Denise Mangiardi strikes an elegant balance between jazz, classical and pop on her new stylish and sophisticated album On The Brink — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
After a five-year hiatus, the gifted singer, songwriter, pianist, and classical composer returns with the followup to her 2019 masterpiece, Brown Book. On The Brink spotlights Mangiardi’s profound love and mastery of strings, singing, and arranging through a collection of original compositions and American Songbook classics.
“I wanted to record an album of ballads that was both relaxing and inspiring; and to address the range of emotions so many of us are feeling in these troubling times,” Mangiardi shares. Her five new compositions, along with two fresh arrangements of timeless standards, do just that.
On The Brink was recorded in New Orleans, a city Mangiardi called home for five years. “Many of the musicians who play on the album are very dear friends of mine and incredible musicians from the New Orleans area. Our love of the city and its people was important for us all as we approached this project,” she reflects.
The album features an impressive lineup of musicians, including saxophonist Tony DaGradi, drummer Johnny Vidacovitch, bassist Chris Severin and pianist Michael Pellera, alongside the strings of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. Guest artists Cindy Scott (alto flute), Emily Mikesell (flugelhorn), Luca Boscagin (guitar) and Jon Thorne (bass) further enrich the album’s sound.
The two standards — Cole Porter’s Every Time We Say Goodbye and David Mann’s In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning — are enveloped in Mangiardi’s luxurious string arrangements. Pellera delivers a lyrical swinging solo on the former, while DaGradi’s tender tenor sax graces the latter.
Mangiardi’s original compositions are intimate and compelling, with personal and heartfelt lyrics. Opening track The Walk, inspired by her rambles on the Isle of Wight, features Scott’s alto flute and Boscagin’s gentle guitar. The title track, with its forlorn strings, conveys a message of resilience and positivity through Mangiardi’s vocals and DaGradi’s soprano saxophone, pushing back against fear and adversity.
Portrait Of A Lady, released as a single, combines Boscagin’s acoustic guitar, the LSO, and a specially commissioned electronic bed by Arthur Brouns, expressing the loneliness and disillusionment towards current global leaders. Les Rues de Paris, a delightful French ballad about two lovers, features Mikesell’s soft-toned flugelhorn and perfectly complements Mangiardi’s lyrics. The poignant Celeste, dedicated to Mangiardi’s sister who passed away a decade ago, is beautifully echoed by DaGradi’s tenor saxophone.
Mangiardi’s exceptional songwriting, interpretative, pianistic, vocal, and arranging skills shine throughout the tracks. Her beautiful and creative arrangements make this album as compelling as it is beautiful, reaffirming her status as one of today’s most creative and expansive contemporary artists. On The Brink is set to captivate audiences and reaffirm Mangiardi’s place in the pantheon of modern music.
Listen to On The Brink below, and find Denise Mangiardi on her website, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
