Jacintha - Lush Life

Mastered by Alan Yoshida from the Original Analogue Tapes! Jacintha returns with her finest album to date. Lush Life features the acclaimed jazz vocalist along with the brilliant string arrangements (and piano artistry) of Bill Cunliffe. Also featured are flugelhorn master Dmitry Matheny, guitarist Anthony Wilson, bassist Darek Oles and drummer Joe LaBarbera. Lush Life is stunning on XRCD2! "This is Jacintha's third album, and her first with strings. Very popular in her native Singapore, she's beginning to get a worldwide reputation, and this release demonstrates why: her voice is lovely, with clear diction and expressive, naturalistic phrasing. She draws the listener into a warm intimacy from the first track, "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", a rarely-covered and beautiful song with the perfect rainy-night-in-Paris ambience supplied by Frank Marocco on accordian." "Other highlights include a bluesy but refreshingly non-wailing "Black Coffee" with a fine understated solo by Bill Cunliffe on piano; he's also good on the silky bossa "Manha de Carnaval", where Anthony Wilson's melodic plucking contrasts nicely with the smoothness of the strings. Another unusual but happy choice, "When the World Was Young", showcases the superb flugelhorn of Dmitri Matheny that enhances four other tracks as well." "Eight of the ten selections are ballads, and since Jacintha delivers her message straight and serene, the overall feel is quiet, sultry and relaxing. After slow readings of "The Shadow of Your Smile, "Lush Life", and "September Song", Joe LaBarbera's brushes and drum accents on "Harlem Nocturne" provide a welcome texture and pulse. The surprise of the CD is the startlingly original introduction to the vastly overplayed "Summertime", where Bill Cunliffe's string arrangement evokes both Gershwin and the French impressionists. This is excellent late-night listening; the local male vote was "mesmerizing." - Judith Schlesinger "Jacintha is the genuine article, with a light clear voice of extraordinary delicacy and beauty." - Paul Seydor Executive Producers: Ying Tan and Sebastian Koh. Produced by Joe Harley. Recorded and Mixed by: Michael C. Ross at Ocean Way Recording, Hollywood, California, August 24-27, 2001. XRCD2 was Mastered by Alan Yoshida from the Original Analogue Master at Oceanway/JVC Mastering, Hollywood, California. Musicians: Jacintha, vocals Bill Cunliffe, piano & string arrangements Darek Oles, bass Joe LaBarbera, drums Dmitri Matheny, flugelhorn Anthony Wilson, guitar Frankie Marocco, accordian 1.The Boulevard of Broken Dreams 2.Black Coffee 3.Summertime 4.Lush Life 5.Manha De Carneval 6.The Shadow of Your Smile 7.When We Were Young 8.September Song 9.Harlem Nocturne 10.Smile