***1/2 Semenya McCord

GOOD FOR ME!

(Wejazz)

McCord, a mainstay in Boston's music and education communities for two decades, has at long last added a commercially viable recording to complement her career as teacher and performer. Good for us: she sings an excellent, unpredictable set with a fine band in smooth and spacious arrangements. McCord's rhythmically free floating lines over rhythm have nearly always made her cantabile tunes (ballads, Latin, blues) more effective than the uptempo 4/4 swingers. Thus her smooth spins over the Jobim samba "Dindi," the Wayne Shorter/Jean Carn classic "Infant Eyes," and Ivan Lins's breathless "The Island" outstrip her turning on a dime on "When I Fall In Love."

Intriguing inclusions are Jim Webb's "Do What You Gotta Do" and Hoagy Carmichael's "Stardust." Arranger Javier Perez-Saco makes showpieces of two Horace Silver classics, "Song for My Father" and "Peace," as well as yet another effective samba, "So Many Stars." The strong support comes from pianist Frank Wilkins, drummer Herb King, and bassist Dave Zinno. Bobby Tynes plays stirring tenor counterlines to McCord's powerful mezzo on the Silver tracks and the scat on her "Don't Ever Doubt It."

-- Fred Bouchard