Manu Le Prince - . . . Press cuttings. . .

Press...

Latest album :
CHILDREN of THE NIGHT - TRIBUTE TO WAYNE SHORTER

JAZZ MAGAZINE (November 2022)
Manu Le Prince. We are always amazed by the heartfelt feelings. Manu Le Prince conveys in her singing, and her warm voice which likes to go in lower-pitched notes, is like a sparkling jewel case made to measure".
A total success with an authentic sound for a project that could only be double or nothing.
Philippe Vincent

LE MONDE (September 2022)
With her warm and expressive voice, Manu Le Prince goes beyond the vocal translation of Wayne Shorter's playing. She wrote lyrics wich move on melodic curves ... the saxophone player Irving Acao evokes the sinuosities, the fluidity of Shorter's music. , and some guests, all of high level, are in a great osmosis with the singer.
Sylvain Siclier

TELERAMA (September 2022)
Paying a Tribute to Wayne Shorter is something that very few sax players could do afford. So just imagine a lady singer .... But the fact is that that the Maestro himself encouraged Manu Le Prince and, -should it be specified-, he was right. Adding words to the saxophonist's notes, Le Prince achieved a CD (Children of the Night) luminous and brave she rightfully can be proud of.
Louis-Julien Nicolaou

MOVE (October 2022)
Starting with the impressive Eleanora (Lady Day) in introduction, we are able to measure what enthusiasm and exigency Manu and her men invested in this project"...Madame Le Prince interprets brilliantly these adaptations with subtly veiled tone of her voice "..."Having godfathers such as Wayne Shorter and Hermeto Pascoal in person, makes her a serious candidate for the "Shocks of Jazz" of this year!
Patrick Dallongeville - Paris-Move, Blues Magazine, Illico & Blues Boarder

PARIS MOVE (October 2022)
Writing lyrics on some great standards of the saxophonist's songsbook, and encouraged by him to conceive this album , the Diva, (known as the lady ambassador of Latin Jazz' s in France and in the world) pays a vibrating homage to the musician native of Newark (1933!) ... Looking for a balance between north and south, we are being totally captivated by Manu Le Prince's voice and the musicians accompanying her. A wonderful invitation to travel (more than once).
Dominique Boulay

DAILY PASSION (October 2022)
Talking about Manu Le Prince's talent, I think no one can deny it. It seems to me that here the voice harmonizes with the intelligence of the notes. Normal, some would say. Not so sure! The warmth of the vocals fits perfectly with the sounds of the musical instruments, with a few joyous nuances here and there.
Noé Gaillard

LATINS DE JAZZ (October 2022)
From the start, the singer's warm and sensuous voice creates an emotional atmosphere on Eleanora ...the voice shines brightly on Wayne Shorter's Children of the Night ..."Manu Le Prince succeeds in restoring the unique sound climate of Milton Nascimento in his composition Vera Cruz ... " With finesse and virtuosity, Manu makes hers the songs she places in her personal domain, between brazilian music and jazz.

Le Blog du Blagueur (October 2022)
One feels it and gets it right away : the language she is most familiar with when she sings is indeed the Brazilian idiom. Brazil is the country she adopted for its musics. It is a country and continent where she often appears on stage, the native land of one of her children's father. So in her mouth, in the gentle vibration of her vocal chords, Tarde as mucha as Vera Cruz, or even Caminho Solar - the singing version of the mythic Footprints of the Blue Note golden period- just sounds with a perfect carioca feeling..."
With the album Children of the Night, realized as a Tribute the the constellation Wayne Shorter, Manu Le Prince signs a great and beautiful return to the richest echoes of Jazz.
Robert Latxague

LE QUOTIDIEN DU MEDECIN (September 2022)
Manu Le Prince has always had two passions : brazilian music and jazz. This veneration for afro-american music, the lady singer, with her soft and always joyful voice full of swing, has just declared, with her tribute to the legendary compser ans saxophonist Wayne Shorter in "Chidren of the Night.
Didier Pennequin

CULTURE JAZZ (September 2022)
On the top of an authentic music, Manu Le Prince places her voice's texture and the lyrics she created. Each one of the musicians participates in the creation of a totally harmonious togetherness. The titles flow with flexibility, and one may imagine that the band has been playing together for ages because they are filled with such a beautiful empathy. Between her well mixtured jazz and brazilian roots, her proposal never looses its flavor or disappoint the listening ear.
Yves Dorison

ORPHEO GIANT (September 2022)
Este gran disco de Manu Le Prince, con una excelente y amplia banda de acompañamiento, a la que se suman unos cuantos y apreciables “Featurings”, es lo que dice su subtítulo . De hecho, es un gran y panorámico tributo a la obra de Shorter.... La guinda una excelente versión del ‘Tarde’ de Milton Nascimento’. Todos esos temas cobran una nueva y desconocida dimensión con la gran y sensual voz de Le Prince que hace que algunos temas parezcan otros. ¡Ya estás tardando, sí, en hacerte con este gran disco que combina jazz y buenos aires brasileños! Txema Mañeru

Previous album :
IN A LATIN MOOD

UKVIBE
"The repertoire is nothing less than eclectic. In places Manu puts her own words to melodies supplied by Privat, Kenny Barron and others. Above all this music is easy to listen to and therefore easy to enjoy. Each track is a minor masterpiece and several have the capacity to become instant ear worms"
"It’s almost as if the vocalist is a contemporary Calypso enchanting us with her singing and who wouldn’t want to be detained on her most musical of islands?" Alan Musson

LE MONDE.fr
« In a Latin Mood » A scent of Brazil, a conquest of the West, a passionaria of French Jazz... a magical name , a voice that surfs on brazilian tempos...the sharing of emotions and the experience of jazz acquired with time ... The page of the melodramas that jazz carries, from a flamboyant limousine to the fragile balance of walking the streets on nights of musical high....." Hellen Page - MusicInfo Le Monde

JORNAL A TARDE
«Manu Le Prince has just released her last CD "In a Latin Mood", arranged by her and Minino Garay in a wonderful collaboration …. so continuing the cohabitation in Manu's soul, of two countries, two cities, those two cultures that she keeps together inside her heart. » Duda Tawil – Coluna de July / Salvador de Bahia

LA TERRASSE - In a Latin Mood
Super lady of the Latin Jazz, Manu Le Prince is one of the most endearing vocalists of the French scene.. the amber colour of her voice sounds marvellous ... »
Jean Luc Caradec

L'ACADEMIE DU JAZZ -In a Latin Mood
« She embarks you on a journey of magic and seduction, between dream and reality...» Francis Capeau

JAZZ HOT -In a Latin Mood
« Manu delivers a delicate album, which reflects very well her jazzy and coloured musical personality... » Jerôme Partage

LATINS DE JAZZ
In a Latin Mood - "Manu Le Prince 's warm and sensual voice suits completely fits the interpretation of these pieces mixing jazz and Latin music..." Nicole Widemann

LE QUOTIDIEN DU MEDECIN
In a Latin Mood  " Manu achieves beautifully and successfully several musical alliances... A beautiful album, personal, audacious and surprizing for her fans, at the meeting point of several genres..."  Didier Pennequin

HERMETO PASCOAL
"She thinks, she feels, she sings marvelously well " "Ela pensa, ela sente, ela canta maravilhosamente bem".

JAZZMAN
"BossaJazz for Ever **** (4 stars) The warm voice of Manu Le Prince, very much at ease in the lower register, this time everything takes us to Rio ....  Philippe Vincent

LE NOUVEL OBSERVATEUR
" The most Brazilian of our Parisian singers. No one bewitches us like she does."  Jean Michel Proust

TELERAMA - " Manu Le Prince, a treasure of Brazilian music made in France."  Michel Contat

A Nous Paris - "Tribute to Cole Porter " Romanticism and elegance are closely intertwined in this sensuous and elevated work, devoted to Life and Feast." V.J.

CLAUDE CARRIERE - Tribute to Cole Porter
“..Almost entirely chromatic melodies with frequent harmonic modulations …
The great art of the interpreter matches here the author’s.”

CLASSICA REPERTOIRE -"Tribute To Cole Porter " : A performance with no safety net, no shelter , the "trial by fire". Manu Le Prince reveals here a solid tempo and a" swing" than we hardly find in vocalists, the entire album also reveals the moving expression, the beauty of the voice's tone, and the personality of this singer...  "  Jean Pierre Jackson

FRANCE INFO - Madrugada : "... Singer of Latin Jazz, Manu has without a doubt one of the most beautiful voices in this field... This Brazilian lady by heart mixes with sensuality, warmth and elegance, jazz and bossa ».Germain Treille "Tendance Jazz"

JAZZMAN - Madrugada : « Princess. Manu Le Prince has a voice, a real one, one of those who affect the listener like the taste a a wild fruit. »  Alain Thomas

L'EST REPUBLICAIN - Madrugada : “All is contained here, deep inside her music. Pieces selected with love, revisited with respect or luminous compositions, Manu’s voice is there, beautiful, sensuous, stimulating, playing with inflexions and reaching the sensitive chord at the break of dawn..." Vincent Oudot

JAZZ MAGAZINE - Madrugada : "From her complicity with Hermeto Pascoal were born two songs, Bebe & Coração, in a duo with the Master playing acoustic piano, the warm voice puts in evidence fifteen titles with elegant and airy orchetration ..." Philippe Deneuve

L'HUMANITE - Madrugada : " Manu "... Princely alliance of jazz with samba ... Latin pulse, Bossa’s felinity, Bop’s vitality, Flamenco’s flavor ...."  Fara Couderc

AND MORE BELOW ...

ALBUM REVIEWS

MANU LE PRINCE ‘IN A LATIN MOOD’ CD (PLAZA MAYOR COMPANY LTD) 4/5

UKVIBE December 2018
Manu Le Prince is possibly the foremost exponent of latin jazz in France. She has a distinctive vocal delivery which instantly entices the listener into her sound world. On the tile track which opens the album, she sings in English with a warm vocal timbre. She is also an accomplished song writer and lyricist and many of the songs on this album are written by Manu.
Known to many listeners for her work with the Brazilian musical wizard Hermeto Pascoal, Manu began her career in music in London at the age of nineteen. Jazz was in her blood from a very early age, and she cites being rocked to sleep by her mother singing Irving Berlin’s 1935 hit song ‘Cheek to Cheek’. In France she sang in jazz-rock groups or as a solo soprano vocalist. It wasn’t too long before Manu decided to form with her own group and after a lengthy stay in Brazil began to work on developing her own style and repertoire. Her first album under her own name, ‘Agora’, was released in 1991.
Stylistically, Manu works at the intersection between Jazz and Brazilian music. However, in 2007, rekindling her childhood passion for Jazz, she recorded ‘Tribute to Cole Porter’ in recognition of the song-writing genius.
With several albums already under her belt, this one has been in preparation since 2016. As well as singing in English, elsewhere on the album she sings in Portuguese and French and employs some of the best musicians currently active on the French Jazz scene. The repertoire is nothing less than eclectic. In places she puts her own words to melodies supplied by Privat, Kenny Barron and others. Above all this music is easy to listen to and therefore easy to enjoy. Each track is a minor masterpiece and several have the capacity to become instant ear worms. Pianist Grégory Privat is possibly the best known of her collaborators on the album, although all of the musicians are top class. On some pieces accordion is added and works particularly well. At other times saxophone, percussion and flute are added to the sound mix to stunning effect. This is not an out and out jazz record but fits in the easy listening category, but this is not to devalue the accomplished musicianship on display here. There should be something for all tastes to enjoy and inevitably, the music of the Bossa Nova shines through.
It’s almost as if the vocalist is a contemporary Calypso enchanting us with her singing and who wouldn’t want to be detained on her most musical of islands?
You can catch Manu live in Paris on 18th January 2019 at Duc des Lombards where she will be showcasing music from the album.
Alan Musson

Le Monde.fr - septembre 2018
ACTUALITÉ, JAZZ, MUSIQUE,
MUSIQUE DU MONDE, SOUL RNB, WEBLOGS
MANU LE PRINCE – ALBUM "IN A LATIN MOOD"
A scent of Brazil, a conquest of the West, a passionaria of French jazz ... There would be so many laudatory adjectives to label Manu Le Prince. But labels, like little stamps on a letter, never say anything significant, so it’s better to just hear the "resonance" of Manu Le Prince. A magical name, a voice that surfs on Brazilian tempos and which pertinently revisits a composition of Claude Nougaro: "We must turn the page." The page of Parisian clubs, jazz scene and jazz in Saint Germain, like on the posters hung at the Paris’ lampposts at night. The page of the musicos: Brazilian, French ... coming to chase the sleep away and stir an eternal beat. The page of the melos, the dramas that jazz carries, from a flamboyant limousine to the fragile balance of walking the streets on nights of musical drunkenness. There is all this in Manu Le Prince’s imprint, the sharing of emotions and the experience of jazz acquired with time. It creates memories, pictures, postcards and a feeling of truthfulness, built on melodies. Manu The Prince sketches "a Latin Mood" and when we have reached this mood, she vanishes. Bravo
Hellen Page - MusicInfo Le Monde

Jornal "A TARDE" -  june 2018
Manu Le Prince et Minino Garay, collaboration on the album "In a Latin Mood
photo by Duda Tawil
Singer ans french song writer with a brazilian soul, at the point of going to Brazil twice a year since 1990, - mostly to Rio that she passionately loves -, Manu Le Prince has just released her last cd "In a Latin Mood", artisticly produced by her and Minino Garay in a wonderful collaboration. There are 11 tracks with her own lyrics except "Il Faut Tourner La Page" (Claude Nougaro & Philippe Saisse) . All the other songs are compositions of very fine musicians, such as "Let the Music take care of You " of Julian Le Prince Caetano, and an emblematic title called "Paris Rio" of Baptiste Trotignon (also composer of the title of the cd "In a Latin Mood"), so resuming the cohabitation in Manu's soul, of two countries, two cities, both cultures that she keeps together inside her heart.
Duda Tawil - Coluna de July /SALVADOR /Junho 2018

La Terrasse -  april 2018
- In a Latin Mood -
"After two tributes, to Cole Porter and also Johnny Alf, she is back with a new album of original songs. Super lady of the Latin Jazz , Manu Le Prince is one of the most endearing vocalists of the french scene. If her warm voice sounds marvelous in jazz standards and brazilian music - Rio being, such as Paris, her homeland - she also thrives in original compositions with her own lyrics. It is the case with her latest and ambitious project, "In a Latin Mood", prepared and recorded with musician extraordinaire Minino Garay. She also called upon the finest french jazz talents such as Baptiste Trotignon, Gregory Privat, Giovanni Mirabassi, and Kenny Barron... She will be performing in quintet just for one night on the new stage of the " Montparnasse Jazz Cafe" (ex Petit Journal da rue du Cmd Mouchotte) in quintet marvelously escorted..."
Jean-Luc Caradec

Jazz Hot - April 2018

- In a Latin Mood -
After her collaboration on different projects at the beginning of her career (Magma, Urban Sax, Bernard Lavilliers...) Manu Le Prince found her way mostly with the brazilian music. Back from several periods spent in the country of the Bossa Nova in the years 80 and 90, , she creates her first own jazz quartet (music thet rocked her childhood) with her companion the drummer Tatau Caetano (wich two sons are playing on this album), Francis Lockwood (piano) and Carlos Werneck (bass). Together they created the album Madrugada (Plaza Mayor). After several albums, with her lastest "In a Latin Mood", Manu treads again the path she she likes so much, brazilian music, jazz and songs. As a matter of fact, she expresses herself in anglish, brazilian and french. Having chosen to put lyrics on original compositions, (by Baptiste Trotignon , Gregory Privat, Marc Berthoumieux and even Kenny Barron) - except Claude Nougaro's "Il Faut tourner La Page" -, she delivers a delicate album, wich is well reflecting her jazzy and coloured musical personality..."
Jerôme Partage

Brasil Tour (february/march)

A Jazzy New Year's Eve

December 31, 2017

Manu Le Prince will be performing at the Sunside Jazz Club in Paris. Her musical world swings between her love for Brazil, and jazz. Manu Le Prince is going to set fire to the last hours of 2017 with the sound of her "Latin Mood" Quintet. Caliente!
Didier Penenquin -
Le Quotidien du Médecin

"Jazz Academy"
23 octobre 2017
MANU LE PRINCE IN A LATIN MOOD (*)
At the "NEW MORNING" in Paris, 26th of october
"We feel so good listening to Manu's new album, as if we were at home, with this friendly presence of things that you cannot quite figure out, just to stimulate the unconscious, just to enjoy some time spent together.
Once on the record player, the little round thing takes you along in a promenade, where magic flirts with seduction, realism with dream, in which Manu, (main lyricist on this album in both Brazilian, English and French...) with her fellow travelers(**), the best of the current french jazz scene, makes you musically wander in all directions, in every groove (sorry to be correct nowadays, we should speak about bytes), but there is still hope, the Vinyl is coming back into fashion.
On stage, Gregory Privat (p), Thomas Bramerie (b), Lukmil Perez (dr) will be playing with her at the PARIS NEW MORNING on the 26th of OCTOBER 2017, with many guests (as Giovanni Mirabassi)... and even our stratospheric Baptiste Herbin (saxophone), stimulated by his performance one night earlier at the Clermont-Ferrand Festival "Jazz en Tête" and the late jam sessions... until the morning onion soup"
(*) MANU LE PRINCE, «In a Latin Mood». 2017. Plaza Mayor Company Ltd, MCPS SERG 185.
(**) Baptiste Trotignon Gregory Privat, Giovanni Mirabassi, Marc Berthoumieux, Lalo Zanelli, Minimo Garay, Julian Le Prince Caetano, David Linx ...
Francis Capeau - Académie du Jazz

In a Latin Mood
"Through different musical paths, Manu Le Prince's splendid album wanders along an eclectic Latin repertoire, that reinforces her original approach with an open style of colorful notes. She knows how to create a more personal sound, result of her musical encounters, taking us on a trip with strong musicians which are bringing her a steady support allowing her to show her “Jazz touch", the heart of her influences and her own roots: she has a multi-cultural vision, with melodic effects, matching with different combinations, offering a beautiful alchemy and giving her music a modern and contemporary tone.
The accuracy of her interpretations reveals a sparkling inspiration in which her beautiful musical proposals are developing several phases through sumptuous acoustic universes where the different arrangements strengthen her splendid compositions, giving it more openness. She builds themes with the versatility of light chords leading to effective cadences and instrumental freshness allowing us to appreciate the richness of her traditional influences thanks to her solid and marvelous arrangements.
I loved this beautiful mixture of latin jazz spiced with its freshness and its various alchemies."
Alain Dupeu - Radio EC

JAZZMAN Manu Le Prince [...] just released her new album "BossaJazz For Ever"(*) that sounds most authentic and belies her strong bonds with her country of adoption... What a brillant idea to pay Tribute to Johnny Alf, one of the founding fathers of the Bossa Nova movement, but who’s career was often overshadowed by the holy trinity Jobim-Gilberto-Vinicius. Manu Le Prince's warm voice so at ease in the low register, Rafael Barata's swinging rythms, Idriss Boudrioua's sensual saxophone (Johnny Alf 's trusted sideman for 30 long years), everything here flies us to Rio.
• PHILIPPE VINCENT - JAZZMAN - 2013
(*) SOUS LA VILLE /SOCADISC

Today's women vocalists: Vocal romance [...]
No doubt that the true love story between Jazz and Bossa is to be found in Manu le Prince's work.The French lady singer, long married to the late Brazilian drummer Tatau Caetano, and who spends her life between Paris and Rio, pays a brilliant tribute, in BossaJazz for Ever, to the Brazilian composer Johnny Alf. As one of the pioneers of the “Nouvelle Vague” movement, he remained in the shade of the trinity Jobim-Gilberto-Vinicius and died in 2010 aged 80. In order to accomplish this feat, Manu, who has a beautiful warm voice capable of reaching some quite low registers called Idriss Boudioua, Johnny Alf’s sax player and arranger for 30 years. For a musical journey Rio, it's beaches, it's cariocas, it's girls from Ipanema, no doubt the sensual and warm Manu Le Prince will be the right companion.
• DIDIER PENNEQUIN Le Quotidien du Médecin 2013

Manu Le Prince Quintet le SUNSET on march 31 2012 :
"Manu Le Prince sings Cole Porter in her own way, demonstrating as in the album dedicated to the songwirter that she isn't only a Bossa-Nova Singer. She keeps mingling happily however her two loves, Jazz and Brasil." Telerama 2012

"Jazz et Goûter " Manu Le Prince à Roland Garros :
On décembre 18 2011 at 4 PM in the Tennis federation museum at Roland Garros, within the Jazz @ Roland Garros festival
"Manu Le Prince is one of these vocalists who love Jazz with passion as when she sings Cole Porter, but also Bossa Nova, a style that she cherishes just as much..." Michel Contat Telerama 2011

* TABARKA JAZZ FESTIVAL *
Mokhtar Triki "LE TEMPS" 17 july 2009

JAZZMAN : PRINCESS
Manu Le Prince has a voice, a truly touching one, leaving the listener with somewhat of the flavour of a wild fruit. Her interpretations
are also of a convincing sincerity, manifesting a gift generally shared only by the greatests. Her anglo-argentinian origins and the choice of Brazil as her adopted country allow her to explore Cole Porter's universe with ecclectism, distanciation and an open minded attitude adding to her approach a different kind of authenticity. A few swinging bars of Love for Sale are enough to demonstrate her capacity to extract the essence of such melodies as I Get A Kick Out of You or Let's Fall in love. Here Manu Le Prince renditions illuminate all of Cole Porter’s subtlety. She has also the talent of choosing the right partners: Alain Jean Marie, Gilles Naturel and John Betsch constitute in fact the ideal rhythmic section any singer could ever dream of. To top it all, she has had the good idea to call on distinguished and talented guests whose interventions add to the perfection of the final result. Successful in every detail.. Successful in every detail.
Alain Thomas "JAZZMAN" Dec 2008

CLASSICA Repertoire: 60' Novelties Stereo DDD
Very good recording giving a fair rendering of Manu’s voice specific timber.
Listen first to Just One of Those Things: the duo of introduction with the excellent John Betsch on drums. It is one of these moments without possible backing up, no fire escape, the direct confrontation. Manu Le Prince reveals there a certainty of tempo and swinging qualities that all singers do not possess. But the entire album reveals also the touching expressivity, the beauty of the timber, the personality of this singer. The perfect rhythmic section, next to her, with Francis Lockwood, Gilles Naturel and John Betsch, the many guests generally inspired and contributing in harmony with to the general climate she knows how to create, play an important role in the continuous charm of this excellent record. The choice of the repertoire, the immortal standards of Cole Porter, still add to the direct pleasure he provides. And if one ventured to compare Manu Le Prince with those who illustrated themselves in this domain, for instance Diana Krall and above all Ella Fitzgerald, one should admit that with her own personality she holds her place. It is not a light compliment.
Jean-Pierre Jackson CLASSICA Repertoire March 2009

Manu Le Prince "Tribute to Cole"
Those who care for a warm and sensuous voice will be happy. Manu Le Prince, Brasilian by heart and from anglo-argentine origin pays a brilliant homage to the American "song writer" Cole Porter in her new album. The singer, the same way she expressed her love for the Brasilian bossa nova, performs a very jazzy celebration of the great author, interpreting 17 of his great songs. She does it wonderfully, thanks to her voice of great sweetness and exceptional musicians (like Francis and Didier Lockwood, Stéphane Belmondo, among others). All you have to do from then on is to fully appreciate, comfortably seated on your couch with the light notes of I've got You Under My Skin or All Through The Night..."
La Tribune - Culture and me Jan 2009

Manu Le Prince - An tribute to Cole Porter. Singer free of national limitations, in love with Brazil (and Brazil in love with her) she experienced a thousand different experiences (from the group “Odeurs” to “Magma”, from working with Lavilliers and Daniel Goyone). Today Manu Le Prince renews resolutely her relationship with jazz. In order to do so, she chose the perfect repertoire and sidemen: the imperishable songs of Cole Porter (Love For Sale, I Get A Kick Out Of You, From This Moment On, Miss Otis, What Is This Thing, etc…) and an ideal rhythm section with Alain Jean Marie (piano), Gilles Naturel (bass) and John Bestch (drums) and occasionally with Xavier Richardeau on saxophone. After several successful shows in different clubs with this formation, an album « Tribute to Cole Porter » is released today by Sergent Major, with, as a bonus, a beautiful bunch of remarkable guests (Stéphane Belmondo, Patrick Saussois, Didier Lockwood, Rhoda Scott, etc…). In such circumstances, Manu Le Prince offers herself and offers us two evenings live in the most Brazilian club of the French capital… Jean-Luc Caradec "La Terrasse" Jan 2009

March 14th at the Sunset, 60 rue des Lombards: Singer without borders, Manu Le Prince has always had two loves: Brazilian music and jazz she grew up with. Vocalist in groups like Magma and Urban Sax, deeply impressed by the Brazilian Hermeto Pascoal and Raul de Souza, she just paid a beautiful homage to the composer Cole Porter in her most recent
record, «Tribute to Cole Porter» (Sergent Major/Nocturne). Beautifully accompanied by a trio led by Alain Jean-Marie (piano) and sevreal prestigious guests – Rhoda Scott, Didier and Francis Lockwood, Stéphane Belmondo, Xavier Richardeau (barytone-sax) or Patrick Saussois (guitar) – she revisits these standards with great elegance, romanticism and efficient swing. Didier Pennequin Le Quotidien du Médecin March 2009

Night and Day, I’ve got you under my skin, I get a kick out of you…. With her voice full of feeling, Manu Le Prince pays homage to the repertoire of the immense Cole Porter. Her interpretations include some references to Brazilian colours, reminding us that this singer is a great specialit of the bossa-nova. Tribute to Cole Porter (Sergent Major/Nocturne).
Michel Doussot Paris Capitale March 2009

MANU SINGS COLE PORTER
On May 2 nd, at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. at the Duc des Lombards . Manu Le Prince just published a ravishing record: jazz interpretations of the great songs of Cole Porter whose depth she perfectly expresses. It’s a very happy surprise.
Michel Contat Telerama

« "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 & JAZZ IN MARCIAC
Princely Samba: Manu Le Prince sings "Le Cinema". In Marciac and Enghien she will probably dedicate this famous song to it's author, Claude Nougaro. On her new album, through well known classics like Caravan and Fotografia, or her own compositions with Francis Lockwood, she mixes the feline feel of Bossa Nova, the vitality of bebop, with the scent of flamenco. The legendary brazilian musician Hermeto Pascoal, special guest on her latest album, wrote on the liner notes " she thinks, she feels, she sings wonderfully". Vertebral spine of her rhythm section, Tatau Caetano, drummer and also Manu's husband,died unfortunately last year, so Stephane Huchard will be completing the quintet with Carlos Werneck (bass) and Francis Lockwood (piano) with Cacau de Queiroz on saxophone. " Manu Le Prince will be on tour, notably on the 14 & 15 of August in Marciac, and August 21 in Enghien.
Fara Couderc "L'Humanite Hebdo"
« 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 subtlety 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"