ANNE BISSON’S PORTRAITS AND PERFUMES

We certainly didn’t expect to hear anything this audacious when we took Portraits and Perfumes, the third album from singer, pianist and television host Anne Bisson out of its jewel case. But that’s exactly the impression we got when we heard her cover version of Pink Floyd’s Us and Them. It has a very theatrical quality to it, mainly due toAndré Leroux‘s inspired flute playing. As we kept listening, the songs took on a more traditional jazz feel, the album consisting of both covers and new compositions. The magic does return on occasion, notably with With a Little Help From My Friends, rearranged by producer Guy St-Onge who can’t resist quoting from The Beatles’ repertoire. We would have hoped, however, that this same sense of playfulness had permeated the whole album.