Nancy Marano And Eddie Monteiro - Double Standards

The third, and unfortunately, last CD pairing singer Nancy Marano with the accordion and vocals of Eddie Monteiro is one worth seeking, as is their earlier effort for Denon. Unlike their previous release, this time Monteiro provides all of the instrumental support by himself with his MIDI Controller Cavichord accordion, which enables him to produce a wide variety of sounds without having to use overdubs to achieve the desired results.

Marano's strong, very appealing vocals are also backed by Monteiro's backing vocals (who also shares the lead with her on some tracks), starting with an inspired upbeat rendition of "All or Nothing at All." Her fine interpretation of "I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry" is emotional without overkill, while her arrangement of "Joy Spring" initially begins as a slow ballad before resorting to the traditional swinging bop arrangement, which also features some of their best solos and some playful scatting. The duo also adds a Latin touch with top-notch versions of "Make the City Ours Tonight," "Waters of March," and "Bridges."
This is a highly recommended CD which deserves to be wider known.
~Ken Dryden.