Sylvia Bennett: Smile

Bennett's warm-toned vocals serve her quite well here as she unleashes an assault on the Songbook in stylish fashion, opening and closing the repertoire with Burt Bacharach's "Look of Love," bookending the album with a classic rendition and a smooth pop version, essentially departing from the theme of the project. The late Charlie Chaplin most likely spread a smile from above after hearing Bennett's treatment of his immortal title tune complete with Batt's tasteful guitar licks against the backdrop of beautifully arranged strings.

On the bewitching "Witchcraft," Bennett turns in a lush performance behind some very fine instrumentals from her hand-picked crew. Based in Miami, Florida, the singer calls on nationally-recognized musicians from the area including bassist and University of Miami educator Chuck Bergeron, pianist Mike Levine, drummer Richard Bravo, and percussionist Sammy Figueroa.

The love ballads continue with the classic "Shadow of Your Smile" and Ray Noble's "The Very Thought of You," with Bennett's soft vocals providing a tenderizing touch. Flavoring the music from boleros to bossa nova and Latin styles, some of the pieces—like "Make Someone Happy" and the Cole Porter standard "Night and Day"—include delicate percussion from Figueroa, except on "Where or When," where the beat is lively and fast-paced.

Bennett does her magic with stellar reads of "Fly Me to the Moon" and "What a Difference a Day Makes." Before the pop-styled finale of the "Look of Love," she provides a bonus track of "Smile," this time titled "Sonrie," voicing the lyrics in Spanish, backed once again, by superb instrumentals and strings. Within the genre of gentle jazzy love songs, Bennett's treatment of this music delivers a musical experience sure to draw a well-deserved Smile.

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