Kendra Shank - Afterglow (1992)

Singer Kendra Shank, who has a beautiful voice, has grown a lot since her debut CD, but her maiden effort is still worth checking out. In general, this set emphasizes slow ballads, and her voice is quite haunting on the more atmospheric pieces. Shank, who plays a bit of basic Brazilian guitar, is joined by a trio that includes pianist Larry Willis, plus (on two songs) guest altoist Gary Bartz. Other than "Devil May Care," the material is generally pretty obscure; Jobim's "Photograph," Billie Holiday's "Left Alone" and Shank's "Paris Bossa" are among the highlights. ~ Scott Yanow