Svetlana
Starr Records, 2019, CD
Instrument: Female Vocals
Issue: 26.1
Jazz Ruler Type: Ballads, Blues
Performance: 4
Sound: 3
Score: 81
O’s Notes: Svetlana Shmulyian fell in love with the magical world of the movies while growing up in Russia. That passion has remained with her and surfaces here over 14 selections on Night At The Movies. There’s a relaxed version of “Happy”, a vocal duet with Wycliffe Gordon (tb, vocals) that really resonated with us along with “Cheek to Cheek”. We also enjoyed the big band, country swagger on “Watch What Happens” including Matt Wilson (d). Other highlights are the relaxed lullaby, guitar duet with Pasquale Grasso on “Over the Rainbow”, and “Pure Imagination” with Rogerio Boccato (perc). Svetlana makes the ordinary unusually good by changing tempos and infusing exciting arrangements to bring freshness into these silver screen classics.
Publicist: Lydia Liebman Promotions