Joan Griffith & Lucia Newell - Enter You Enter Love (CD)

All Music Guide

Simplicity is the trademark of this album. The play list of standards, Brazilian music and 4 originals is performed in a straightforward manner without any fuss. The dominant musical theme for this album is the emphasis singer Lucia Newell and guitarist Joan Griffith place on things Brazilian. "You Stepped out of a Dream" is done as bossa nova with Gary Gauger's percussion providing the proper beat. The bossa nova motif continues with Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Estrada do Sol" and the Luis Eça-Louis Oliveira "Imagem." Three of Griffith's originals also pay homage to the Brazilian style with their Portugese lyrics. Not all the songs are in the Latin mode. Griffith's "Nina" and "Enter You" are done as ballads. Lucia Newell works with a clear, vibrato less, voice with just the right amount of coyness to make her singing distinctive. Griffith's clean, non chordal guitar playing fits perfectly with Newell's cool voice. But Newell shows that she can break loose, bursting out of her pensive mood... album with a swinging, scatting "How Deep Is the Ocean." Griffith and Newell do all but three of the tracks on this CD as a duet. Bass players Gary Raynor and Gordy Johnson show up for "I Thought About You" and "How Deep Is the Ocean," respectively, and Gauger provides percussion on "You Stepped out of a Dream." Griffith's guitar artistry is revealed on several of her solos, especially on "I'll Close My Eyes" and on "All My Tomorrows." This album typifies the uncluttered, but passionate, approach to jazz singing and is a welcome and important addition to the jazz vocal discography. - Dave Nathan, All Music Guide Read more Less