Painted Betty easily fills New York's niche for Spanish funk-jazz music
Have you noticed the absence of French-speaking cowboy salsa bars around New York? Me too, and fortunately the brave eclecticism of the musical group Painted Betty is worthy of filling this niche with all of the Spanish funk-jazz groovin’ you could ask for.
The Dixon Place’s tiny, audience-level stage displays a clutter of instruments scattered across the table like a bunch of almost-fitting puzzle pieces. Behind three microphone stands, an acoustic guitar and upright bass convey Painted Betty’s country roots, while the pair of drum brushes and tenor saxophone hint toward a jazzier, or even a more klezmer side as well. The crate of miscellaneous percussion instruments is a little more subtle in its manifestation of the group’s Latin influences, which eventually come through in the form of singer Sonia Ryzy-Ryski’s sexy salsa moves during the opening number.
Both female singers, Madsen and Ryzy-Ryski, bring their own brand of sex-appeal to the stage. [click to continue….]
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