Watch Marissa’s haunting version of Martha by Tom Waits. Marissa has received emails from strangers from all over the globe telling her how much her interpretation of this song moved them. One gentleman wrote, “ Today I saw your video where you were singing “Martha“ on New Years Day. It is one of the prettiest things I’ve ever heard. I hope you are coming to Belgium to perform. And if you come, please sing “Martha“ again.
Marissa recorded this gorgeous song on her album “Two Tickets Left” which is available on Spotify. Stephen Holden of the New York Times wrote the liner notes for the album and said ”Her choices of songs on her exquisite album, “Two Tickets Left” are as instinctively right as her unaffected delivery, bolstered by the sensitive contributions of her musical compatriot Nate Buccieri on piano. Always, the emotional truth of whatever she sings is right there in front of you. Even when she’s telling someone else’s story, she makes it hers.
Marissa often cites her grandfather as one of her biggest inspirations. He introduced Marissa to the great jazz standards when she was just a kid in Syracuse. Here she talks about him in Rose Hall at Jazz At Lincoln Center during the Cabaret Convention. She loves this standard so much she tattooed some of the lyrics on her wrist.