Search - Tami Tappan Damiano :: Hot Notes

Tami Tappan Damiano is a musical-theater hoofer (Miss Saigon, Cyrano) who's just delivered an assured (albeit slightly unimaginative) solo debut. The low-key, jazzy arrangements make for a sophisticated backdrop that only enhances Damiano's polished, smooth tone. Indeed, she's most at ease with the sultry pop edge of the musical-theater songbook-while it's not from a show, you could almost put Burt Bacharach's "Alfie" in that category. She swings lightly but confidently on "What You Don't Know About Women" (from City of Angels) and delivers a seductive take on "A Lot of Livin' to Do" (from Bye Bye Birdie). Damiano's biggest faux-pas is "In Whatever Time We Have," a duet with David Burnham that gets dangerously close to Celine Dion territory. Overall, kudos to this singer for making an album that's unafraid to say, Hey, adults need make-out music too! --Elisabeth Vincentelli