Seasons Of Love, Lani / Alpert Hall, CD

Renowned author and Grammy award-winning singer Lani Hall returns to release her first new studio album in over 20 years, Seasons Of Love. Rising to fame in the 1960s as the lead singer for Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66, Hall has been a prominent vocal talent for decades. She famously sang the title song for the 1983 James Bond film, Never Say Never Again. Her Latin albums in the 1980s yielded multiple gold records and a Grammy award for Best Latin Pop Performance. Hall continues to record and perform with husband Herb Alpert, and this new collection of songs is a major return to form. The title track, "Seasons Of Love", is an emotional rendition of the hit song from the Broadway show Rent. Bill Withers' "Lovely Day" and The Beatles' "Here Comes The Sun" are expertly reimagined. Classic standards "Waters Of March" and "Sorri" (a Portuguese take on "Smile") shine with the relaxed Bossa Nova feel that permeates the entire album. Herb Alpert co-produces and lends his unmistakable trumpet to the proceedings as well. Seasons Of Love is a can't miss effort from one of music's most enduring voices.