Some singers were simply born to seduce, and listening to the lush, swinging and swaying debut album by Gretje Angell is like taking a warm, immersive, crystal sprinkled bath of Brazilian sunshine. Them multi-talented vocal interpreter hails from Akron, OH and lives in Los Angeles, but she’s clearly a Latin/samba/bossa soul at heart.
Produced by guitarist Dori Amarillo – whose guitar makes a soulful foil for her alternating crisp phrasing and dreamy sensuality – the collection takes a contemporary twist on the cool mid-60’s vibe when bossa captured the hearts of every American. For good measure, as if to underscore their deeper intentions, Angell and Amarillo fashion a lush duet of “One Note Samba” later in the collection. Aces as well with scat and singing in Portuguese (on “Berimbau,” originally popularized by her obvious influence Astrud Gilberto), Angell attributes her passion for jazz to her late father, Akron based bebop drummer “Tony “The Hat” Voorhees.
In her colorful liner note, she writes, “MAN! I miss that crazy old coot. I dedicate this album to him – my completely insane, and completely lovable (father).” Tony is no doubt smiling somewhere hearing the eloquence of his daughter’s voice carry on his legacy so charmingly and whimsically.