Carmen Souza & Theo Pascal - Epistola, review: 'a gem’

A Portuguese born jazz singer/songwriter of Cape Verdean descent, Souza smoulders on this seventh studio collaboration with bass virtuoso Theo Pascal, whose stark, expressive playing and compositional knack merit their own album.

The duo’s longtime empathy is palpable here, as is their love of jazz, with Souza’s grit-and-sparkle vocals making shapes through songs that swing and prick and soothe.

Horace Silver’s Cape Verdean Blues is lent intimacy by vocals, guitar and bass and sass by Souza’s self-penned lyrics; a band including Craig Yaremko on horns and Empirical drummer Shane Forbes keep the jazz flag flying on tracks such as Afro Monk, a lament for the late great Thelonious, and Moonlight Serenade, the album’s other signature cover. A gem.

(Galileo Music)