Vocalist Mayita Dinos brings wide-eyed wanderlust in her tone as she takes a collection of standards and makes pastel impressionistic portraits. There is a mix and max collection of artists Rich Eames-Bill Cantos/p, Dori Amarilio/g, Alex Budman/fl-ss, Steve Hass-Tiki Pasillas/dr-perc, Gabe Davis/b with Dinos’ voice unifying the album with a mix of relaxed dynamics and rich soul.
Amarilio’s nylon strings fit like stockings on a breathy and suave “Un Pais Con El Nombre De Un Rio” with the team digging into Michael Hunter’s flugelhorn as Dinos creates a soulful take of Freddie Hubbard’s “Little Sunflower”. Intimate folk moods are caressed as Dinos does a dainty duet with Davis on “La Lola” and the team gets misty as the dawn during “Double Rainbow” with Cantos and Davis supporting Budman’s pan-piping flute. Even bop standards such as “Ornithology” or “Panonica” get relaxed and comforting brush strokes, sounding more like a stroll in Stratford-Upon-Avon than 52nd Street. Glowing portraits.