Maruja Muci - My Funny Valentine (2008)

This is Maruja Muci's second commercial release. "My funny Valentine", the title of her second album, is inspired by R. Rodgers & L. Hart's song of the same title. The album contains 13 songs chosen from what it is called The Great American Songbook , songs that were written between the decades of 1930 and 1960. This album seeks to reinterpret some of the most relevant songs of this era with a Latin influence. It was a very difficult to choose the songs, since this repertoire is so extense and beautiful. Nostalgia may have played a significant role in the selection, as the voices of Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Peggy Lee and many others were always there when she visited her father's home. The album was recorded live in Jazzmania studios in Caracas,the General Production was managed by Maruja Muci, with collaboration from pianist Alberto Lazo. Many other talented musicians also participated in this production such as Bassist Carlos Rodríguez, drummer Miguel Hernández, Benjamín Brea plays the flute and the saxo, Cellist Pedro Vásquez and Nadim Dao in the Harmonica. The great Austrian- Venezuelan musician, Gerry Weil arranged and played the piano for the title song of this work. Listening to Maruja's voice is listening to a clean, velvety and unaffected voice that wraps itself around the lyrics, it is a voice that tells stories while it sings and brings with it a sense of intimacy between the listener and the artist as if she is singing to you and you alone.