North & South

Luciana Souza | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 13, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sunny Side
• ASIN: B0000950YB
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #220,122 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mesmerizing Sound!, August 1, 2003

By 

Jana L. Perskie "ceruleana" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: North & South (Audio CD)

Luciana Souza's CD, "North and South," is the last installment of her three-part reflections on musical and poetic influences from Brazil, where she was born, and from New York, her adopted home. She is a gifted composer and arranger, as well as an extraordinary vocalist.

Ms. Souza's songs are like nothing I've heard before - mesmerizing - haunting - intense. She sings these eight tracks in both English and Portuguese, in her distinctive, silky, somewhat smokey, low voice. Her previous CD, "Brazil Duos," was nominated at the 45th Grammy Awards for the Best Vocal Jazz Album. And the New York Times placed the CD on its Best Of Year-End List. Fans and new listeners, alike, are bound to welcome this new addition to Ms. Souza's repertoire with great enthusiasm. I certainly did!

Souza takes Billie Holiday's "All of Me" and makes it her very own. Her somber, minimalist versions of "Never Let Me Go," and "When Your Lover Has Gone" are superb. She takes flight with her vocal improvisations in "Chega de Saudade," with Edward Simon on the piano. And Souza's own composition, "I Shall Wait," is a signature piece, and hauntingly poetic. The classic Samba, sung light, "Se E Tarde Me Perdoa" with bassist Scott Colley and drummer Clarence Penn, is simply wonderful.

Actually Luciana Souza's voice soars throughout this CD, and she invites her listeners to fly with her. Great music! Highly recommended!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars not her best, November 14, 2003

By 

"jorgebonjour" (Savaldor da Bahia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: North & South (Audio CD)

she gets three stars only because shes capable of better this is not a good album. instead check out souzas work with danilo perez and co on the motherland album luciana sounds more comfortable singing with top notch musicians accompanied by impressive drummer brian blade and others led by brillant panamanian pianist danilo perez beautiful music motherland

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LUCIANA SHINES AGAIN!, January 16, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: North & South (Audio CD)

If you're looking for something average, you're at the wrong adress here, for as you can deduce from the intense reactions below and above, there is absolutely NOTHING 'average' about Luciana Souza.
A beautiful singer with a finely tuned instrument, who infuses Standards from Brazil and the Great American Songbook with her uniquely personal touch, and who on top of that is an amazingly talented composer.
Stop reading and check out her composition "No Wonder" with it 's infectious joy and beauty.Live Luciana delivers every time again as this fan has witnessed recentely in New York City- from the Jazz Standard to Carnegie Hall, Luciana is setting her own standard and will surely bless us with her talent for many years to come.
Hope she wins that Grammy this time ; she truly deserves it!