Take My Breath Away [CD]

Denise Donatelli returns to Savant Records with Take My Breath Away, a celebratory new recording that finds the multi-GRAMMYr nominated vocalist bringing together contemporary songcraft, Brazilian music, her acclaimed jazz stylings and intimate balladry in a program as deeply personal as it is musically expansive. Long admired for her warm, expressive tone and interpretive depth, Donatelli once again joins forces with longtime collaborator, pianist and arranger Geoffrey Keezer, whose imaginative settings provide an ideal framework for her artistry. Recorded in New York with a stellar ensemble including Ron Blake, Donny McCaslin, Chien Chien Lu, Yotam Silberstein, and background vocals from Arnold McCuller, Take My Breath Away moves effortlessly from the sophisticated swing of "How Little We Know" to the luminous string quintet textures of James Taylor's "You and I Again," Antonio Jobim's "This Happy Madness" and the reflective beauty of Irving Berlin's "How Deep Is the Ocean." Donatelli and Keezer's collaborative approach unifies these varied musical landscapes into a recording of remarkable warmth and emotional clarity. At once adventurous, intimate and quietly triumphant, Take My Breath Away celebrates resilience, artistry and the enduring power of great songs beautifully sung.