As George Bernard Shaw said, “In the right key one can say anything, in the wrong key, nothing”. From her towering performance of Vinicius de Moraes’ opening song, ‘Medo De Amor’, this Brazilian-themed solo recording from vocalist Heidi Vogel says everything in the right key. Providing a fascinating contrast to her work with the Cinematic Orchestra, Vogel is accompanied for the most part by just the elegant guitar playing of Josue Ferreira, with the addition of piano, bass or cello occasionally thickening out the texture. Vogel’s voice is an extraordinarily rich and complex instrument, one that you can easily fall in love with. And, as evidenced by songs such as ‘Modinha’ and ‘Inútil Paisagem’ (‘Useless Landscape’), recorded in recent times by both Kurt Elling (Nightmoves) and Esperanza Spalding (Chamber Music Society), its timbral quality seems to fit the melancholic nature of her chosen material like a glove. The singer also stirs a brace of standards into the mix, Joe Henderson’s ‘Black Narcissus’ – one of two duets with Cleveland Watkiss — and Billy Strayhorn’s ‘Chelsea Bridge’. The second duet with Watkiss, ‘Love Dance’, one of many fine songs from the pen of songsmith Ivan Lins possesses such a stark beauty it immediately takes up residence in your heart.