Christine Capdeville: Vision of Love

If you're a jazz listener who likes to be surprised every so often by a new name, make a note of aspiring vocalist Christine Capdeville. The songs, including seven originals, are immediately captivating, as are the exuberant Brazilian and Afro-Cuban rhythms percolating throughout this album.

Capdeville was born in France, but has been a New York resident for the past fifteen years. She equates herself quite well on her own "Reveries," sung in French behind a mesmerizing pulse. Capdeville reports that she is not trying to emerge here as a Brazilian, Latin or any other type of singer, but rather as one who is weaving a jazz tapestry. This philosophy works due to the variety of music heard here, the quality of the musicians and Capdeville's own enthusiasm.

In addition to her own tunes, Capdeville turns in a fine performance on the first wave Bossa classic, "Chega de Saudade." The English language version of this Jobim/de Moraes tune ("No More Blues") may be more familiar, but Capdeville offers a glowing and rhythmic version in Portuguese, closing the album with the standard "These Foolish Things."

The one-two punch of the opening two tracks is an easy hook. After the Brazilian-based title tune, Capdeville renders "You've Lost a Friend" as a Latin piece, spurring the band on with a closing coda sung in Spanish. As he does on several tracks, trumpeter Brian Lynch adds some fire to this number as well as providing the romantic flavor needed on "Change in Your Heart."

Pianist Edsel Gomez's arrangements on most of these tunes are also noteworthy, as is the participation of guitarist Sergio Brandao. This is one artist to keep an eye on.