Steve Markoff, Patricia Lazzara, and Allison Brewster Franzetti Release New Single

There are a lot of sad songs in the world, but “Tears In Heaven” by Eric Clapton may be one of the saddest. The rock star wrote the song about the loss of his four-year old son and he delivered an emotional, tear-inducing performance of it on MTV Unplugged in 1992. It would seem like creating a cover of this song would be daunting, but Steve Markoff, Patricia Lazzara, and Allison Brewster Franzetti pulled it off with grace and ease, and they did it all with a piano and two flutes. This talented trio have joined forces before, releasing two full length albums, “Timeless” (2019) and “Romances In Blue” (2021), to much acclaim. They prove that they still have a lot to show in their hauntingly beautiful rendition of “Tears In Heaven.”

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Patricia Lazzara’s ethereal concert flute floats through the song, uplifting it and shaping the melody. Lazzara is a distinguished musician in her own right with numerous awards under her belt and an impressive nine studio albums with multiple different ensembles. She seems to be singing with her flute, a bright clear voice that captures the essence of “Tears In Heaven ” in it’s beauty and melancholy. Her playing makes me think of birds flitting across an open field, colorful feathers against blue sky. It sounds more like a celebration of life than just an expression of grief.

Bringing in some warmer, earthier tones is alto-flutist Steve Markoff. While slightly newer to the music scene than his bandmates, Markoff has still already proven himself a poignant and excellent musician. He co-produced and played on Patricia Lazzara’s latest solo release, “Radiance,” and has received rave reviews from many critics. His somewhat looser style of playing works wonderfully with Lazzara’s punchy technical style. He creates a yummy oozy layer of honey that cements Lazzara’s soaring notes and Brewster Franzetti’s powerful piano together. His contribution to “Tears In Heaven” is definitely noticeable and impressive.

Keeping “Tears In Heaven” strong and grounded is Allison Brewster Franzetti’s soulful piano. She plays each note with precision and confidence, and is somehow able to sound joyful and solemn in the same moment. Brewster Franzetti is an Emmy-Nominated concert and classical pianist, and has a Doctorate in Musical Arts from Rutgers University. In “Tears In Heaven,” she sets the tone for the song, coming in warm and gentle, but powerful enough to grab immediate attention. The piano moves like water, a current pulling the listener through the track.

“Tears In Heaven” is one of those songs that is almost guaranteed to make you cry. Even without Clapton singing the words, this instrumental version still packs a sucker punch to the heart. Steve Markoff, Patricia Lazzara, and Allison Brewster Franzetti have created a lovely version of the beloved song; a respectful and intricate tribute. This trio’s cover of “Tears In Heaven” is a healing song, a reminder that emotions don’t need words to be expressed. You can feel true emotion in every bar of the song, and you can almost hear Eric Clapton singing along.

Mindy McCall

The music of Steve Markoff/ Patricia Lazzara has been heard all over the world in partnership with the radio plugging services offered by Musik and Film Radio Promotions Division.  Learn more https://musikandfilm.com