Maiysha: UnderCover: Live in New York

Eusonia Records

The musical talent of the beautiful often gets dismissed, since so many elevated to fame lack it. A Ford model, Maiysha’s much-hyped, low-performing, Grammy-nominated soul-rock debut, This Much Is True, might have fallen prey to those who saw the classic features and statuesque physique and assumed the singer/songwriter was manufactured. The Brooklynite’s live Blue Note NYC set proves she’s not. A Scott Jacoby-produced collection of mostly covers sung with incredible power and passion, with a deft rock quartet of A-plus musicians. Whether performing the Beatles (“And I Love Him”), Jimi Hendrix (“If 6 Was 9”), or even Nancy Sinatra (“Bang Bang”), Maiysha’s is the female Martin Luther. She proves even a Roberta Flack ballad (“Feel Like Making Love”) can rock in the right hands. Only Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game” is strained. Sensitivity isn’t the knockout’s strong suit, but talent certainly is. (3 out of 5 stars)