Kelsey Giarola is one of those rare musicians who can perform exceptionally well and charm their audience.
Her warm and engaging stage presence makes her listeners feel like old friends, and a packed room, bustling with the sounds of drinks being poured and meals being served, suddenly feels like a small, intimate space.
Last Saturday Kelsey launched her debut CD — Love Me Or Leave Me — to a sold-out crowd at the Brisbane Jazz Club. She had the audience eating out of her hand before she even opened her mouth to sing. She beamed at the expectant crowd and bantered with her fellow musicians with the ease of a seasoned pro.
Dressed in black, she cut an elegant figure, reminiscent of old-school, smokey-room jazz singers; think dimmed lights, silhouettes, smooth jazz/ blues rhythms. Of course, when she did open her mouth to sing, the warmth of her stage presence came through in her voice. ‘Pure’ is clichéd but it's most apt in Kelsey’s case. She has a voice that could suit any style of music from funk to musical theatre but jazz music is where her voice truly shines.Classics like ‘Summertime’ and ‘I’m Beginning to See the Light’ featured on Saturday night as well as some lesser known tracks and movie favourites like ‘When Somebody Loved Me’. While remaining faithful to the heart and soul of the music, Kelsey added her own pizzazz: playful skatting, impressive runs, and spontaneous laughter.
