The follow up to “Blue” finds Pater reinventing some standard fare utilizing her voice not as the lead instrument as with Blue but instead as part of the effervescent hooks and grooves sprinkled throughout this most engaging release. Herbie Hancock’s “Butterfly” and Freddie Hubbard’s “Red Clay” are two standards tossed in a mixed grill of what Pater does best. As a vocal musical chameleon Pater can fit in or fill any genre whole and transcend the norm from mundane and predictable to somewhat “artsy” while full of meaning full expression. For some the question, “Sounds like?” comes into play and while artistic comparisons are for the most part inherently unfair lets say in the case Flora Purim meets Cheryl Bentyne (before her pipes finally crapped out on her). Vocally Pater is not really cutting new ground here until we start talking about her original compositions and her place within the band she has assembled. …
Beata Pater gets 4.5 Stars. The future of vocal jazz is in good hands!
Brent Black, CriticalJazz.com
