Michelle Pollace: New Beginning

Pianist Michelle Pollace leads a small group in a mostly trio format with David Belove/b and Phil Hawkins through a collection of originals and standards. She leans on the latin side of life here, with a cleverly salsa’d take of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” that sets the mood just right. Her cheerful touch is on display on a rhumba such as “Hot House Dandeleon” as well as the funky bossa “Ondas Do Mar.” A few tunes include extra percussion and the extra spice make tunes like “Bright Eyes” sizzle with excitement. Soprano saxist Kristen Strom hovers over and through a sleek and glissando “Be Right Back” and Pollace switches to keyboards on the luminous and ruminating “First Flight.” A real lighthearted pleasure.

www.michellepollace.com