Dolores Scozzesi: A Special Taste

Los Angeles-based vocalist Dolores Scozzesi concludes A Special Taste with the time-honored Kosma/Mercer standard, "Autumn Leaves." Her approach is one of simplicity and elegance, opening the piece with Jacques Prevert's French lyrics, an alto Edith Piaf crossed with Roberta Gambarini and accented with Daniela Schachter.

Scozzesi is accompanied to great effect by guitarist Grant Geissman, who arranged the piece as a light samba decorated with his intricate Latin latticework. In such close confines, a potent musicality is required to carry off such a piece. Scozzesi not only meets this challenge, but she also composes a unique vocalese for the song. That vocalese, melded with Geissman's own harmonic Improvisation, makes for a very satisfying version of an old song, indeed.