Everything in Time

Carol Fredette has been singing in the club and cabaret circles of New York City for many years, her unpretentious style appreciated by all who work with her and those who patronize her regular haunts. She's clearly a big fan of the Brazilian tunes which dominate this CD, with music director and bassist David Finck providing arrangements for such excellent players as pianists Helio Alves and Dario Eskenazi, drummer Adriano Santos and percussionist Mauro Refosco. A two-man horn section with tenor saxophonist Bob Malach and trumpeter Barry Danielian play a strong support role, as Fredette sings this collection of longtime favorites, movie themes, songs of love and regret reflecting the personal ups and downs of her life. Fredette vocalizes in a controlled range, not pushing the envelope too much nor straining for high notes, and is up in the production mix. She's mature and comfortable in the lower registers of her instrument without sounding forced, catty, or phony on a sexual level. Samba is the main rhythm used, whether on Bob Dorough's curious love inquisition "Without Rhyme or Reason," the understated treatment of the standard "Dream Dancing," the simple horn backed treatment on "Pieces of Dreams," or the upbeat take of a Kenny Loggins tune "Wait a Little While." Malach gets his licks in frequently, and he sounds great on his own or with the trio during the witty waltz version of "The Way You Look Tonight." Fredette has fun in falsetto quacking for "O Pato" with the lyrics of Jon Hendricks, and is in a campy mood for "A Fine Romance." At times maudlin emotionally, she's positively breathy during the reflective ballad "Last Night When We Were Young," talked further down by the great drumming of Victor Lewis. One of her more interesting choices "Love Thy Neighbor" was a hit for Bing Crosby, but here it's John Coltrane's arrangement, with saxophonist Aaron Heicke helping. Finck is always marvelous, and Fredette is lucky to have him by her side — maybe a duet album would be a good idea. Apparently, according to the inner art work, Fredette's favorite time is ten o'clock, a.m. and p.m., indicative of this late night and "mid" morning approach to jazz singing. ~ Michael G. Nastos, Rovi