Maria Tecce after the show with her Edinburgh band Photo by Yanni Kronenberg
Under the warm lights in the intimate Edinburgh Suite at the Assembly Rooms, surrounded by three suited band members and in a cosy-quaint living room set of lamps, footstools and a writing table, a dark headed, red dressed diva croons a song in Spanish about heart ache and blood, tears and shredded desires. Her voice is clear, centred, deep and textured. She throws her body in and becomes an image of passion. Then she speaks. It is Maria Tecce– American/Italian singer, actress, musical director and radio presenter- her chirpy, idiosyncratic American accent is not what you would have imagined. But it’s a lovely and surprising contrast to her sung characters. Maria is honest and easily (if not instantly) likable and is an incredibly generous performer, embodying each song to the point that it is easy to forget she is the same person as the one we just had chatting to us. But the chatting Maria is lovely to get to know as well, and we do in the dark room as she takes us on a journey through European and American music through imagery of words and music. Accompanied by double bass (Andy Mitchell), guitar (Malcom MacFarlane and sometimes herself) and accordian (Bob Turner), Tecca includes us in her warm and emotional space. The nature of this show would lend itself to a cabaret setting and with a candlelit table, a glass of red, this appreciative audience would have settled in that much more. Tecca is now based in Europe so the likelihood of finding her in that ambiance soon is likely.
Viva! at the Assembly Rooms plays till August 30 (calender here) as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2009.
