Jazz Articles about Teresa Manzella

Teresa Manzella: Torch Swingin'

by Dave Nathan
March 1, 2001

The dictionary defines a “torch song" as “a sentimental love song, typically one in which the singer laments a lost love." What the definition fails to recognize is that an important element of a torch song is that it is virtually always sung by a woman. The torch song is the jazz counterpart to country music tunes where lamentation has been is an art form.

On this her first album, Teresa Manzella sings sad songs that one might hear late ...