Rebecca Perl at Upstairs at Pianos

The talent booked at Upstairs at Pianos is outstanding, and I do like the room very much, but sometimes the weekend crowd can be so noisy that listening to the live music becomes extremely challenging. Such was the case tonight, when Long Island-based singer-songwriter Rebecca Perl returned to its stage. Well, it is really not a stage; actually it is a large throw rug set against the back wall.

So what was I able to hear? Songs that were all about “I.” There was always a “you” in the lyrics, so the songs seemed to be about self-discovery in relationship with another, whether the other is an individual or the world at large. She sang honestly, and seemed to be opening her soul. The music was enhanced by two musicians, one who played saxophone and flute, and the other who played the violin and also kept rhythm by hitting the box on which he sat. Perl gets another chance to impress New Yorkers when she opens for Suzanna Choffel from NBC’s The Voice at the Cutting Room on February 26.