Gabriele Tranchina - A Song Of Love's Color (2009)

Gabriele Tranchina proves herself to be a versatile vocalist on her second CD. Accompanied by a first-rate band including her husband, Joe Vincent Tranchina, on piano, bassist Santi Debriano, and drummer Bobby Sanabria, the expressive alto sings in six different languages, while moving fluidly through many styles. The opener, "Chante Comme Si Tu Devais Mourir Demain," is a driving samba with French lyrics. She tackles Antonio Carlos Jobim's "One Note Samba" with equal skill in a breezy setting, along with an emotional interpretation of the late composer's "Inútil Paisagem." The pianist contributed several originals, including the haunting ballad "Siehst du Mich," featuring his spouse singing a German poem set to music; "Voz," a delightful scat vehicle for her in an Afro-Cuban setting; and the warm "Sing a Song of Children." Few vocalists have the capability to cover so much territory in the space of a single CD, so Gabriele Tranchina is clearly a talent deserving of wider recognition. (Ken Dryden)