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Calling Kimiko Itoh the best female jazz vocalist in Japan may seem a bit like naming someone the best sumo wrestler in America--faint praise, in other words. But Itoh is more than a big fish in a small pond; she has shown herself to be utterly at ease with the medium of Western popular song. For this concert appearance, recorded in 1994 at the Japan Society in New York, she is joined by a band of crack session musicians, led by drummer Steve Gadd and featuring saxophonist Ronnie Cuber, guitarist John Tropea, percussionist Ralph MacDonald, bass player Will Lee, and keyboardist Soichi Noriki. In the hands of players of this caliber, Itoh's repertoire (ranging from pop/jazz standards like "All of Me" and "Old Devil Moon" to more contemporary fare like John Lennon's "Love" and Billy Joel's "New York State of Mind," along with tunes by Antonio Carlos Jobim and even a vocal adaptation of Rodrigo's "Concerto de Aranjuez") is never less than impeccably played, beautifully arranged, and an ideal showcase for the singer. While occasional mispronunciations ("am" comes out more like "ahm") reveal that English isn't Itoh's first language, she has a genuine feel for this music; and if she isn't strictly a jazz singer, she can definitely swing. Perhaps most important, Itoh is a mature artist who knows how to use her instrument. She can sing with considerable power, even revealing the occasional soulful, gutsy growl. But unlike the Celine Dion school of so-called divas, who wrench the melismatic excess out of every note, Itoh doesn't overdo it. One minor complaint: the DVD sound is typically superb, but some bonus features, such as a bio, would have been nice. --Sam Graham
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