By Don Heckman
Kelly Mittleman isn’t a name that rings a lot of bells – at least not yet. But her performance at Catalina Bar & Grill Tuesday suggested that we’ll be hearing a lot more from this intriguing artist – both as a performer and as a songwriter.
Her program – for an appearance that represented her West
Coast debut — included a mixture of material from her new album, A New Reason, along with a healthy sampling of items from the Great American Songbook. To Mittleman’s credit, her songs didn’t feel at all out of place in the company of classics by Gershwin, Johnny Mandel and others. Three of them – “Cake” (which was a finalist in the International Songwriting Competition), “Shoprite” and “Lucky” were especially appealing combinations of wit, lyricism and musicality. Transcending limitations of style, they surfaced as songs with inherent, story telling qualities that could be adapted to performances by almost any singer, in any genre.
It’s always intriguing to hear a songwriter perform her own works, of course, but Mittleman’s interpretations of standards were also well-done, for the most part delivered with upbeat, r & b tinged verve. At times, the renderings became somewhat overblown, especially when she verged too close to an extrovertive, blue-eyed soul style. In the exceptions — Mandel’s “The Shadow of Your Smile,” for example – she revealed a different, more intimate and ultimately more engaging, aspect of her performing persona.
Mittleman, who was ably backed by pianist Andy Ezrin, bassist David Finck, drummer Chris Parker, guitarist Bill Bickford and percussionist Richie Gajate Garcia, has an eclectic resume. A former journalist and correspondent for CBS and NPR, she was a finalist in the Today Show Superstar Contest, and her songs will be heard in the new film, Hollywood & Wine. Mittleman clearly also has the potential – with her dynamic manner and svelte, blonde good looks – to emerge as an impressive performing artist as well. Stay tuned for future developments.
