Laura Fygi: Watch What Happens When Laura Fygi Meets Michel LeGrand

Dave Hughes

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Published: March 1, 2000

Laura Fygi is one of the most under-recognized, best kept secrets of all female vocalists working today. Although she's nowhere near as jazzy as Ella or Sarah, or even her modern-day contemporaries Diane Schuur or Dianne Reeves, she still offers excellent interpretations, beautiful tone quality, and right-on-the-money intonation. This disc doesn't cover as wide a range, stylistically, as previous domestic releasesThe Lady Wants to KnoworBewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered; rather, it pays tribute to the repertoire of composer Michel Legrand. I would suggest that these classics, many of which are from motion picture scores, have never received finer treatments. The orchestrations, by Legrand himself, are simply beautiful. Some tunes are more big band charts, albeit somewhat restrained, while others are more oriented towards strings. But it's all brilliant singing, brilliant arranging, and sheer beauty. (Mercury 534598)

Tracks:Where's the Love; The First Time; You Had to Be There; The Summer Knows; Watch What Happens; Et Si Demain; The Windmills of Your Mind; I Will Wait for You; Once Upon a Summertime; What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life; How Do You Keep the Music Playing; Summer Me, Winter Me; The Way He Makes Me Feel; Ask Yourself Why; Rachel. (55:07)

Personnel:

Laura Fygi - vocals; Louis van Dijk - piano; Harold Fisher - drums; Chris Laurence - bass; orchestra arranged and conducted by Michel Legrand.

Record Label: Mercury Records
Style: Contemporary/Smooth