Music Review by Ken Franckling, Jazz Notes

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Carol Bach-y-Rita, Minha Casa/My House (Arugula)

California-based singer Carol Bach-y-Rita’s latest gem is Mina Casa/My House, on which she seamlessly blends her love of Brazilian music, bebop and straight-ahead jazz. She and her band have found artful ways to add unusual swinging feel to a variety of tunes on this, her second CD as a leader. They include a Brazilian twist to Dizzy Gillespie’s “A Night in Tunisia” and adding samba/reggae feels to Joni Mitchell and Charles Mingus’ classic “The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines.” Most interesting are her take on pianist Bill Cantos’ clever and witty “Morning Coffee” and her own “Gardening With No Pants.” The latter tune, a duet with Brazilian percussionist Dudu Fuentes, reveals much about the challenges, highs and lows of romance-fueled relationships through her rich use of double entendre and metaphors. Cantos, guitarist Larry Koonse, bassist John Leftwich and drummer Mike Shapiro add much to the project as performers and arrangers.