Sweet Youth by Tish Oney

John Chiodinie provides an elegant guitar intro to an equally elegant vocalist Tish Oney on Henry Nemo’s song “’Tis Autumn,” the first song from her current album Sweet Youth. Ms. Oney’s previous album Dear Peg, a critically acclaimed tribute to 20^th century music icon Peggy Lee, also featured John Chiodini both on guitar and as Tish Oney’s co-producer.

Ms. Oney sings effortlessly and we particularly appreciated her easygoing, smooth flowing approach to her scatting on her original tune “Year Round Blues,” rather than sounding like so many singers that sound like they might run out of steam or explode, before they arrive at the end of their scatting. As for Chiodini, his playing reminds this writer of another fabulous and elegant guitarist “Bucky” Pizzarelli.

Tish Oney does not overpower you with her voice, nor does she sizzle on this album, but what she does is serenade you with gentle vocals that give the listener a safe haven from an often too hectic and busy world, as she does with the Joseph Riposo song “Hidden Soul,” for which she wrote the lyrics. The songs were all beautifully arranged or co-arranged by Ms. Oney.

Tish Oney is at her best as she coos romantically the words to Arthur L. Gillom’s “I Want You,” for which she wrote the music.  The song is sung beautifully and the words are simple. The message is simple, I want you, not in a possessive way, but gently expressed in a way that leaves no doubt that the poet and the singer are saying to the one that is loved, there is nobody else, there is only you.

Of the thirteen songs on the album Sweet Youth, Tish Oney wrote the lyrics, music or additional material  for nine of them, including the love letter “In The Back of My Mind,” and her connection to George B. Gabor’s words, ‘In the back of my mind / There’s a place that’s devoted to you / In the back of my mind / There’s a space that will always be true,’ is evident. Although the lines, ‘My pain and my sorrow and my regrets / Try to fill up this hole in my heart,’ tell us this romance did not end well, the memories are not bitter, but sweet.  

The theme of a love lost continues with another Tish Oney original song “Lonely Evening,” before the singer swings into Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s “It Might As Well Be Spring.” 

The album ends with a testament to Tish Oney’s faith, “Ask, Seek, Knock,” based on the Biblical passage Matthew 7:7-8.

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