(Jazz Village)

Catherine Russell’s latest Bring It Back is an exquisite production from a singer with an extraordinary talent for delivering a song. Russell’s soulful voice can go from tender to powerhouse and back with great ease, which is exactly what’s required for the bluesy and Jazz Age song list on this recording. She ably to take this “period” material and orchestration and make you feel it like it was written a week ago. Featured are tunes written or co-written by Duke Ellington, Harold Arlen, Fats Waller Edward Heyman and Luis Russell, the singer’s father. The same team that helped craft her two previous award-winning efforts joins Russell on this project as well, including guitarist Matt Munisteri, pianist Mark Shane, bassist Lee Hudson, saxophonist Andy Farber and drummer Mark McLean.  The musicianship and arrangements are impeccable allowing Russell’s brilliance to shine through ever more brightly.