1. J'ai ta main
2. Polvere di Stelle (Stardust)
3. Estate
4. Count Basie (Li’l Darlin')
5. Torna a Surriento (Come Back to Sorrento)
6. Bora Bora
7. Non Dimenticar
8. Que reste-t-il de nos amours?
9. Fenesta vascia
10. 'Na voce, 'na chitarra (e 'o poco 'e luna)
11. Maladie d'amour
12. Redis-moi (You Can See)
13. Vorrei (Got to Go)
Caterina Zapponi -Vocals
Monty Alexander - Piano (tracks 1-5, 7, 9, 11-13), melodica (track 10)
Bucky Pizzarelli - Guitar (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 10)
Frank Vignola - Guitar (tracks 1, 5), mandolin (tracks 7, 10)
Yotam Silberstein - Guitar (tracks 6, 8)
Jacob Fischer - Guitar (track 3)
Martin Pizzarelli - Acoustic bass (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11)
Hassan Shakur - Acoustic bass (tracks 12,13)
John Lee - Electric bass (track 6)
Tomas Fonnesbæk - Bass (track 3)
Etienne Charles - Cuatro (track 11)
Kristian Jorgensen - Violin (track 3)
Kevin Kanner - Drums (tracks 12, 13)
Kresten Osgood - Drums (track 3)
Caterina Zapponi was born in Rome to a French mother and an Italian father. She is married to Monty Alexander, the Jamaican-born but, since 1961,
American-based jazz pianist. She is, of course, multi-lingual and in addition has considerable experience of touring and singing in numerous countries.
While at Berklee College of Music, she was the winner of the Berklee Cleo Laine Award for vocal achievement and performance – no slouch then!
On Romantica, she presents a selection of songs sung in either French or Italian, a couple of them associated with an early influence on both
herself and her husband, the singer-pianist Nat “King” Cole. Although most of the material on the disc lends itself readily to a jazz treatment, items such
as Torna a Surriento (Come Back to Sorrento) and Fenesta Vascia are sung pretty well straight in a dramatic style which I feel is at odds
with much else on the album.
Still, there is much to enjoy here. She is surrounded by fine musicians, supremely Monty Alexander who has a wealth of experience to draw on and is in
superlative form. Caterina has an appealing voice, rather in the style of Stacey Kent but with more power. She has an undoubted jazz sensibility which is
evident on, for instance, Polvere di Stelle (Stardust) and Count Basie (Li’l Darlin'). Maladie d'amour is sung with
élan and has an infectious calypso arrangement. This one is fun. Vorrei (Got to Go) is a splendid finale, featuring a tune written by her
husband Monty and lyrics by Caterina herself. My overall favourite, though, is Estate (the word means 'summer' in Italian). This is a lovely, and
poignant, song, beautifully delivered by Zapponi with impressive support from the excellent Kristian Jorgensen on violin who captures perfectly the
yearning quality inherent in this piece, and, of course, the immaculate Alexander. I also liked Que reste-t-il de nos amours? (more
familiar to English speakers as I Wish You Love) where Yotam Silberstein provides sublime accompaniment on guitar.
This is a very satisfying listening experience, packaged with informative notes. I understand Caterina Zapponi has a Master's Degree in Social Work. I
don't know what constitutes the day job for her but I hope we hear more from this gifted chanteuse in the near future!
James Poore
CD Reviews
Motéma 233851
