Dreaming in Caracas
Ernest Barteldes
Diciembre 8 de 2005
www.gvny.com


This début release by this Venezuelan singer is a treat to the ear. She brings in influences from her native country, East Coast jazz and her love for bossa-nova (she is a confessed fan of Jobim, and in a conversation with her, she also mentioned following new Brazilian artists such as Bebel Gilberto and Celso Fonseca) in a blend that sends the album seamlessly into various musical directions without losing the core intention of the singer, which is to showcase her talents Muci's original composition "Keep on Dreaming" features the beautiful acoustic guitar of Brazilian-born José Antonio Daltro, which serves as the perfect background to her clear, soft voice. The classic jazz number "Baubles, Bangles and Beads" appears here in bossa form in an arrangement that somewhat resembles the treatment given to the same song by Jobim and Sinatra in their 1967 collaboration, which the singer says not to have heard before recording her own version.

Sinatra's version, incidentally, was inspired by an earlier recording by Silvia Telles, who had taken on various American standards and recorded them in the bossa format.

But bossa nova is not what Muci is only about. Tale for instance, her take on Paul Young's "Love Is In The Air", which is is miles away from London's dance floors in a more acoustic, intimate feel. "Mala Idea", a song originally by Los Amigos Invisibles (which she was also featured in) has a more subtle feel that better suits her voice. Listen to her take on Jobim's "Chovendo Na Roseira"(sung in Portuguese), which is delivered with such passion that the singer is almost able to claim the song as her own.

The album is refreshing to the ear, and this is a new singer that deserves your attention.While Muci got a distribution deal with Sony/BMG in Latin America, it was independently released here, and can be purchased here through Cdbaby.com

World Music CD Reviews Greater Latin America
Ernest Barteldes
Diciembre 8 de 2005
/www.globalrhythm.net


This début release by this Venezuelan singer is a treat; she brings her clear bossa-nova and East Coast jazz influence to songs in English, Portuguese and Spanish in a blend of originals and covers that sound seamless and smooth to the ear. Muci’s “Keep On Dreaming” features the beautiful acoustic guitar of José Antonio Daltro, which serves as the perfect background to her clear, soft voice. The classic jazz number “Baubles, Bangles And Beads” appears here in bossa form in an arrangement that somewhat resembles the treatment given to the same song by Jobim and Sinatra in their 1967 collaboration. Listen to her take on Jobim’s “Chovendo Na Roseira”(sung in Portuguese), which is delivered with such passion that the singer is almost able to claim the song as her own. The album has distribution from Sony in Latin America only, but is available to U.S. customers through cdbaby.com.