Charito Michel Legrand The Japan-based jazz diva Charito is now a presence on the global scene. Her recent albums, featuring powerful collaborations with Ivan Lins and the Manhattan Jazz Orchestra, have shown the world just how talented she is. This eagerly-awaited new release is a collection of songs by the great French composer, Michel Legrand. Legrand himself plays the piano, scats and performs with Charito on four songs. Michel Legrand is a true maestro, a world-famous composer who has won three Academy Awards, and five Grammys. Charito was able to meet Legrand during such a busy time was purely due to his sheer fascination with her talent as a singer. A number of vocalists have collaborated with Michel Legrand in the past including Sarah Vaughan and Lena Horne. It is extremely rare for Legrand to play the piano with his vocalists, yet for this collaboration with Charito, Legrand plays the piano as part of the jazz combo and performs three duets with her: "Summer Me, Winter Me", "Pieces of Dreams" and "Quand On S"Aime." Charito embraces Legrand"s world and what she draws out from these melodies is totally fascinating. Charito sings each song very expressively, cherishing not only the beauty of the melody but also the elegant atmosphere that Legrand"s works evoke. This is a world of "adult vocals", in the true sense of the words, inspired with the very spirit of Michel Legrand. This Legrand collection really brings home the maturity of Charito, who has been producing solid albums at a pace of one a year.