Customer Reviews

Serenade in Blue

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Koorax is a true jazz stylist. People cannot compare her with the typical Brazilian singers rooted in samba or folk music. This superb classically trained songstress, gifted with a stunning vocal range, was influenced by ballad masters such as Shirley Horn and Carmen McRae. She applies her tremendous musical knowledge to all the tracks on Serenade In Blue, giving us some precious singing lessons in tracks like Bonita, The Shadow of Your Smile, and the Glenn Miller title song. Soon she will become a BIG jazz star in the USA. It is just a matter of time, folks...

Even better than the American issue of Serenade In Blue, cause it includes a fantastic bonus track, a haunting version of Dio Come Ti Amo. Ithamara sounds better each day.

Superb album by the best Brazilian jazz singer ever. Period.
Sumptuous arrangements and outstanding performances by Deodato, Azymuth, Marcos Valle, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Jay Berliner, Kevin Jasper, Dom Um Romao, Nelson Angelo and countless other Brazilian greats. This woman deserves to receive international recognition, specially in USA, where Down Beat readers already voted her one of the top jazz singers in 2000. Forget about Jane Monheit or Norah Jones. Koorax is the best.

It's a superb album, and Ithamara sounds wonderful. With her smart, mostly medium-tempo CD, she shows her class: the flexible, warm, four-octave voice fascinates the listener in each track. She finds new ways of doing classic jazz songs, making each one come alive again with a most efervescent style and approach. Ithamara may come to the edge, but never goes over. Rio's sensuous, caressing influence asserts itself. The opening track, "Bonita", is charming and elegant. My favorite jazz-oriented Brazilian singer ever!

la musica de brasil ha sido propensa a una fusion con el jazz desde los albums de getz/gilberto en adelante. Esta , para mi desconocida Ithamara Koorax, lo demuestra en un cd sin desperdicios. Una voz encantadora, bellas canciones con muy buenos arreglos y un soporte musical de alto vuelo como rucalba, eumir deodato,etc. Tanto en los temas originariamente brasileros, como en los que no lo son el cd logra una armonia y equilibrio notables, que colocan a esta interprete a la altura de las grandes voces femeninas del jazz ( krall, barber,etc) Un cd optimo para disfrutar de una gran interprete y una vez mas de las inceibles melodias y sonidos del brasil

la musica de brasil ha sido propensa a una fusion con el jazz desde los albums de getz/gilberto en adelante. Esta , para mi desconocida Ithamara Koorax, lo demuestra en un cd sin desperdicios. Una voz encantadora, bellas canciones con muy buenos arreglos y un soporte musical de alto vuelo como rucalba, eumir deodato,etc. Tanto en los temas originariamente brasileros, como en los que no lo son el cd logra una armonia y equilibrio notables, que colocan a esta interprete a la altura de las grandes voces femeninas del jazz ( krall, barber,etc) Un cd optimo para disfrutar de una gran interprete y una vez mas de las inceibles melodias y sonidos del brasil

This album is also languid, elegant and lovely. A stunning stroke of cool genius, beautiful and neo-classic. Koorax is no wispy Astrud Gilberto. The lady has class and a real sense of how to deliver the idiosyncrasies of a jazz standard. The nine arrangements are well-formed and nicely-balanced. There are guest appearances by Deodato, Azymuth and Gonzalo Rubalcaba. But, no matter who's in support, the voice that's out front is totally in charge and totally satisfying.

Ithamara Koorax has scored a lot of hits with acid jazz fans, but that's not necessarily a recommendation (in my book, at least).

Forget the hype on this one: it's one of the worst Brazilian vocal albums to hit the market in this or any year. if you want the best of the best, try Monica Salmaso, Gal Costa, Marisa Monte, Maria Bethania, Beth Carvalho . . . the list is endless, and includes plenty of men, too. (Go after master sambista Paulinho da Viola's "Bebadosamba" for starters.)