Butterflies

Basia’s first album since 2009’s It’s That Girl Again (released by the quasi-label indie distributor Koch) was an immaculate album to fans, but a flop compared to her ‘80’s and '90’s success. Nine years later, “Butterflies”, on the indie Shanachie label, is another virtuoso attempt at regaining her past success, offering her usual winning blend of classy, clever, world jazz with bossa-nova flourishes, the same, if not improved, sparkling collaborative recipe with Mark White of Matt Bianco (the band which featured the Polish diva in the early 1980s), with whom Ms. Trzetrzelewska (i.e., Basia) co-wrote, co-produced, and co-arranged all eleven songs. Her vocal style and dynamic range are intact, as they are in her almost decade-old predecessor, and, in fact, in all of her albums since 1987’s surprise platinum Time and Tide.

The single Mateo is as good as any cut on this album, subtly standing out for its samba inflections. “ShowTime”, a duet with former Matt Bianco member Mark Reilly, is succulent romantic pop with a guajira groove. I Miss You Like Crazy feels more contemporary in its Euro-soul, reminiscent of Brazilian Girls, the NYC band whose male members reside in different countries, fronted by the sultry Italian-French Sabrina. Retro-futurist samba surprises in the album’s closing, “Pandora’s Box” with its slippery scatting, cascading strings, silvery muted brass, nylon-string guitars, and bubbling percussion. Basia gradually ratchets up the sensual tension as White delivers call-and-response ostinatos that guide saxophones, flutes, and even a bassoon.

The musicality and production of this album is top-notch, and arguably delivers more hooks, romance, drama, and playfulness than her platinum albums of the past; fans realize this, and former fans (or buyers-of-music-during-the-MTV-era-and beyond) have unfortunately forgotten Basia. Or rather, a label of Epic proportions simply hasn’t bothered to risk investment on a former superstar … because of her age? The financial times and tides are more difficult to stream in the musical climate changes of today.