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Clementine
Les Voyages
Columbia from Sony Jazz 5017332
Crotchet  

1. Catavento
2. Liebestraum
3. Les Voyages
4. Tristeza (Goodbye Sadness)
5. Pourquoi Pas
6. Aquarela Do Brazil
7. Nos Vimos Ya
8. Rendez-vous A Montmartre
9. Syracuse
10. Tudo Bem, Tudo Bom
11. Saint-Tropes Blues
12. Crepuscule Au Pont De Tolbiac
13. Aguas De Marco
14. Ninia
15. Al Anochecer

This album was partly recorded in Rio de Janeiro and partly in Paris. It was nixed in Paris and mastered in Tokyo. I have not heard Clementine or any of the accompanying musicians before, but this is an album of very pleasant Latin music from a vocalist who reminds me of Astrid Gilberto. The various accompanying groups are also excellent, in both their ability to back the singer and play worthwhile solos.

The previous paragraph I wrote before contacting the very helpful Sharon Kelly at Sony Jazz for more information. Clementine was born in Paris in 1963, her family name is Mitz and she is the daughter of the founder of Orange Blue records, himself a famous collector of jazz records in France. She sings in French, English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Whilst she is not widely known in jazz, she is a very famous name in the pop world and it is pleasing that she has not ditched the jazz world, to concentrate on that much more lucrative field. In Japan she is a very popular artiste and she makes regular tours in that country. Three of the tracks are of her original compositions, 5, 10 and 14 and there are others from Milton Nascimento, Tom Jobim and Ary Borroso. It is a tribute to all of the composers that all the tracks have caught the Latin spirit perfectly and are immediately accessible to the listener. Of the backing musicians, I particularly liked the vibes playing of Nicholas Guijarro and the flute playing of Denis Barbier, but all are of the best.

This is a very pleasant album of Latin jazz by a very accomplished and obviously well trained singer with excellent intonation and a very relaxed and attractive voice. I have not heard Clementine before, but I shall be looking out for her in the future.

Don Mather