It's a truly remarkable story: after a 2009 gig in Milan with Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke, Lenny White is approached by budding Neapolitan vocalist Letizia Gambi. White, intrigued by Gambi's idea of taking Neapolitan music and updating it with contemporary arrangements, asks Gambi to “send me something. If I like it, I'll work with you.” Cut to three years later and Introducing Letizia Gambi, featuring such jazz A-listers as Ron Carter, Chick Corea, Wallace Roney, Patrice Rushen, Gil Goldstein and Gato Barbieri, is up for two Grammy awards (Best Vocal Jazz Album and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocals). With a track list that encompasses everything from opera – a jazz version of the gorgeous aria ‘Una Furtiva Lagrima’ from Donizetti's ‘L’elisir d'amore' with new English lyrics by the singer, and venerable Italian songs such as ‘O sole Mio’ and ‘Carmela’, to contemporary pop (Prince's ‘The Question Of U’, Björk's ‘Bachelorette’) and newly composed songs by White/Gambi (‘A Time’, ‘The Love Of Your Life’), Introducing is an astonishing opening statement. Singing in English, Italian, Neapolitan and Spanish, Gambi's voice is utterly seductive, set at the heart of vibrantly coloured arrangements – predominantly by White, but with contributions from Gil Goldstein, Nicki Richards and Patrice Rushen – which are strongly flavoured with bandoneón, guitar and strings. Whether it wins a Grammy or not, rest assured we'll be hearing a lot more from Letizia Gambi.