Chantal Chamberland: Dripping Indigo

Chantal Chamberland has a warm, toasty voice that can light up a dark nightclub and send a glow through her audience. She makes her third recorded outing on Dripping Indigo with a generous helping of songs, most of which dwell in areas that suit her pitch and trajectory perfectly. She gives the up-tempo tunes a nice turn of fleck and dynamics, making this a fine showcase for a singer who deserves more attention.

The Quebec-born singer has selected pieces that are ripe for the picking, including a line of jazz standards, a tune by the Bee Gees, and a couple of French songs. Her version of "Lover Man is her own, with no attempt to do another Billie Holiday take-off. Her husky voicing, with a hint of breathiness, brings in a sexiness that alto saxophonist Paul White gives a deeper impact. A happy, frisky breeze flits across "I'm Beginning to See the Light," fired by a burst of joy from Bil Holianty's tenor saxophone. Chamberland shows a wider, more expressive range on "L'hymne à l'amour, a heartfelt ballad that throbs with passion and serves as a fitting climax to an enjoyable record.