Elisa Minelli and Sergio Lorandi’s “Star Eyes“ is a jazz cover and a conversation between the generations. Taken from their latest jazz EP, “Star Eyes,“ the pair give a timeless classic a new lease of life in this interpretation of the 1943 Gene de Paul and Don Raye cut, which Charlie Parker also made famous in 1951. However, Minelli and Lorandi’s version is the only medium-to-fast-paced vocal arrangement, which revitalizes the standard with pulsing energy and emotional urgency.
This creates a shimmering canvas of melody and rhythm on which Minelli’s expressive lead vocals, underpinned by Lorandi’s fluid guitar work, are showcased to full effect. The two breathe new life into the iconic track, blending tradition with contemporary invention. The interplay of the duo is casual, and this kind of effortlessness occurs only when two people have been working together for decades and centuries in musical time, so that each note sounds as natural and conversational as it does inevitable.
Enhancing the song’s hooky appeal is guest trumpeter Matteo Castelli, whose appearance initiates an animated conversation between brass and strings, one instrument bouncing off the other, as if in a playful game of call-and-response. Minelli and Lorandi remind us that jazz can develop, rethink, and surprise. “Star Eyes” shines as evidence that the classics sound fresh when played with heart, skill, and fearless authenticity.
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