Roberta Gambarini was a virtual unknown outside of Europe before coming to the United States and dazzling both seasoned jazz musicians and critics alike. Under the wing of
Benny Carter for several years prior to his death in 2003, the Italian singer with an expressive, clear, and consistently swinging vocal style has seen her reputation spread widely, culminating in this initial American release. Her delightful take on the standard "Easy to Love" includes a bit of soft scatting in tandem with
Chuck Berghofer's bass. Her expressive interpretation of "On the Sunny Side of the Street" finds her scatting to each of the demanding solos from a recorded collaboration by
Sonny Stitt,
Dizzy Gillespie, and
Sonny Rollins, as well as adding some original vocalese to each of the solos. She is just as effective handling
Bill Evans' bittersweet ballad "The Two Lonely People" and
Billy Strayhorn's overlooked gem "Multi-Colored Blue." Tenor saxophonist
James Moody is a special guest on "Lover Man" and the swinging "Centerpiece," on the latter playing in unison with
Gambarini and engaging in a friendly, often hilarious scat duet with her as well. With this first-rate 2006 release,
Roberta Gambarini makes a strong case for consideration as one of the most impressive jazz vocalists to arrive on the scene over the previous two decades; her attractive voice, impeccable taste, and skills as an arranger make her impossible to resist. ~ Ken Dryden