Born of mixed American and Ecuadorian parents in Miami, Cristina Morrison may be well known to theatrical audiences (she is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts) but here she pulls out all stops in a debut recording where her singer/songwriter gifts are well displayed. Morrison's voice is not he big brassy sound some jazz singers use well, but instead hers is a well modulated smallish voice more attuned to intimacy and getting to the soul of the music that she shares in this recording. Here she pairs her lyrics with the music of Christian Hidrobo is a collection of songs that really ring. Hirdrobo provided the arrangments except for those for Billie Holiday's "Fine & Mellow', Brooks Bowman's 'East of the Sun', and Grever/Adams 'What a Difference a Day Makes.' Morrison's style is a mixture of jazz, blues, folk, pop, samba, bossa nova, and she stirs these components and comes out with some very fine music. Morrison's lyrics included here are heard for the first time - `Summer in New York', `15 Day Affair,' 'Stand Still, 'Red Mafia & Jass', and `Perfect Little Storms'. Her style makes these new songs shine. On this recording she is ably in companionship with Christian Hidrobo, alto sax, Walter Szymanski, trumpet, Steve Einerson, piano, Marcus McLaurine, upright bass, Alex Alvear, electric bass, Willard Dixon, drums, Gregoire Maret, harmonica, Sammy Torres, percussion, Vinny Valentino, guitar, and Alex Harding, baritone sax. There is an obvious camaraderie here. One very important aspect of this album is the fact that there is a video attached - a works in progress called `The making of I Love' in which Cristina Morrison shares her Ecuadorian beginnings as a band called The Baroness and her Lovers and then takes us through introductions not only of her ensemble but of the process form early jam sessions to the real recording in April 2011. It is here that Morrison's true charisma comes shining through. She is a beautiful woman, a woman who has felt it all, and now she is able to communicate that life of experience with her subtly sensuous voice. Grady Harp, May 12