Portrait

Vocalist Greta Matassa has a hint of Carmen McRae's tone in her voice as she sings with richness and wanderlust on this collection of standards. Teamed with Darin Clendenin/p, Clipper Anderson/b, Mark Ivester/dr and Alexey Nikolaev/sax, is luscious on Latin material like the sleek "Baubles Bangles and Beads" as well as the suave samba, "The Beat of My Heart" with Nikolaev's warm tenor sax. Anderson gives thick solo intros to a swinging "Gone With The Wind" and team gets dramatic on "Down Hear in the Ground." Matassa and Clendenin are intimate as they reflect as lounge lizards on "Lush Life" and the reflective "Prelude To A Kiss" while show a cozy folk feel on Bob Dylan's "To Make You Feel My Love." Clever selection of tunes and mature musical ideas.