Leny Andrade - Maiden Voyage

Leny Andrade is considered one of the top Brazilian singers, but she has had relatively little exposure in North America. Fred Hersch, the pianist on these 1993 studio sessions, was introduced to her as she joined Toots Thielemans on-stage during a South American tour and has sung her praises ever since; joining them are bassist David Dunaway and drummer Hélio Schiavo. Her husky but consistently swinging vocals carry a delightful take of "This Can't Be Love," where she also scats up a storm. Hersch's touching arrangement of "My Funny Valentine" is perfect for her dramatic interpretation of this timeless ballad. She scats her way through a stunning take of "Maiden Voyage." But the main focus of this release is on music from Latin America, in which she obviously excels after several decades as a professional vocalist, ranging from "Dindi" to more recent works like Ivan Lins' "Vela Icadas." This Chesky CD is one of the few opportunities for those living outside South America to hear this seasoned vocalist.