Suzanne Santo at Rockwood Music Hall, Stage 2

Suzanne Santo (nee Suzanne Santosuosso) learned to play guitar, banjo and fiddle in her native Cleveland, Ohio. Pursuing a career as a model and actress, she relocated to Los Angeles, California, and appeared in the film Imaginary Heroes and in the television series Law & Order, Without a Trace, and Medium. In 2006, she met singer/songwriter Ben Jaffe at a costume party. The two began making music together, with Jaffe on piano, guitar, and vocals and Santo on vocals, banjo, and violin. Originally known as Zanzibar Lewis, the Americana duo changed its name to Honeyhoney before its debut album in 2008. Over the next 10 years, Honeyhoney recorded three albums and many soundtracks, most recently creating music for the television series The Guest Book. In 2016, Santo sang and played violin, guitar, and banjo in Butch Walker's band, leading him to produce her debut solo album in 2017. Santo then sang and played guitar and violin in Hozier's touring band in 2018-2019. She will release her second solo album, tentatively titled Yard Sale, later in 2020.

Suzanne Santo is no longer wedded to Americana music, based on tonight's performance at the Rockwood Music Hall, Stage 2. Backed by a trio (guitarist Blaine Stark, bassist Izzi Ray, drummer Paul Doyle), she matched her bluesy voice to surprisingly harder rocking riffs, colored with a touch of pop and a splash of rhythm and blues. Her country/folk roots were buried deeper as she explored her darker and more raucous southern-gothic side. Perhaps to compete with the fuller backing, Santo's vocal range became increasingly elastic, exuding with passion, vulnerability and strength. By the end of the performance, her vocals were penetrative and explosive. In all, Santo's moody pop-noir direction was strikingly compelling, but at times the band rocked perhaps too hard, nearly swallowing Santo rather than supporting her. These are growing pains, however, which likely will be corrected by proper balance and temperance.