Review: Thoughtful Artistry at THE BLCK MADONNA's CD Release Event at Baretto New York

The BLCK Madonna, a jazz singer whose not-so-secret identity is Ana Hoffman, is a stunning performer who grew up in Ghana and America. She had her CD release event at the tony Baretto New York on Park Avenue. Each attendee received a copy of the seven-song CD, Between the Lines.

Though Hoffman explains this new identity in her shows, it does generate some confusion. There’s no relation to religion or the one-named pop singer Madonna, though she does have an affinity for reinvention. Rather, as she writes in the notes accompanying her CD, “The word ‘Madonna’ comes from the Italian ma donna, meaning ‘my lady.’ . . . Reclaiming that word as a woman shaped by Black culture felt like a powerful act. It’s about self-authority, about complete possession of oneself, about a presence that asks permission from no one. It’s a sacred concept, but also a deeply personal one.”

Sam Towse, bassist and arranger Rafael Enciso (on both upright and a headless, five-string electric bass), saxophonist Santosh Sharma, and drummer Christian X. McGee. They performed two late-night sets at Baretto, mixing songs from the album with additional material. The sets had entirely different set lists, drawing from “reimagined” jazz and pop standards.

After an instrumental by the quartet, the glamorous Hoffman arrived onstage in a dazzling outfit that seemed worthy of the red carpet. She has a lovely voice and a warm presence. She told her origin story and spoke lovingly of her family. She had a tendency to read off her music stand, which was noticeable.

Her band is solid, though at this performance only drummer McGee was consistently outstanding. Some of the arrangements in the first set had a feeling of sameness. Others were puzzling, like a fast version of “My Funny Valentine” (Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart). A highlight of the first set was “A Night in Tunisia” (Dizzy Gillespie/Jon Hendricks). Hoffman expertly weaved between the two distinct rhythms of the main section and the bridge, and Sharma’s long, hot sax solo almost made Tunisia feel visible. Hoffman did a scat call and response with him here.

A rubato, piano-only rendition of “Here’s to Life” (Johnny Mandel/Artie Butler and Phyllis Molinary) was a beauty. Hoffman’s emotional connection made this another show highlight. Enciso’s arrangement of “Afro Blue” utilized several four-note piano ostinatos under Hoffman’s singing.

The first set was also marred by loud patrons who treated the show as if it were background music, along with a sound mix that often allowed the quartet to overwhelm the singing. A better policy by the venue about keeping table talk to a minimum would have helped here.

The second set was more interesting, and most of the loud talkers had moved on. On “Pick Yourself Up” (Jerome Kern/Dorothy Fields), the arrangement had her singing in a major key over underlying minor voicings, creating an interesting, dissonant effect. By following this with “Isn’t This a Lovely Day” (Irving Berlin), Hoffman created a little Fred and Ginger moment, as both songs were introduced in movies by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers some 90 years ago.

“Sway” was the band’s best number, with a piano and bass call and response. One of the newest songs, “Just the Two of Us” (Bill Withers, Ralph McDonald and William Salter), not on the set list, was a surprise highlight.

The arrangement of “Feeling Good” (Anthony Newley/Leslie Bricusse) matched the spirit of the original, and Sharma, who was often undisciplined in his playing, was at his best here.

The two sets were entertaining, and Hoffman is a solid performer. That said, this wasn’t a star turn. While Hoffman has potential, she’s not there yet. Listening to the album the next day, it is pleasant and worth a listen, though the “reimagined” arrangements do not always live up to the prose of the liner notes.

Baretto looks like an old-school nightclub out of a movie, and its virtually hidden location upstairs within the larger Fasano restaurant gives it something of a speakeasy vibe. Though the food seemed decent based on an order of sliders and fries, most of the staff seemed haughty and indifferent, responding rudely to basic requests and being very slow with service during the show. Between sets, the club blasts very loud disco music that makes it painful to remain. This writer, who had a much better experience seeing Hillary Kole here when the club first opened in 2023, cannot recommend this venue.

For more information about The BLCK Madonna, visit https://theblckmadonna.com.

(Press play to start the slide show above.)