Close to me

"A great affection for fado music and its poetic lyrics, an appreciation for how a jazz palette can color the form, and a love of orchestral seasonings all influence this expansive outing from Maria Mendes. It's an effort that's far from the norm and right where the Portuguese vocalist lives and loves to be ... While familiarity with fado, an understanding of the Portuguese language and an openness to cross-genre creations can enhance the experience of hearing this music, none are prerequisites for enjoyment. Priming need not be provided to understand the beauty of Close To Me".

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"Portuguese jazz vocalist Maria Mendes collaborates with pianist and arranger John Beasley (best known for his band MONK'estra) and Holland's Metropole Orkest on Close To Me, a bold albumlong riff on traditional fado music. Singing with crisp clarity in Portuguese and scatting in a hauntingly melismatic manner, Mendes reimagines classics associated with fadista Amália Rodrigues, experimenting with and cutting to the heart of these sorrowful songs ... Like the blues, fado is a music of both longing and joy, or as Portuguese speakers say, saudade. And Mendes conveys it with every breath".