Release Date: 3/28/2006 UPC: 08940836302 Item ID: 715545 Studio: TELARC ProductID: TLR83630.2 Brian Lynch (Flugelhorn, Trumpet) Dale Johnson (Hair Stylist, Make-Up) Edsel Gomez (Arranger, Coro, Piano, Vocals (Background)) Fran Cathcart (Engineer, Mixing) Janis Siegel (Vocal Arrangement, Vocals, Vocals (Background)) John Benítez (6-String Bass, Bass (Acoustic), Coro, Vocals (Background)) Kim Sonsky (Art Direction, Design) Luciana Pampalone (Photography) Luisito Quintero (Coro, Drums, Percussion, Vocals (Background)) Marlon Saunders (Coro, Improvisation, Vocals (Background)) Robert Woods (Executive Producer) Robin Tomchin (Production Coordination) Stephen L. Joseph (Assistant Engineer) Steve Hass (Coro, Drums, Vocals (Background))
1. Hidden Place - 7:42 2. The Suitcase Song - 3:40 3. I Can't Help It - 6:01 4. Caramel - 5:31 5. A Thousand Beautiful Things - 8:04 6. A Wish (Valentine) - 4:35 7. Love - 5:52 8. Make It Better - 4:59 9. ...Till Then - 1:41 10. Sweet Is the Air - 4:38 11. Reflecting Light - 4:01 12. Did You See the Moon Tonight? - 3:15 Editorial Reviews: The ninth solo album by Janis Siegel -- an accomplished leader who is nevertheless most famous for her membership in the vocal jazz quartet Manhattan Transfer -- is something that you almost certainly never saw coming: a collection of modern pop songs arranged in an assortment of Latin styles. Gimmicky? Willfully bizarre? Amazingly enough, it's neither. Siegel's strong, supple voice and her consummate taste allow her to bring something new and often subtly complex to every song, without indulging in unnecessary weirdness. Granted, her gifts aren't always sufficient to redeem mediocre material: Björk's "Hidden Place" gives her very little melodic substance to work with, and it makes for an unpromising opening track. But her take on Nellie McKay's "The Suitcase Song" is much more exciting, and the multi-layered Cuban percussion on "I Can't Help It" is brilliant. Even better is the Colombian harp solo on her rendition of Suzanne Vega's "Caramel," and the multi-tracked background vocals on her arrangement of Paul Simon's "Love" are breathtaking. There are many more such moments on this exceptionally fine album. Strongly recommended to jazz and pop fans alike. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide