Amherst’s Mal Devisa tackles a jazz standard. “My Funny Valentine”. Did you know that the song started out its life as a show tune? Not jazz. Or not straight jazz… Me neither. Thanks, Wikipedia.

The song currently occupies a space in the upper stratospheres of sad jazz songs. Some of that has to do with personal mythologies surrounding the song’s popularization by jazz greats too great to be mentioned. That can make a song intimidating to cover for some, but Mal Devisa knows no fear.

Her bass sings sweetly along to her melancholy vocals. Big, bright, and brassy when needed – quiet as a church mouse when not.

Shout out to the twinkling piano keys.

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