With You

Album Review

A singer, musician, model, and actress, Paulette Dozier was born in the United States and spent time performing in Venezuela and Italy before settling in Florida in 1991. Although she has recorded in other countries, With You seems to be her long-overdue American debut. Dozier has a soulful style that is both jazz-oriented and melodic. Backed in settings ranging from a solo guitar to a septet, she performs both standards and originals. Of the latter, "Ode to Billie and Freddy" (for Billie Holiday and a friend who died prematurely) is quite emotional and based musically on "Strange Fruit." She shows on "Walk on By" that she can sing superior pop although jazz is clearly her main musical interest. The main fault to this CD, other than its lack of definitive liner notes telling listeners who Paulette Dozier is, is the brevity of the set, which clocks in at just 32 minutes. However, what is here is excellent and well worth hearing.