The newly formed vocal alliance between Jared Lee and Pia Toscano brought several hundred people to their feet in the standing Room Only floor at The Cutting Room in Manhattan. Patricia Adams/The Forum Newsgroup
Pia Toscano came home Monday night, not to Howard Beach per se, but to Pia Toscano. She brought with her a new look, a new sound and a vocal companion that will take her further than any folly with reality/talent TV ever could.
To Howard Beach, Toscano has always been a “neighborhood star.” But at a performance to benefit the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) at Manhattan’s trendy Cutting Room, there was every bit of evidence that the “neighborhood” is about to get a whole lot bigger.
Perhaps the best way to understand the breadth of the transformation is to begin with Toscano’s own words shared with the audience in between sets. “Things are falling into place.”
And falling very quickly. Gone is the awkward image choice assigned by one-time advisors. It’s been replaced with a comfortable poise that is accompanied by dramatically refined vocals. And it’s been enhanced by a creative alliance with wonderfully talented long time friend, Jared Lee.
The pair met back when she was about 16 and they actually wrote a few songs together. He sometimes accompanied Pia on the piano and they frequently worked together on arrangements. But Lee’s pursuits took him to Los Angeles and Pia’s Idol journey led the two talents on independent ventures.
Years later, after she too made the move to LA, the friends reconnected, renewed their collaborative efforts and started working on projects together.
The Cutting Room performance entitled, “Unplugged” was a naturally comfortable entrance for both performers, each having close ties with family, friends and charitable affiliations and involvements with both the ACS and JDRF. “This is very close to me,” Lee said. “My mom has juvenile diabetes.” Toscano has, for years, supported ACS Relay for Life and JDRF.
And if Monday night is any indication of what is to come from this musical repairing one could easily argue that the audience of more than 300 will one day have the opportunity to say, “I remember seeing them back at the Cutting Room at this charity thing. They were great.”
No, it’s not farfetched. It’s phrasing, it’s control, it’s range, it’s harmony, it’s lyrics. It’s power. It’s weakness. It’s strength. It’s vulnerability. All at the same time from two voices that have the ability to blend for a minute, separate, soar and rejoin seamlessly.
Toscano has emerged fresh faced and natural, comfortable in her own skin, wearing shorts and a knitted beanie—looking fabulous, sounding better than she ever has. Jared Lee, also donning a knitted cap, can be described as nothing less than brilliant, as a vocalist and a songwriter. The chemistry of this combination causes quite the reaction. It’s called music. It seems to get lost a lot of times these days. Performances and talents like this are where you can find it again.
And for all the loyal Howard Beachers—you can stop crying, cursing and threatening a lifelong community boycott of American Idol. You can just say –
“Told ya.”
By Patricia Adams
