How do I know you’ll like vocalist Abigail Riccards if you’re a fan of Ms Monheit? Well, she produced this disc, for one thing! Also, her own arranger and pianist Michael Kanan as well as bassist Neal Miner are the backup team. Throw in guitarist Peter Bernstein and drummer Eliot Zigmund, and to be perfectly frank, it makes you think of the disc that Monheit SHOULD put out. It’s amazingly consistent, it swings, and it’s filled with clever ideas.
Her sweet as apple cider voice bounces along like a rock on a lake on “I’ve Told Every Star” and she enunciates as clearly as a full moon on “I Didn’t Know About You.” She likes toying with intros to songs, as she does some lovely work with Kanan on “Singin’ in the Rain” and also on the sitting on the porch swing reading on “If I Had You.” She gets playful with Miner’s bass on “Sleepin’ Bee” and is cheerful with Bernstein on “Smile,” while she even delves into the folk scene on Joni Mitchell’s “Circle Game”(which includes Monheit in a cameo role). She carries her pitch well as she goes with Zigmund’s brushes on “Waltz for Debby’ and day dreams on “Endless Joy.” This lady is a real delight! Give her a spin!
Artstrides Records