del Tredici (accompanied by the composer)

Capstone Records, CPS-8756, 2006

Purchase Songs in Transit: An American Expedition at cdbaby.com/cd/mitrano