Giving a salute to her native home in Switzerland, vocalist Gabriela Martina mixes vocals that range from yodels to post bop on this album of mostly originals. She mixes and matches atmospheres with Kyle Miles/b, Maxim Lubarsky/p, Jussi Reijonen/g, Vancile Cooper/dr, Ben Rosenblum/acc and even brings in Gus Sebring to add the native instrument alphorn for the mountainesque “Narcissus”.
Her own vocal style ranges from high pitched intros on “This Country-That Country” to multi textured choruses curing “Mis Bruune Huusli”. Rosenblum’s accordion creates a folk mood for “Song For My Father” with Lubarsky’s piano dreamy on the take of Duke Ellington’s “Heaven”. There is an almost other worldly feel to the tones, as Martina’s clear tone hearkens to timelessness. High on the hill is a lonely goat herd.