A Musical Partnership

He plays an electric acoustic with nylon strings to better feel the notes. She plays a tiger-print six-string electric bass named Jacob. He wears a James Taylor-like newsboy cap, while she lets her long hair down. A pair of philosopher musicians, NovaZanz brings soulful jazz to Cassatt's the second Saturday of each month, blending standards and classics with a handful of original tunes that alternate between contemplative, deeply personal tunes of second chances and lighthearted, almost teenager-in-love giddiness.

On their first CD, "Night Walk," they pair classics like "Paralyzed," written by Otis Blackwell and Elvis Presley with the title track, written by Maria "Pete" Durgan, which was inspired by a time when John Cropp, the other half of her stage presence, was in a period of insomnia.

Durgan's voice is clean and rich, emotional without being over the top, backed by Cropp's precise strumming. There are harmonies that feel almost ghost-like, drifting up and down like Cropp must have, wandering through Alexandria streets, trying to find his way after the loss of someone he loved.

A few songs later, the relationship between Cropp and Durgan has turned into something more, optimistic and enthusiastic, when she sings "The wood on the floor swings with your step, the ice in your glass sings when you sip. The chair's so happy when you sit down...."

Cropp and Durgan were introduced by a mutual friend seven years ago and began playing at Cassatt's five years ago, a fitting setting for their swinging sounds.

"This is the best place," Cropp said. "A friend of mine used to play here, and one night they had an opening for a solo gig and I was asked if I wanted it."

There's something about the atmosphere in the small cafe that makes it a great venue for their style of music, Durgan said, because they can see their audience without overwhelming the crowd by playing too loudly.

It's the longest-running gig he's ever had, and adding Durgan to the lineup has enriched his repertoire, he said.

"When she first played some songs for me that she had written, I was really impressed," he said, teasing her across the table with a smirk.

The two get together a few times a week to practice, but their musical tastes are different enough to provide them with a large list of songs to choose from.

"I just learned 'I Concentrate on You,' which is the hardest song I've ever learned," Durgan said, referencing a Cole Porter classis. "It's got an A section, a B section, a C section and a D section. All the parts are different which makes it very challenging and just gorgeous beyond belief. We arranged it for ourselves and it's wonderful, but it's still the hardest thing I've ever learned."

The two also love playing jazz staples ranging from Porter to Gershwin, Antonio Carlos Jobim to Frank Sinatra, but also like to mix in some bosa nova whenever possible. There's certainly a Latin flair to many of their songs, even the covers, which adds a spring to their steps.

 But there's a playfulness to their music as well, which might come from their name.

Cropp laughs when asked about their odd moniker.

"I loved the book 'One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish' because there's so many great characters, including one called the Zanz, but there was already a band with that name," he explained, very matter-of-fact. "We decided to call ourselves NovaZanz because we live here," he in Alexandria, and she in Arlington.

He'd consider wearing a Dr. Seuss-style striped hat onstage, but likes the idea of making a life-sized Zanz to have with them instead. She laughs good-naturedly, trying to envision what that would look like.

"I liked the name because it doesn't peg you into one thing or another," in terms of what kind of songs to expect, she said.

So who should check them out?

"If you like Michael Buble, Diana Krall, bosa nova, Sinatra, you'll probably like us," Durgan suggested.

"I really like the music of the '30s and '40s. I'm really influenced by the classics. I like the chords and harmonies, and you don't really hear artistry like that much anymore," Cropp added.

Cropp turned his musician's ear to this writer, asking about the kind of music I listened to growing up. After dismissing Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin and other bands gifted to me by my mom, aunt and uncles, we find common ground in the widely unknown but hugely influential Eddy Arnold, the best selling country artist of all time. While he's not featured prominently as a singer on NovaZanz's CD, Cropp flips through a quick medley of Arnold's best-known songs. Nodding with approval, Durgan shakes her head. She's seen this kind of playful interrogation before.

There's a natural rhythm between Durgan and Cropp, like a flamenco guitarist and a skilled castanet player. Quick to learn, eager to blend, but each a master of an intricate style that can be intimidating to someone on the outside. Cropp and Durgan have a beautiful harmony.

NovaZanz will be taking the stage at Cassatt's on Lee Highway from 7-9 p.m. on Saturday, May 14. More information about the band, and clips from their CD, are available at www.NovaZanz.com.