Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
****"Catherine Dupuis made an auspicious debut in 1999 with her CD I Hear Music, and this follow-up proves to be even more wide-ranging. Once more she is joined by the brilliant pianist and arranger Bill Mays, along with bassist Martin Wind and drummer Tim Horner, while occasionally expanding her supporting cast with the addition of trumpeter and flügelhornist Marvin Stamm, trombonist Jim Pugh, Ted Nash (heard on alto sax or flute), and percussionist Memo Acevedo on selected tracks. The chemistry between Dupuis and Mays is particularly explosive in the imaginative arrangement of "Follow Me." She wails in Dizzy Gillespie's bebop classic "Interlude" (better known as "A Night in Tunisia"). Dupuis restores the often omitted verse to the swinging sextet version of "All Through the Night" and she is also a masterful interpreter of the dark humor in another Cole Porter classic, "Get out of Town," which is accented by Pugh's often sardonic-sounding trombone. Mays co-composed "Spring Friend" with singer Mark Murphy, an unusually structured ballad that Dupuis makes her own with a sterling performance. The old hymn "What Wondrous Love Is This" departs dramatically from its traditional setting, with Dupuis adding a driving chant, and Mays occasionally muting the piano strings with one hand as he plays the keyboard with the other. This very impressive CD is highly recommended.

George Kanzler, Newark Star-Ledger
Catherine Dupuis has a clear, slightly deeper alto voice than [Tierney] Sutton, and a cabaret singer's attention to lyrical detail. But she's also irrepressibly swinging, and is accompanied by a sextet featuring fine jazz musicians. "Moments," her new album, is in the current style of standards and some newer songs, all done with emphasis on the words. Dupuis has a surprising range, from perky ("I'm Old Fashioned") to slinky ("Get Out of Town"). To hear how well she can inhabit a standard, check out her optimism-shaded "Isn't It a Pity." One final note on the [Diana] Krall phenomenon: the cheesecake factor. Krall is something of a jazz pin-up, an attractive blonde who wears clothes well and is not averse to showing off her legs. So fashion photographers also seem to be part of the landscape of the albums from Sutton and Dupuis, two attractive blondes in the Krall mode.

Frank Rubolino, Cadence
Dupuis is a vocalist with a youthful, high-ranging voice. On "Moments," she sings 13 popular tunes, injecting a touch of scat into the formality of her theme structure. On most tunes, she sings the lyrics in an outgoing, extroverted manner, and she always manages to inject a bit of jazzy phrasing or scatting line to stir the pot. Dupuis sings the lovely Brazilian ballad "Comecar de Novo" in Portuguese to provide an additional twist to the presentation. Although her voice has a girlish charm, she is able to exert significant volume and force that stands up well against the septet that accompanies her. She gets revved up on the up-tempo selections and puts the band through its paces. The slow ballads are done with gentleness, but even they show off the disguised strength contained in her voice. The orchestra with Dupuis has a bold sound. With Stamm, Nash and Pugh providing the punch on reeds and brass, the band displays its muscles regularly. Mays on piano leads the rhythm section that provides solid backing to Dupuis. The band's arrangements [by Mays] are well constructed and very much suited to her singing style. On "Interlude," the dynamics of the band pitted against the energetic execution of Dupuis takes the pace up a notch and concludes with a flurry of power. The recording alternates between heavily driven tunes and quieter, slower ballads, and both formats display the talent of Dupuis very effectively. She can be simultaneously beguiling and dominating.

Dave Nathan, All About Jazz
Working mostly in a trio scenario, Catherine Dupuis' second album offers a wide-ranging play list, mostly standards, spiked with a couple of originals, a folk tune, and a piece by Sting. Top rank pianist Bill Mays is the principal accompanist and is responsible for all but one of the fresh arrangements. Dupuis has the basic tools a good singer needs. She sings in key, can be understood and works hard to capture the meaning and sense of the words she is singing. There is a soft and tender "Isn't It a Pity", with an expressive bass solo by Martin Wind. In contrast, Dupuis goes all the way on a rollicking and cleverly scored "I'm Old Fashioned". Buttressed on some tracks with horns that add fullness to the session, enhancing a slow, slinky "Get out of Town" (Jim Pugh's trombone carrying the major solo load) and accenting Dupuis' wordless prowess on "Interlude" ("A Night in Tunisia") as voice and trumpet (Marvin Stamm) become one. An affinity for the music and the talent to deliver it -- this is a fine effort.

Richard Bourcier, Jazz Review
Catherine Dupuis has recently issued her second CD as a follow-up to her successful 1999 issue "I Hear Music." The collaboration with pianist Bill Mays ensures an intimate and enjoyable jazz journey for her audience. Great attention was given to the choice of repertoire and it really shows. The addition of a few veteran studio jazz musicians like Jim Pugh, Marvin Stamm and Ted Nash assures another success. Bill Mays is a very important part of this release and perhaps best known as Mark Murphy's accompanist for many years although he has also worked with Sarah Vaughan and Frank Sinatra. His piano may be heard on the soundtracks of Sleepless In Seattle, Superman, Terms Of Endearment and Lethal Weapon. He's also a veteran of the Benny Golson, Shelly Manne and Howard Roberts groups. "Moments" is an intense session and Catherine Dupuis shows her tremendous talents via the compositions of such diverse writers as Gershwin, Sting, Dizzy Gillespie, Cole Porter, Peggy Lee and Hoagy Carmichael. Her brilliant alto vocals are laced with meaningful jazz feelings and are done to perfection. Bill Mays' solid accompaniment and the imaginative solos of Marvin Stamm, Jim Pugh and Ted Nash are icing on the cake. Ms. Dupuis is perhaps a relative newcomer to the jazz scene but is destined to leave a most indelible mark on its future. This CD is highly recommended.

Jack Bowers, All About Jazz
I was especially impressed by the decorous treatment of Hoagy Carmichael's "Skylark," which Dupuis sings warmly and without gratuitous embellishment, as such a classic should be sung. She makes a wonderful start with Lerner and Loewe's hauntingly lovely "Follow Me," from the musical Camelot, frames admirable readings of five other standards including "Skylark" and an overlooked gem by the Gershwin brothers, "Isn't It a Pity," and closes with a fresh-faced charmer, Peggy Lee/Jack Marshall's sprightly "Things Are Swingin'." Dupuis scats briefly on that one (as she does on Jerome Kern's "I'm Old Fashioned"), showing that she still needs some work in that area. But those are among the few smudges in a generally well-polished performance. Another plus is Dupuis' back-up group. Pianist Bill Mays' arrangements are properly subdued, the rhythm section is much less boisterous than on I Hear Music, and trumpeter Marvin Stamm, alto saxophonist Ted Nash and trombonist Jim Pugh add color on several numbers without stepping on the vocalist's toes. Besides arranging and comping with taste and fluency, Mays collaborated with Mark Murphy on a winsome original composition, "Spring Friend" - a big thumbs-up for Dupuis' second album.

Bill Miller, National Radio Syndicator (155 stations)
"Things Are Swingin'" is the highlight of Moments. Peggy Lee penned this one with legend Jack Marshall and it's never sounded better. Count on me for lots of national airplay for Moments!

Jim Stone, Big Band Swing (WLNZ 89.7-Lansing MI)
You'll take more than a moment once you start listening to Catherine Dupuis's new album. From the very first track, "Follow Me," right up to the great Peggy Lee song "Things Are Swingin'," Catherine Dupuis was born to sing. She has a natural born talent and a voice that paints a rainbow with every word she sings, just listen to Hoagy's "Skylark." No doubt about it, Catherine Dupuis is one of the brightest new stars in the entertainment world.

D. Oscar Groomes, O's Place Jazz Newsletter
There is a lot of good material here, thirteen selections from the American songbooks. The strong performance by the band, especially from bassist Martin Wind, augments the alto range of singer Catherine Dupuis.

Randy McElligott, Jazz Review (jazzreview.com)
Free spirited vocalist Catherine Dupuis delivers a fun and upbeat recording thanks to her joyous delivery as well as an all-star band. A pensive and somewhat introspective version of Cole Porter's classic, "All Through the Night" has Dupuis captivating the melody and riding it out with fine support from Stamm and Mays. Stamm offers up a lesson on how to construct a solo and integrate it into the song. Stamm's years spent with the likes of Maynard Ferguson as well as Thad Jones and Mel Lewis have served him well. European bassist Martin Wind comps beautifully on the Carmichael classic "Skylark." Mays' gentle piano adds just the right touch for Dupuis to explore this lovely melody. Wind's solo is of note here. He is one of the bright bassists to come out of Germany. His liquid execution is a joy to hear. Dupuis returns to close on this well thought out arrangement. Sting's compositions are a joy for most musicians to play. Heavy on melody and interesting turns, "If You Love Somebody" is funkified in the hands of Dupuis. She tackles the tune in a sassy, playful kind of way. Strong solo from ash's also sax as he plays cat and mouse with Dupuis before Horner's short percussive interlude. Dupuis swings on the Peggy Lee/Jack Marshall composition "Things Are Swingin'," her tribute to the late songstress. The band is tight throughout with Dupuis scatting a la Sheila Jordan. One gets a sense that fun prevailed throughout this workout. Dupuis scores with a solid effort. Convincing vocals and a band to die for make this a most enjoyable outing.

John Barrett, Jr., Jazz Improv
Each voice needs her own song. The modern purveyors of angry gloom are ill-suited for standards; sweet singers can do the job, but often make every tune sound happy, even if it shouldn't be. Catherine Dupuis is deeper than that: her optimistic tone is grainy at the edges, especially on the low notes. "I'm Old Fashioned" begins in solitude – a wallflower, singing to her mirror. She's alone for three lines, and Bill Mays quietly arrives; the bass taps when Catherine says "the sound of rain," fitting that sound perfectly. As the lyric progresses, the lady turns impulsive -- throaty shouts, tempos changing at will and a mood transforming from coquettish to brassy. Tim Horner dabs at the
brushes, and when Catherine scats "All God's Chillun Got Rhythm," Horner proves it. Wailing at the end, Dupuis no longer sounds alone; it seems the plea to her lover has worked. It certainly works for the listener.

Mays' arrangements are very effective: they place Catherine in the center, with soft, glassy chords adding resonance. "Follow Me" is wrapped in wonder -- with echoed notes hanging in the air, a 5/4 meter, her voice seems to twinkle. "Only you!... Only I! World, farewell!... World, Goodbye!..." Bass and drums start vamping for a grown-up sound; Catherine stays girlish, floating through the hills like a balloon. "All Through The Night" has a different kind of loneliness; she sings "the day is my enemy" with a sweet hint of malice. As she sings "the day draws to an end," the band steps in; they play "the dull monotone of the evening's drone" as she sings it. The tune itself is sultry and swinging -- but the opening holds all the drama. Hear the voice disappear on the trumpet solo... and softly return, doubling Ted Nash's flute.

Dupuis caresses the words on "Comecar de novo," and flings them on "Get Out Of Town," trying in vain to keep her composure. I think she overdoes it, but the band does not -- the horns are sleek, Bill pulses lightly and Jim Pugh has a nice yawning solo. "Interlude" was the original title for "A Night in Tunisia"; she does it with irony, with a chart from the '50s. (It makes sense -- she learned it from Anita O'Day.) Give praise to Marvin Stamm, whose hot horn owes nothing to Dizzy. And give it to Catherine -- she set the mood.

Rock tunes have always been tough for the jazz singer: how do you respect the original style while retaining your own? It helps that the song ("If You Love Someone, Set Them Free") is built on friendly chords; Mays dives with his hands and brings it to a boil. Singing with defiance and diction, Catherine gets more out of the words than Sting did; Nash's solo takes a while to get started, but when he does! (That's right; it goes without saying.) "Spring Friend" (written by Mays and Mark Murphy) is a wonderful hymn to nature, skipping fast with rhymes at unexpected times. "The snowing has gone, blown away/By gentler winds/The thaw begins, I breathe again/Again I feel the thing special to Spring." Flutes chirp, cymbals course: the season and the singer are in full flower. Martin Wind bows solemnly on "...Wondrous Love...," a mourning hymn that soon turns joyous. Drums blossom for an earthy feel; Catherine is fervent, her message heartfelt. Warbling "Isn't It A Pity," Catherine sounds old-fashioned...much more than on that song! Mays plays from the cocktail lounge, the brushes pat along: the mood is perfect. That also applies to "Things Are Swingin'," delivered with charm and fortified with brass. While the other tracks show obvious studied thought, this one seems effortless... which does mean there was no effort. Catherine Dupuis has shown plenty, which is also the amount of satisfaction you'll get from hearing.