NANETTE NATAL — Is Love Enough? (2002) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

With her fifth album, Nanette Natal continues to explore the myriad possibilities of the voice as a jazz instrument and how it can be used to express human emotions and feelings through song. She does this by placing familiar material into a much different environment than it is usually presented, and through her compositions, which create imaginative and challenging settings for her vocals. The resourceful use of instruments is an important adjunct to Natal's objective of concocting new and different listening sensations. Natal turns Irving Berlin's light romantic fluff "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" into an intense, dramatic tableau, complete with pulsating bongos and inventive wordless vocalizing. Intensity is also in the forefront for her on "Is Love Enough?," whose somber background is created with the help of Melanie Yarger's cello. Her approach to "Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean" combines the theatrics of Sarah Vaughan and the sassiness of a Ruth Brown piece. Facile instrumentation once more comes into play when Tim Ferguson repeats the same bassline held on by Jeff McErlain's twanging Delta blues-like guitar rests, all embossed by whoops and hollers from Natal. This one is quite breathtaking. The medley from West Side Story has Natal swinging backed solely by bass and brushes. "Moon River" is sung like a gospel hymn, with Gary Schreiner accorded solo space for his plaintive harmonica. Natal continues to demonstrate her ability to arrange familiar material altogether differently without it sounding contrived or forced. She makes her artistic point without having to rely solely on her own work. Her interpretations of standard material are legitimate and thoroughly engrossing. Pianist Richard Wyands' sympathetic piano makes a major contribution to the success of this recommended album. Dave Nathan

Tracklist :
1. Cool Jet Song [4:57]
 Leonard Bernstein / Stephen Sondheim
2. Ooh Child [6:22]
 Stan Vincent
3. Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean [5:33]
 Charlie Singleton / Johnny Wallace
4. Sometimes [6:48]
 Nanette Natal
5. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm [3:58]
 Irving Berlin
6. Is Love Enough? [6:52]
 Nanette Natal
7. Let's Face the Music and Dance [3:50]
 Irving Berlin
8. Moon River [6:40]
 Henry Mancini / Johnny Mercer
Credits :
Nanette Natal (Vocals)
Richard Wyands, Tony Regusis (Piano)
Warren Vache (Flugelhorn)
Tim Ferguson (Bass)
Gary Schreiner (Harmonica)
Jeff McErlain (National Steel Guitar)
Vince Cherico (Drums)
Annette Aguilar (Percussion)
Melanie Yarger (Cello)

HELÉN ERIKSEN — Standards (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :

1    Holy Greed    5:19
2    Loveskit #1    0:34
3    Arms Around You    4:46
4    Slaves    4:40
5    Alone    4:48
6    Loveskit #2    0:32
7    City    4:28
8    What Is This Thing Called Love    4:43
9    Low Rain In Pain    4:47
10    Loveskit #3    0:30
11    Cme Dme    4:44
12    Shake My Hand    4:36
13    The Do Don't Die (X-Tro)    3:45

NINA PEDERSEN — Songs from the Top of the World (2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :

1    Songen Hennar Magnill 6:25
Written-By – Sparre Olsen, Inge Krokann
2    En Liten Vise 7:23
Lyrics By – Arnulf Øverland
– Traditional Music
3    Jeg Lagde Meg Så Silde 4:42
– Traditional
4    Vårvindar Friska / Vårdans 5:25
Lyrics By [Vårvindar Friska] – Julia Nyberg
Music By [Vårvindar Friska] – Traditional Music
Written-By [Vårdans] – Nina Jori Pedersen
5    Kveld-sang For Blakken 5:48
Written-By – Edvard Grieg Kor, Nordahl Rolfsen
6    Sneen Daler Stille 5:42
Written-By – Nina Jori Pedersen
7    Eg Ser Deg Utfor Gluggen 4:05
– Traditional
8    Den Fyrste Song 3:41
Written-By – Lars Søraas D.E., Per Sivle
9    Wintersong 4:55
Written-By – Nina Jori Pedersen
10    Høgt Frå Den Himmelske Klåra 1:41
Written-By – Johan H. Grimstad
Credits :
Bass – Luca Pirozzi
Guitar [Guitars] – Lutte Berg
Percussion [Percussions] – Arnaldo Vacca
Trumpet – Aldo Bassi
Violin – Carlo Cossu
Voice – Nina Jori Pedersen

NINNA MILNER — Songs for Sentient Beings (2016) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist & Credits

1. Let Me Be Your Favorite Song (Milner-Traeden) - 3:44
2. Back to Wellington (Milner-Traeden) - 3:45
3. Wednesday in October (Milner-Traeden) - 4:34
4. Dear Humans (Milner-Traeden) - 6:06
5. Hoi An (Milner-Traeden) - 5:05
6. That's What He Said (Milner-Traeden) - 4:38
7. This Too Shall Pass (Milner-Traeden) - 6:09
8. When the Boat Comes In (Milner-Traeden) - 4:34
9. Such a Sunday (Milner-Traeden) - 4:24
10. Paris on My Tongue (Milner-Traeden) - 3:08
Credits :
Ninna Milner - Vocals
Mads Sondergaard - Grand Piano, Accordion
Tomas Raae - Upright Bass
Janus Templeton - Drums, Percussion
Regin Fuhlendorf - Guitar, Banjo
Dan Hemmer - Organ, Moog
Annmare Soffi Petersen - Violin
Birgitte Soojin, Bobo Moreno, Persille Ingerslev, Kira Martini, Esben Just, Sinne Eeg - background vocals (#4)

MARTA HUGON — Tender Trap (2005) APE (image+.cue) lossless

Tracklist :
1    In Love In Vain    2:35
2    Old Devil Moon    4:47
3    I Concentrate On You    5:14
4    I Feel So Smoochie    4:41
5    I Wish I Knew    4:32
6    Tender Trap    3:44
7    That Old Black Magic    3:12
8    Too Close For Comfort    3:38
9    To Young To Go Steady    5:13
10    Falsa Baiana    4:02
11    Manhattan    4:09

Credits :
Acoustic Bass – Bernardo Moreira
Drums – André Sousa Machado
Guitar – André Fernandes (tracks: 5), Bruno Santos (tracks: 4)
Piano – Filipe Melo
Vocals – Marta Hugon