IAP 186: More Amore: Exploring the Great Italian American Songbook with Special Guest Jenna Esposito

If the places we hold dear were to be set to music, then the soundtrack for New York's Little Italy would be sung by this week's guest, Jenna Esposito. Known as the "Voice of Little Italy," this passionate Italian American has performed across the country and in some of the most hallowed music venues in the nation but, without fail, she always lends her talents to the annual San Gennaro Festival on Mulberry Street. This week, Jenna joins co-host John M. Viola as she discusses her latest album, "More Amore: Songs from the Great Italian American Songbook," which is set to be released later this month. They'll explore how Italian American music has evolved from its Italian origins, how it has defined our ethnic experience, and how it continues to serve as a reminder of the many ups and downs of the Italian American experience. Jenna also shares how the wide variety of styles and influences that make up the Great Italian American songbook -- from the Canzone Napoletana, to standards by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Connie Francis, and even Lou Christie and Dion's 1960s pop hits -- have managed to influence her career and connect her to the countless Italian American performers who have come before her. Jenna will be celebrating the release of "More Amore" with a show on the Metropolitan Zoom platform on Friday, June 11, at 7 p.m., when she and her band will be performing live in studio, and audience members will be able to join and interact with her via Zoom. This episode, and the upcoming interactive musical experience, are both must-listens for any fan of the Great Italian American songbook! For more information, visit https://metropolitanzoom.ticketleap.com/jenna- esposito-061121/. This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.