CD Review: Sylvia Bennett - Smile

CD Review: Sylvia Bennett - Smile

Featured Artist: Sylvia Bennett

CD Title: Smile

Year: 2010

Record Label: Independent

Style: Jazz Vocals

Musicians: Sylvia Bennett (vocals), Mike Levine (piano), Chuck Bergeron (bass), Richard Bravo (drums, percussions), Sammy Figueroa (shaker), Hal S. Batt (guitar), Mike Lewis (vienna strings), Geremy Miller (violin overdubs)

Review: Elegance is the first word that comes to mind when listening to Sylvia Bennett. Her beautiful voice can be romantic and sexy but always classy and elegant.

Sylvia CD Smile is a delightful collection of jazz standards masterfully interpreted by Sylvia Bennett and a group of great musicians.

Smile starts with Bacharach Look of love, with Mike Levine piano intro, Hal S. Batt fills on guitar and the beautiful strings arrangements providing the perfect backup to Sylvia vocals.

The positive message of Chaplin Smile shines on Sylvia voice with a bossa arrangement version. There is also a touch of bossa nova on The shadow of your smile.

The very thought of you has a vintage jazz feeling even in Sylvia phrasing that at times reminds me of the legendary Billie Holiday.

The CD also includes danceable arrangements of tracks like Witchcraft, Make someone happy, Where or when and What a difference a day makes. Or romantic tracks like I’ll be seeing you, Gerswin Love is here to stay and two classics most people remember in the voice of Frank Sinatra, Fly me to the moon and Porter Night and day.

Tracks: Look of love, Smile, Witchcraft, Shadow of your smile, The very thought of you, Make someone happy, I’ll be seeing you, When or when, Love is here to stay, Night and day, Fly me to the moon, What a difference a day makes, Sonrie, Look of love (pop version)

Artist's Website: http://www.sylviabennett.com

Reviewed by: Wilbert Sostre