Stacey Kent - The Changing Lights (Bonus Edition) (2020)

Stacey Kent has possibly one of the most distinctive voices in the music business today. Never engaging in show-stopping singing (a la Judy Garland) or sounding too melancholic (in Billie Holiday's footsteps), Stacey has always used her limited vocal range to the best of her ability by using it with a Chet Baker-like style of phrasing that is never emotionless (like Chet's singing was) but is filled with hope & yearning which fits the bossa nova; which she covers in this album, like a glove. Her treatment of standards like This Happy Madness & The Face I Love are done softly with feeling, always reverent to the mood & lyrics of the song. On How Insensitive she croons her way to heaven, caressing the listener's ear with bittersweet saudade that makes for a definitive reading of this well-worn classic. On Smile, Stacey fills the air with another definitive reading of a well-worn classic that is simply too divine for words. The original tracks of the album are interesting ones too with lyrics that can compare to the classics presented here. Stacey showcases her linguistic talents too by doing a few numbers in French & Portuguese as well, with her rendition of O Barquinho taking the listener on a cozy boat ride down the Amazon. Stacey's backing band is always accommodating & sympathetic, accentuating the intimate mood that Stacey is conveying through the album. All in all, a lovely latter-day effort from one of the princesses of jazz recommended for all her fans & for anyone interested in opening a cabinet of jazz albums.