Review From Back Stage Weekly
May 30th, 2003

Back Stage
Bistro Bits

John Hoglund

Bringing original jazz songs into a cabaret setting is risky. Plus, while an experienced musician and singer, Tuey Connell is new on the scene here. Appearing in a show called "Is This Love" recently at Danny's Skylight Room, Connell proved to be a young man who handles his original tunes with flair, possessing remarkable musicianship and a vocal sincerity that might suggest a mixed hybrid of Johnny Hartman, Michael Franks, and Sinatra. Which is not to imply he hasn't got his own strong identity that is sure to gain him attention as his name builds on the Manhattan scene. His resonant, hazy baritone excels on intimate passages, creating a dark tonal quality that is at once intimate and compelling.

While his superb backup trio – Peter Mihelich on piano, Neal Miner on acoustic bass, and Joe Strasser on drums – played muscular straight-ahead jazz, his own fluent guitar and banjo turns spiced up the arrangements with a raw rock 'n' roll blast. A Connecticut native reared in the jazz clubs of south Chicago, he is a protégé of the great jazz singer Mark Murphy. While his songs are unfamiliar, he makes a compelling case for the back-to-roots direction he seems to be taking. The Hartman influence was most evident on his mellow "Sand Box Land" and the more intense "Strawberries At Midnight" (with excellent guest alto saxophonist Chris Byars). Other high spots included "When There's No Tomorrow" and his newest album's title cut, "Is This Love." I suggest he include a few standards in his show to broaden his appeal to strangers who like the oldies. That aside, it's safe to say that this terrific debut by a multitalented artist is only the start of something big.

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