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The lovely Nigerian songbird we know as Douy\xe9 has decided to take an off-ramp from the highway of smooth/contemporary jazz and lend her delicious vocals to\xa0the world of bossa nova/samba with a touch of straight-ahead jazz leanings. Following the path that a few other c-jazz artists have taken (Patti Austin comes to mind), the songstress, through this latest album\xa0Quatro (Bossa Nova Deluxe), demonstrates that she is by no means boxed in by any genre and wishes to spread her wings and soar to new horizons.\n\nWhile some may be a bit disappointed that Douy\xe9 is not seducing us with her silky smooth jazz/R&B grooves with this release, they should find that the material here warrants a listen. If you allow yourself to mentally go to Rio or some sun-kissed island while listening to this project, you\u2019ll find its lure quite apropos and soothing.\n\nThe all-present, polished, sauntering vibe that dances between a lazy cadence and one with bounce holds the promise of being able to wash over you and offer a much-appreciated release.\n\nOffering tracks like \u201cBlue Bossa,\u201d \u201cTriste,\u201d \u201cHow Insensitive,\u201d the more up-tempo \u201cAgua De Beber,\u201d her glistening cover of the classic \u201cGirl From Ipanema,\u201d and others clearly demonstrate Douy\xe9\u2019s penchant for eclecticism and her ability to grasp and relate to the various flavors of jazz and other exotic music.\n\nAll in all, this transition is a pleasant one and, while it doesn\u2019t come without some surprise for those expecting the smooth jazz/R&B Douy\xe9, it does come with the elegance and class we\u2019ve come to know as a signature trademark of the songtress\u2019 projects. Her seductive voice alone is always such a persuasive factor. Well done. \u2014\xa0Ronald Jackson