She’s got something to say!
Casual toned vocalist Alexis Parsons rotates between two supporting trios of David Berkman-Arturo O’Farrill/p, Drew Gress-Jonathan Gilley/b and Matt Wilson-Willard Dyson/dr on this modernization of standards. She is husky over Wilson’s nifty drums on “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” and dramatic with Dyson on mallets during a harrowing “Summertime”. O’Farrill brings out her playfulness on “Speak Low” and her ebullience along with Gilley during a classical nocturne of Schubert’s “Organ Grinder”. Her interpretive skills are flexible, and she can tell a story well as on “Weaver Of Dreams”. Evening tales.
Italian songstress Mafalda Minnozzi delves into the songbook of Italian movies on this cabaret collection. She’s teamed up with a core of Paul Ricci/g, Tiago Costa/p, Sideil Vieira/b, Ricardo Mosca/dr and Art Hirahara/org along with guests Dave Liebman/ss, Graham Haynes/ct-el, Jorginho Neto/tb and Luca Aquino/fh. Her tensile voice is almost vaudevillian with Haynes on “La Dolce Vita” while getting blues and nasally with Hirahara during “Anonomio Veneziano”. Her ballad with Haynes on “Amici Miei” doesn’t let go, and she’s delicate and tender on “Maturity”. An aria with Costa dims the lights on “Se” and coos with Liebman during “Love Theme-Nuovo Cinema Paradiso”. Sotto note.
Shawn Monteiro sings with a full and husky world wise tone, leading a core rotating team of Steve Langone-Joe Farnsworth/dr, Dave Zinno-Nat Reeves, Kenny Barron-Mike Renzi/p and guests Steve Davis/tb, John Allmark/tp and Josh Bruneau/tp through a mature read of standards. Barron is in vintage form for Monteiro as they glow together on “You’ll See” and an emotively alluring “Never Let Me Go”. Bruneau adds coolness to “Alone At Lat” and Davis saunters with the leader on a samba’d “The Shadow Of Your Smile”. An abstract reading of “How Deep Is The Ocean” has Monteiro pleading out the lyrics while she’s cheerful with the Guaraldi-esque workings of Renzi on “Let’s Eat Home”. Comfortable in her high heel shoes.