(Concord Records)

Dianne Reeves has never been afraid of musical eclecticism and her new recording is no exception. Beautiful Life finds the singer turning to fellow Grammy winner Terri Lyne Carrington for production direction on her first studio album in five years, and the decision pays off nicely. As with most of Reeves’ efforts, it’s multicolored and multi-cultured, as heard in the choice of material. The project includes incredibly well-re-arranged covers of tunes made famous by Marvin Gaye, Stevie Nicks, Bob Marley, and Ani DiFranco, but there also as many originals written by Reeves, Carrington, Esperanza Spalding and Nadia Washington, who also play and sing on the effort. The album’s talent roster is as impressive, with performances by vocalists Gregory Porter, pianists Gerald Clayton and Peter Martin, trumpeter Sean Jones, guitarists Romero Lubambo and Marvin Sewell, bassists Reginald Veal and James Genus, drummer Terreon Gully and saxophonists Tia Fuller and Tineke Postma. The singer’s late cousin George Duke, a mainstay on so many of her prior productions, provides his famous synth and keyboard sounds; beautiful notes to their final collaboration. This is a fantastic work of Reeves’ amazing artistry and versatility that stays with you even when the songs aren’t playing.