BWW CD Review: JOHN ZISA: YOU GOTTA BE is a Labor of Love

Fifteen months ago, when New York City virtually shut down in a single afternoon, it was difficult to find anything hopeful as our view of the world was quickly reduced to fleeting images on the other side of a window. I said at the time that one of the few silver linings in all this devastation would be that artists would have the luxury of time. It would be an unprecedented respite from the need to relentlessly self-promote and simply concentrate on creating and expressing the things that were truly on our minds and in our hearts. I was right about that. We are beginning to see the fruit of this unexpected hiatus as artists are starting to unveil their pandemic projects. The results are often intensely candid and personal.

That point was driven home as I listened to YOU GOTTA BE, a new collection of cover tunes from singer, musician, and cabaret artist, John Zisa. The album has its roots in a live show he was putting together before such live performances became impossible. The project couldn't be more personal. Zisa is the singer, the musician, the arranger, the producer, the engineer and sings all the backup vocals. John Zisa, an alumnus of American Idol, has deep roots in gospel and R&B and this album is steeped in those traditions, even though the songs are mostly covers of pop tunes. What unifies the 13 tracks is a longing for connection and a belief that love, while often elusive, is our best hope for dealing with the trials of life. It is all filtered through a laid-back style that is introspective and thought-provoking.

Mr. Zisa has a creamy voice that sounds effortless in all registers. His taste as an arranger tends toward danceable beats and smooth grooves. His voice is shown to best advantage in "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me," where his gospel background meets Elton John's gospel-inspired chord progressions. He is also particularly fine on Bonnie Raitt's " I Can't Make You Love Me," Dave Matthew's Band's "Ants Marching," and Adele's "Set Fire to the Rain," in which he ingeniously inserts James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" into the ride-out of the song. He finds a joyous tone in his salsa-flavored rendition of Fleetwood Mac's "Everywhere," and gives a breathless, hopeful reading of Paul Williams' "The Rainbow Connection" from The Muppet Movie, that well-known anthem of dreamers everywhere.

There are more delightful surprises on the album, but I wouldn't want to give away everything. It is perhaps unfair to call this an album of cover songs because John Zisa's skill as an arranger really makes these songs reinventions more than covers. I hope now that live music clubs are slowly opening up again, this collection of songs will at long last be realized as the stage show it was originally intended to be. The blessing is now we have this great album to enjoy permanently.

YOU GOTTA BE is available now on Spotify, iTunes, and all other streaming platforms. For more information on John Zisa, visit johnzisa.net.