A monochromatic sensuality oozes from Memory by Paloma, who is going to be the celebrated daughter of David Chesky and Patricia Dinely, the Brasilian-born dancer and singer resident in the USA. If it were not for the imagination of the programming and the bold, cheeky intelligence that guides the choice of repertoire. It follows the dark and beautiful moaning of the Gershwins’ Summertime – Paloma’s homage to the Gershwins; classic rendition of one of the finest versions of the song – deliciously gray and densely chromatically fragile song one lyrically plaintive word from end to end stopping just short of becoming exquisitely morbid.
The pleasure dominates and becomes more exquisite. Each song sounds lovelier and lovelier as the recording progresses. The delights balloon as if in a kind of gastronomic feast as Paloma gives to every song a clarity and responsive soloistic splendour in all its truffle-infused glory. To Baby Face, a subtle child-like charm. To Sober Now, a dark grittiness that seems to go lower and lower than only she could bring from the bottom of her powerful diaphragmatic singing. The Portuguese operatic flair with which she tosses to Corcovado separates this extraordinary classic giving it a misty fragility, making sense of the fragrant text and their amplified emotions.
Paloma’s original composition, Diamond, is chilling and iridescent. It cuts deliciously against the shifting, ambiguous sensuality and languor of the rock that it is meant to describe in more denser terms. Paloma’s instrument is sublime. She sounds gritty when she need o rub bard against the raw elements of the tenor saxophone, the tingling of the piano and the husky rumble of bass and drums.
Her voice is in keeping with Michael Hilgendorf’s agile chameleonic-like orchestrations. Instead of a ‘greatest hits’ album, we get something entirely fresh and unexpected, a recording that’s a little bit sexy and absolutely, unmissably superb.
Deo Gratis...
Music – 1. Summertime; 2. Green; 3. Baby Face; 4. Memory; 5. Sober Now; 6. Corcovado [Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars]; 7. House of the Rising Sun; 8. Diamond; 9. When the Moon’s Away.
Musicians – Paloma Dineli Chesky: vocals; Michael Hilgendorf: guitar and music director; Maxwell Barnes: tenor saxophone; Chris Ramirez: bass; Danno Peterson: drums.
Released: 2025
Label: The Audiophile Society Inc. AS36
[palomachesky.com]
Runtime: 37:37