“Erica Papillion-Posey recently published a book entitled ‘Musings from the Mind of a Mezzo’ (2015), a title revealing a lot about the singer. Papillion-Posey is a classically trained (mezzo soprano to be precise) at home in the realms of classical, opera, jazz and popular music, as well as poetry and prose. Her facility in each area studied and certain, but not so much that her art has lost its organic nature through study and practice. She is a natural singer who does not have to force her instrument to given genre, merely, she allows it to adapt and assimilate. These observations are immediately evident on [her] disc opener, Harry Edison’s by way of Jon Hendricks’ “Centerpiece” whose violin introduction, obbligato, and soloing by Jairus Daigle add to the fecund-organic sound of [her] well-grounded vocal approach. Using piano, violin and bass as support, Papillion-Posey is poised to present a dozen standards scrubbed free of romantic varnish. “Night and Day” and “Nature Boy” show [her] to be perhaps the best classically-trained voice to approach jazz. She indulges in none of the technical wizardry necessary in opera, opting to display her keen instrument in its purest, most fundamental form. This is an excellent first outing.” — C. Michael Bailey | All About Jazz