Kitty Margolis is a brilliant scat singer who is also expert at interpreting lyrics and shows a great deal of enthusiasm in her performances. Her second release for her Madkat label is a wide-ranging set encompassing everything from Brazilian music, blues, and
Margolis' new lyrics to
Wayne Shorter's "Footprints" and
Cedar Walton's "Firm Roots" to some standards, ballads, and hot scatting ("Anthropology"). The backup crew is pretty impressive too, with
Joe Henderson's tenor present on half of the selections, guitarist
Joe Louis Walker adding fire to the blues numbers, and pianist
Dick Hindman offering sympathetic support throughout. This versatile set is a perfect introduction to one of the most exciting jazz singers of the 1990s. ~ Scott Yanow