Favorites From A Long Walk

A nice album of relatively unknown songs originally done by the great female vocalists of yesteryear. Matassa has a nice way with the music, alternately whispering softly and belting out cadences as the compositions require. Matassa doesn't quite mimic the classic singers, but she does have hints of their styles slyly embedded in her delivery. Ella comes out just a bit when she starts to scat. Carmen McRae comes through a bit on a Jobim number. Sarah Vaughn comes out when she needs to purr a little. Ultimately, there isn't much new to be found here, if one has already heard Matassa's formidable prowess. However, it's a nice round of songs whether it's new or not. Perfect for a slow weekend afternoon.