Vinyl plays nicely (play-graded). Cover looks great; a few creases near edges; light-scuffing, surface impressions, and slight discoloration (front/back). Inner-sleeve is rice-paper backed poly. Spine is easy-to-read with very mild-wear. Little shelf-wear along top/bottom-edge and corners. Opening is crisp with signs of light use. Jacket Printed in Canada. (Not a cut-out.)
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 Helio 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.