(Reprinted from the November 2023 issue of New York City Jazz Record)
Fall in New York means spring in Brazil, where soft breezes carry even softer voices, engaged in song. Singer/composer Ivan Lins is responsible for a great number of these songs: “after Jobim, [Lins] may be the most recorded Brazilian songwriter outside of Brazil,” writes music journalist James Gavin in the liner notes to My Heart Speaks, Resonance Records’ newest tribute album to the renowned musician. Couched in resplendent orchestral arrangements (by Kuno Schmid), these Brazilian classics remain as heart-stealing as ever.
Lins has help from three prominent American jazz vocalists in this effort. Dianne Reeves’ deep contralto taps into the regret of lost love on “The Heart Speaks (Antes e Depois)” and Jane Monheit lends a lush romanticism to “Rio (Rio de Maio)”. Notably, Monheit wrote the English lyrics for these two selections. And Tawanda Suessbrich-Joaquim, the 2020 winner of the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, burnishes each vowel with warmth on “I’m Not Alone (Anjo de Mim)” (lyrics by Will Jennings).
Of course, Lins’ interpretation of these tender compositions is the focus of the album, a revisit to his 1996 collaboration with trumpeter Terrence Blanchard, The Heart Speaks (Columbia). Of the 11 tracks in the collection, two derive from that release—the Reeves selection and the Afro-funk tune, “Congada Blues”. As with the latter, some of his tunes are straight vocalese pieces (“Missing Miles”, “Easy Going”), but most feature Lins’ own emotive vocals. The standout: 1975’s “Corpos”, a cheery jazz waltz that holds to account Brazil’s then-dictatorship for the scores of dissidents who “disappeared” during its reign.
While Lins doesn’t seem to be playing New York anytime soon, Reeves will open the Exit Zero Jazz Festival in Cape May, NJ, on Nov. 9, and Monheit headlines at Birdland Nov. 1-15.
Four other recent Brazilian jazz releases also demand attention: São Paulo native Luciana Souza celebrates her homeland with the piano-based Trio Corrente on Cometa (Sunnyside), a happy agglomeration of originals and Brazilian favorites. No fewer than six solo singers front the Gafieira Rio Miami big band on the ecstatically danceable Bring Back Samba (Brazilianaire Music). On the Franco-Brazilian release Songs for My Daughter (Sunnyside), Camille and Paul Bertault tackle come Brazilian classics—including Lins’ wistful “Começar de Novo (The Island)”, along with Jobim’s “Dindi” and “Luiza”. And on their Franco-Brazilian release, Entre eux deux: The Paris Sessions (Decca), vocalist Melodie Gardot and pianist/vocalist Philippe Powell deliver a powerfully sad rendition of “Samba Em Prelúdio”, arranged by Alan Broadbent.
NEA Jazz Master Dee Dee Bridgewater will join pianist Bill Charlap to kick off the 12th Annual TD James Moody Jazz Festival on Nov. 3. This festival, led by bassist Christian McBride, always brings exciting singers to the NJPAC stage—this year’s roster includes such diverse talents as the vocal powerhouse Lisa Fischer, Cuba’s Omara Portuondo, the acapella group Take 6 and R&B star Gladys Knight. But the main event for singers is always the Sassies.
The five finalists in this year’s Sarah Vaughan Competition will square off on Nov. 19. More than 280 singers from 37 countries applied this year, but only Darynn Dean (Los Angeles, CA), Bianca Love (New Orleans, LA), Tyreek McDole (St. Cloud, FL), Ekep Nkwelle (Washington, DC) and Emma Smith (London, UK) made the cut. The competition is steep, of course—something that the female vocalists on the judges’ panel well understand. Monheit sits among them this year, along with Madeleine Peyroux and Lizz Wright.
Singer Antonia Bennett has often appeared alongside her famous father, Tony, who passed away earlier this year at 96. But the Berklee grad has her own approach to the Great American Songbook—and her own originals, to boot—all of which will be on full display at Dizzy's Nov. 30. As preamble, her new single, “Right on Time,” will drop just prior to the evening.
Jazz super-scatter Louise Rogers and pianist Mark Kross, founders of WaHi Jazz in upper Manhattan, will host the sixth edition of the Annual Washington Heights Jazz Festival on Nov. 2. Among its many impressive headliners is Sheila Jordan, who plays Le Cheile on Nov 4. While in town, Jordan also will pay tribute to her free-bop collaborator Jay Clayton at Pangea on Nov. 8, alongside Judy Neimack, Andrea Wolper, Erli Perez and Kendra Shank. Jordan wraps up the month’s gigs at Birdland Theater on Nov. 19.