Interview: Eric Comstock & Barbara Fasano Celebrate the Season with SPRING SWING at Birdland

After four solo CDs each and midway through their 20th anniversary year, singer and pianist Eric Comstock and vocalist Barbara Fasano released their first joint CD, Painting the Town, on February 24, 2025. In that album, the acclaimed married musical couple have painted a portrait of their love for one another, the music, and their “brilliant, resilient helluva town.” Eric and Barbara launched the CD with a sold-out release concert at Birdland Jazz Club on Sunday, March 2, which was a roaring success. They’ll return there on May 5th with a new set titled Spring Swing, celebrating Spring with their singular, soulful showmanship. Read a conversation below about the process of putting the new album together, their new Birdland show, what’s coming up next for them and more.

How did your CD release show at Birdland go?

Barbara Fasano: It was a thrilling, sold-out night. We had our band from the CD with us - Sean Smith on bass, Vito Lesczak on drums, and the legendary Houston Person on tenor saxophone - and it was one of those nights when an audience is so on board with you that you feel like you’re flying on their energy.

What reception have you gotten to your CD so far?

Eric Comstock: We’re happy to report that the CD is receiving terrific reviews, including from unexpected places, coast to coast. Recently, we heard from a fan in New Hampshire that a very tough critic on his local alternative paper, THE HIPPO, gave us a rave for Painting the Town.

BF: I think we got an “A” – we’ll take it! The CD’s only been out about a month, so we’re very grateful!

What was the process of putting this album together like? How did you choose the tracks?

EC: Well, Rebecca, we've sung together for nearly 20 years, and this is our first joint CD -- so we had hundreds of songs to choose from. An entire CD of duets could get corny or repetitious, so we did a mix of solos and duets. And, as we say in the liner notes, the process was amazingly easy, because we share a vision for an ever-expanding songbook – Irving Berlin and Cole Porter classics, plus singer-songwriters like Carole King, Joni Mitchell, and Paul Simon.

BF: It was a very organic process – and then when we were done, we realized that we had painted a picture of our love for one another, for our friends, for the music, and for our brilliant, resilient helluva town.

You wanted this album to capture the vibe of your live sets at Birdland. What are some of the things you did to achieve that?

BF: The recording sessions had great moments of “syncro-destiny,” as we’re calling it – tempos that got changed in the moment, arrangements that were altered on the spot … Sean and Vito are family, we’ve shared bandstands with them countless times, so being in the studio together inspired improvisation and was very relaxed. We recorded everything live - we didn’t want it to sound over-produced … we wanted a spontaneous vibe. And of course, the addition of the legend Houston Person kept us all very inspired and excited.

EC: Barbara sequenced the CD brilliantly. The 59 minutes go by very quickly, and we hope folks'll want to play it again immediately! 

Could you walk us through the recording of one of the tracks on the album – choosing the arrangements, instrumentation, vocals, etc.?

BF: Well, the best story of our record dates was that Katherine Miller, our brilliant engineer, told us when we arrived at the studio that Paul Simon was working in the studio next door. Amazingly, we were going to record his "Old Friends" that very day! We laid down four or five tracks, then broke for lunch. Sean and I walked into the communal kitchen, and there was Mr. Simon, having a sandwich! We knew this was the moment - I walked up to the table said, "I'm so sorry to interrupt, Mr. Simon" - I actually wasn’t sorry at all! - "but we're about to record one of your songs." He got to his feet, marched into our studio, met everyone, and got right to work, coaching us on instrumentation, chord changes, and he even gave us a different lyric to sing! He stayed nearly an hour and then left. We laid down "Old Friends" immediately, just blown away by the experience, and incorporating all his ideas.

What shows or projects are you working on next?

EC: We'll be back at Birdland with Sean and Vito on May 5 - Cinco de Mayo! - with a new set called SPRING SWING.

BF: We’ll do some new tunes plus a few favorites from Painting the Town.

EC: Also, we're working on a few new concerts: a fun new set called BABS AND ERIC SWING THE SIXTIES, and something else for this summer that we can’t talk about yet.

BF: Well, we can say it’s a very Broadway-oriented set!

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

EC: It’s kind of a cliché now, but we do need music and connection now more than ever.

BF: Yep. It’s a haven of sanity during these chaotic and scary times.  We’re blessed to be part of a community that celebrates artistic expression and we’re so grateful for the love and support.

For more on the artists, visit their websites at ericcomstock.net and barbarafasano.com.

Learn where to find the album Painting the Town here.