Yvonne Flores: Sheer Bliss

The debut album from Bay Area vocalist and composer Yvonne Flores, Sheer Bliss is musical magic from a wonderful singer armed with a sensuous voice and is sure to grab critical attention. The album contains seven original sand two standards in an offering of contemporary jazz and pop with a touch of the Latin and Brazilian flavors.

Flores draws upon the talents of eighteen players with several heavy hitters among them. Latin jazz guitarist and producer of this album, Ray Obiedo, headlines the group that includes Pete Escovedo and son Peter Michael on percussions, Peter Horvath on piano, with Santana member David K. Matthews sharing the piano duties. Santana members trombonist Jeff Cressman and trumpeter Bill Ortiz are also in the mix.

Opening up with the breezy original "Breathlessly," Flores is accompanied by the tenor saxophone of Joe Cohen, interestingly enough, the only saxophone sound on the album—perhaps an oversight as a little more sax may have been a positive move. The singer turns on the emotions with her expressions on the ballad "Wild is the Wind" ably supported by Ortiz's trumpet. A tune with a terrific melody here is the perky "Take it Away," with Flores accompanied by background vocals and the trombone of Jeff Cressman. A sensational number.

Lending a bit of a high-pitch reach on the title track, the vocalist and the jazz flute of Elena Pinderhughes combine to create an inviting vibe. The bossa-styled "Boracay" is one of the finest selections of the recording. The album closes with Flores and guitarist Mike Wollenberg in an intimate and charming duet of the Meredith Wilson classic standard "Till There Was You."

There are a great number of female vocalists on the jazz scene; many are good, some are average, others poor. Few have made such a graceful and memorable entrance as Yvonne Flores does with the well titled Sheer Bliss.