vocals albums of 2022: the top 10

Last updated on 17 November 2022. 1 Carmen Lundy Fade to Black Afrasia 2 Laufey Everything I Know About Love AWAL 3 Tierney Sutton Paris Sessions 2 BFM Jazz 4 Sachal Vasandani and Romain Collin, Still Life, Edition 5 Caity Gyorgy, Featuring, La …

Published: 19 Oct 2022. Updated: 16 months.

Claudia Acuña, Duo, Ropeadope ****

What an achievement - highlights in no particular order include the bass solo from Christian McBride at the beginning of the Cuban singer Claudia Acuña's evocative treatment of the Margarida Lecuona song 'Eclipse de Luna'; the beautiful piano …

Published: 19 Oct 2022. Updated: 17 months.

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What an achievement - highlights in no particular order include the bass solo from Christian McBride at the beginning of the Cuban singer Claudia Acuña's evocative treatment of the Margarida Lecuona song 'Eclipse de Luna'; the beautiful piano opening by Carolina Calvache to 'Razón de Vivir'; again a piano moment to savour in the sublime Fred Hersch opening to María Grever's 'Júrame' ('Swear to Me') a song first sung in the late-1920s by José Mojica and covered in the 1970s by Julio Iglesias on the superstar's America album in typically treacly fashion.

Acuña and Hersch's moving treatment couldn't be more different. The way Acuña sings the line ''Quiéreme hasta la locura'' - ''love me to madness'' - is quite a moment. Also significant on Duo is the a cappella Acuña tribute to the much missed Chick Corea on his classic 'Crystal Silence'.

Superb guitarist Russell Malone, violin star Regina Carter and the master Kenny Barron are also among the Duo personnel. An album that lifts you higher and higher the deeper you listen.