Press review

« "Madrugada" exposes most of Manu Le Prince passions. First of all jazz, with a swaying version of Caravan, and a moving interpretation of Nature Boy. Then there's Brasil: Tom Jobim's Fotografia and Edu Lobo's Casa Forte are revisited in a sincere way. A moving Tribute is also payed to french singer Nougaro with Le Cinéma, "feminized" for the occasion. From her friendship with Hermeto Pascoal originated two tracks, Bébé and Coraçao, the latter a duet with the master himself on piano. Her full and emotional voice highlights around fifteen tracks with elegant and airy orchestrations »
Philippe Deneuve "JAZZ Magazine" feb 2006

« MADRUGADA is neither night or day. nor dawn, it is all contained in an instant. Between shadow and light, mixed moment all in one, which fills spaces of silence, just as Brazil loves it, Brazil loved by Manu Le Prince. Her Brazil : the embers of a shared instant in harmony, solitude or just a beneficial moment. Everything is included in her music. All songs are selected with love, respectfully re-visited, or illuminated compositions, and Manu's voice is there, beautiful, sensuous, entrancing playing with inflexions, and striking a sensitive chord with the listener at the break of dawn... when all feelings arise, held up only by modesty . This album is the picture of a moment -again- of an artist's life and dreams, where all the loved ones are present close by. In absolute sincerity...
Vincent Oudot "L'Est Republicain"

MADRUGADA : who means Brazil, undoubtedly means personnality : warmth, voices at times slightly broken , sophisticated vocal arrangements. No doubt about it, Manu Le Prince has it all... T Marcuola "Jazz Hot"

« MADRUGADA is neither night or day. nor dawn, it is all contained in an instant. Between shadow and light, mixed moment all in one, which fills spaces of silence, just as Brazil loves it, Brazil loved by Manu Le Prince. Her Brazil : the embers of a shared instant in harmony, solitude or just a beneficial moment. Everything is included in her music. All songs are selected with love, respectfully re-visited, or illuminated compositions, and Manu's voice is there, beautiful, sensuous, entrancing playing with inflexions, and striking a sensitive chord with the listener at the break of dawn... when all feelings arise, held up only by modesty . This album is the picture of a moment -again- of an artist's life and dreams, where all the loved ones are present close by. In absolute sincerity...
Vincent Oudot "L'Est Republicain"

MADRUGADA. "Ela pensa, ela sente... ela canta maravilhosamente bem", this laudatory comment from Hermeto Pascoal, poly-instrumentist genious and special guest on the album, invites us right away to listen to Manu Le Prince's latest album, full of subtility and restraint. The subtle alchemy in the choice of songs ranging from bossa standards (A. C. Jobim, Fotografia), to jazz music themes, like Duke Ellington's planetary Caravan, or songs co-written with Francis Lockwood and Hermeto Pascoal, without forgetting "Le Cinema" by Michel Legrand and Claude Nougaro, makes us want to listen over and over again to these tracks which follow each other naturally... "She thinks, she feels, she sings wonderfully", I'm not the one who said it, so you might as well believe it! Jean My "Brazuca Mag"

MADRUGADA. "Elegant marriage of rythms and cultures, this outstanding album recorded between Paris and Rio has been written and composed in part by Manu Le Prince in collaboration with Hermeto Pascoal, Francis Lockwood, Filo Machado or Robertinho Silva whom also appear as special guests on the record, a subtle mix of swing and feeling wrapped in her warm and voluptuous voice. The originality of this album reveals itself from the start with the astonishing version of Duke Ellington's "Caravan" that gradually turns into samba !, just like her surprising version of "Nature Boy"...
This albums also pays tribute to bossa nova's great names like Tom Jobim, Edu Lobo or Rosinha de Valença, or to the famous french songwriter and singer Claude Nougaro, with her unforgettable remake of "Le Cinema".
This magic woman with her velvet voice, and her swinging lyrics, knows how to surround herself with valuable talent, starting with her faithfull accomplices Francis Lockwood (piano), Tatau Caetano (drums and percussion) and Carlos Werneck (bass and guitar), and her friends like Cacau de Queiroz (flute and saxophone), Raul de Souza (trombone), Stephane Belmondo (fluglehorn) or Marc Berthoumieux (accordeon), leading us from surprise to surprise... Elaborated with love, this latest album, with it's highly refined arrangements, finds all his strength through the performance of this brazil loving, yet "jazz bred" vocalist, carrying us in the vast world of music without frontiers... Anny Collin

MADRUGADA / BRASIL at the "DUC DES LOMBARDS" March 5 and 6
It was full house at the Duc des Lombards on the 6 th for Manu Le Prince's performance, in spite of the rush next door for Brad Meldhau's show at the "Sunside" club...
Manu Le Prince, beautiful, sensuous, tanned, lush auburn hair flowing down to her shoulders, brazilian style, presented the songs of her her latest album. Tribute to the colours of Brazil, to Duke Ellington with the warm and swinging remake of Caravan, that demonstrates that this classic didn't take one rinkle and fits all interpretations. The sound of accordeon suits jazz really well and Marc Berthoumieux excels on both counts.
With sensitivity and grace, like a caress, Manu sings Winter Song written with her by Francis Lockwood, a pianist with a very attractive style, entirely dedicated to swing. The drummer Stephane Huchard, always at ease in every band in different styles, shows himself both efficient and discreet on Antonio Jobim's repertoire interpreted by Manu. Finally, an essential part of the rythm section is brought by Carlos Werneck, a real carioca from Rio, adding a genuine brazilian sound and feel to the band
As the current news is the unfortunate death of France's "wizard of words" Claude Nougaro, Manu brings him a vibrant tribute, by singing one of his well known songs, "Le Cinema", as featured in Manu's new Madrugada album, with Stephane Belmondo as guest on fluglehorn. Having had the opportunity of listening to it, Claude Nougaro had commented that he loved her "feminized" version ! Here is what her brazilian musical mentor Hermeto Pascoal writes about her on her CD : "She thinks, she feels. . . she sings wonderfully."
And with her generosity, Manu knows how to communicate her enthusiasm with her voice and her music... Jean François Belalta "Lyon Jazz Notes" n°78 may 2004

SUNSIDE /PARIS
There no one like the most brazilian of our parisian ladies to bewitch us !
Jean Michel Proust "Nouvel Observateur" sept 2005

SUNSIDE
American Festival former singer in the jazz band Magma, Manu Le Prince has been singing between France and Brazil, wonderfully mixing jazz and samba. Pays tribute to great brazilian composers and sings beautifully Hermeto's Pascoal sophisticated compositions accompanied by Francis Lockwood. Hugues Le Tanneur "Le Monde / Aden" July 2004

ROSSO CAFFE/ Paris : Brazil is celebrated with one of the most wonderful voices of the latin jazz scene in France, full of charm and sensuality, the attractive Manu Le Prince, princess of Bossa Nova and of Madrugada, title of her last album referring to traditional brasilian music.
Marie Emanuelle Galfre "Le Parisien" dec 15, 2004

FESTIVAL DU HAUT VAR : All lovers of brazilian jazz and of this enchanting civilized lioness were numerous. You have to be made in stone to resist Manu Le Prince's seduction. She hasn't got the provocating sensuality of Madonna, but more the type of a fired eyed sovereign inca princess. Manu, anglo-argentine, has worked in the bands Magma and Odeurs before she found her own style in latin jazz. Mickey Papoz "Nice Matin"

NANCY : A titanic tribute to bossa nova. With her sensuous voice, Manu improvises with a great sensitivity. Vincent Oudot "L'Est Republicain"

SUNSET / PARIS : sided by an excellent trio composed by Francis Lockwood, Carlos Werneck, Tatau Caetano, Manu le Prince's powerful and velvet voice as well as her charming dynamism work wonders... Carolin Fabre "Boom Boom Mag"

NEW MORNING / PARIS : When Manu gets on stage, it's the heart of Brazil's music that gets brought on stage with all its glittering cortège and exuberant rythms. Her magic voice opens far away frontiers. Manu Le Prince, sensuous, moving and glittering eyes has bewitched everyone of us. Her concert is a passeport for happiness where our routine troubles fade away thanks to the music, and leaving us snapping our fingers a long time after the end of the show.
Patricia Scott Dunwoodie "Parole et Musique"

BRESIL SUR SEINE / PARIS : If real talent lies in acknowledging others's, Manu Le Prince has all the talents, she makes people appreciate artists that she likes, and performs real brazilian music like no one else. Manu must have been touched by the grace of the gods of Bossa and Samba, to sing this way with such feeling and generosity.
Gerard Naulet "Jazz Hot"

BESANCON : Her civilized gypsie's attractive silhouette. . . and dangerous voice which curles up the nerves around your spine... A. Schmidt "Est Eclair"

PETIT JOURNAL MONTPARNASSE/ PARIS : Brazilian from Paris, Manu le Prince ( Manu ) 's caressing velvet voice. . . excellent swingers are accompanying her sensuous voice
E. Azoulay "Telerama"

AGORA Album :

"AGORA" : Manu invites us to an idyll : the marriage of jazz and samba. She has in herself latin american and anglo-saxon origins. So it's not surprising to find how that she mixes virtuosity and improvisation with the warmth of latin rythms. She knows how to celebrate great american and brazilian composers and surprise us by original compositions, with artists like Francis Lockwood, Daniel Goyone, Rosinha de Valença. Sophisticated melodies and vocals, enchanting ballads or wild samba, and always a lot of emotion.
Gustav Kundera "Jazz Newsletter"

"AGORA" : one might have heard some years back the lady's voice with the bands Odeurs, Magma or Bernard Lavilliers. So that is to say that she really knows about music... To day she is releasing an ambitious album, stamped by brazilian jazz. Feline and energic songs wich" evocate" more sunshine than nightime.
Y. Plougastel "L'Evenement du Jeudi"

"AGORA" From the very beginning, the album gives a sense of professionalism. One could have already seen her perform with Bernard Lavilliers, Christian Vander. Sweetness, warmth, feminity and vocal maestria. . . It's stands up, it's strong, and it brings Brazil close to hand and feet.
R. Baud "Jazz Hot"