The Michelle Pollace “New Beginning” recording band. L to R: Rebeca Mauleon (producer), Carlos Caro (percussion), David Belove (bass), Michelle Pollace (piano), Phil Hawkins (drums), and Kristen Strom (saxophone). Photo by Justin Lieberman.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nGood Original Songs<\/strong> – to me this is the test of an artist. Playing covers is a good way to display an artist’s talent, but you only get to know how good is their art when they play original material. I liked the original material in “New Beginning” as it showcases how Michelle can combine the jazz elements with the Latin rhythms that attract her.<\/li>\nTwo Good Classic Songs<\/strong> – when your grandfather was a pianist that had the opportunity to perform with Judy Garland in a hotel, that gives you the motivation to include a version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” in your solo debut album. Michelle does a great job in her version of this classic, even when it does not start that impressively (I’ll get into that in the next section). “La Comparsa” is a great piano selection for Latin music, and Michelle puts her own spin to it, making it almost a Cuban “son” the 2nd part of the song. I have to say that I haven’t heard a better version than Bebo and Chucho Valdes interpretation of it in the “Calle 54” documentary.<\/li>\nMichelle’s Band Format<\/strong> – I liked the musical lineup Michelle used for “New Beginning”. Besides the bass (David Belove) and drums (Phil Hawkins), Michelle also adds a sax (Kristen Strom), and some Latin percussion in Carlos Caro, and Michaelle Goerlitz. She mixes the band’s configuration depending on the song.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nSuggestions to Michelle on\u00a0“New Beginning”<\/h3>\n\n- \n