to Benson. Moreno and Maestro auditioned for Ogerman and decided he wanted to produce an album with them.were then laid down over the course of a few days. And while they bear the broader timbral palette of the Grammy-winning arranger, it never overshadows the songs themselves. It both offers a glimpse at a more lush version of Moreno's music while keeping the rhythmic suppleness of her dynamic with Maestro intact.
But the original version of"Feminina" — as captured by Ogerman in 1977 — clocks in at a whopping 11:25, running as fast and free as a wild stallion across a field."I had just written the song and we didn't know how to finish it," Moreno says."So we just played and played and went on playing. At the end, Claus said, 'This is too exciting, I'm not going to touch that or put an orchestra on top of that.' And indeed, that is what hedo.
Listen to"Feminina" once and it exquisitely captures the thrill of creation, a new song, new hope, even a new love. Hear it again from the purview of four decades and that joy is still there, but now imbued with a deeper sense of relief. Fame didn't come at the time, but a form of it came nevertheless and her career has flourished into the 21st century, even without an international hit.
Yet had Moreno not procured a cassette copy of these recordings in the late '90s from Verve Records' vice president ,might have never seen daylight, as the masters now appear to be lost. But even with this, she remains matter of fact."It was meant to be like that probably," she says with anshrug."I was sure it would come out at some point. Just 45 years, that's okay. I was doing my thing. I'm still doing my thing. I'm always doing my thing.