DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - Midnight Sun (2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Midnight Sun, issued by Decca/Emarcy, is a ballads collection of jazz and pop standards assembled from Dee Dee Bridgewater's recordings for Verve and other UMG-associated labels dating back to 1993's Keeping Tradition, and moving through 2010's Eleanora Fagan (1915-1959): To Billie with Love from Dee Dee. For those who've followed Bridgewater's career by collecting her albums over the last 18 years, there is only one track here you likely don't already own, a gorgeous version of the Edith Piaf standard "L'hymne a L'amour (J'ai Deux Amours)," previously only issued in Japan as a bonus track on the album of the same name. It's a gorgeous duet with guitarist Luis Winsberg sung in both French and English. Other highlights here include the title track from 1997's Dear Ella album (written by Johnny Mercer), her fine version of the Earl Brent and Matt Dennis nugget "Angel Eyes" from Keeping Tradition, "Lonely Woman," from Love & Peace: A Tribute to Horace Silver, and Kurt Weill's and Jay Lerner's "Here I'll Stay" from This Is New, released in 2002. As an album, these tracks -- all beautifully remastered -- hold together very well despite the variety of instrumental settings, and Bridgewater imbues them all with her consummate phrasing and intimacy. by Thom Jurek  
Tracklist :
1     Midnight Sun 7:24
Sonny Burke / Lionel Hampton / Johnny Mercer
2     Angel Eyes 5:51
Earl Brent / Matt Dennis
3     My Ship 4:57
Ira Gershwin / Kurt Weill
4     Que Rest-t-il? 4:58
Charles Trénet / Lee Wilson
5     Lonely Woman 5:21
Horace Silver
6     Speak Low 4:18
Ogden Nash / Kurt Weill
7     I'm a Fool to Want You/I Fall in Love Too Easily 4:09
Sammy Cahn / Joel Herron / Frank Sinatra / Jule Stein / Jack Wolf
8     L' Hymne à L'amour 5:04
Marguerite Monnot / Édith Piaf / Lee Wilson
9     The Island 3:42
Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Ivan Lins / Vitor Martins
10     Good Morning Heartache 5:11
Ervin Drake / Dan Fisher / Irene Higginbotham / Billie Holiday
11     Here I'll Stay 5:45
Alan Jay Lerner / Kurt Weill