Sue Anne Gershonzen tackles the standards with a voce that ranges from a sweet “I Thought About You” to a cozy “Straighten Up and Fly Right”. She’s able to take a lyric and be true to the mood, melancholy with pianist Glafkos Kontementiotis and a string trio on “When Sunny Gets Blue” and gloomy with bassist Seam Smith on “Good Morning Heartache”. She asserts herself with tenor saxist Joel Frahm on “East Of The Sun” and is intimate on a piano duet on “You Must Believe In Spring”. A “Betty” in the Archie Comics of life.
Vocalist and pianist Carol Welsman comes off as a true pro of the game here, focusing on Latin tunes and singing in both English and Spanish with a sizzling salsa team of Rene Camacho on bass, percussionist Joey De Leon, drummer Jimmy Branly and the legendary Justo Almario on saxes and flute. The percussion rumbles and Almario’s tenor is robust as Welsman winks her eye on a luscious “You and the Night and the Music” while going post bop on a swinging “I Won’t Dance” and getting picante’ on “Island Lullaby”. Her piano work is impressive, splashing on “Yesterday I Heard The Rain” and sauntering on Randy Bachman’s” A Taste Of Paradise” while Almario’s flute hovers on the lovely “Femme Fatale” and forms a dance line to “Time to Dance Cha Cha Cha”. Party girl.