You think you’ve got the lowdown on female singer/songwriters? Here are a pair from two opposite parts of the world!

Lauren Kinhan is going to give Lorraine Feather a run for her money for the award for clever lyricist. This lady from New York Voices either writes it all herself, or tams up with various composers for a collection of poignant and infectious tunes. The basic team of Andy Ezrin/p, Will Lee/b and Ben WIttman is mixed and matched with the likes of Donny McClaslin/ts, Joel Frahm/ts, randy Brecker/tp, Romero Lulbambo/g and Chuck Loeb/g and the moods vary with the artists. Some funky sounds shuffle along on “Bear Walk” and the title track, while her mezzo soprano tone and singer/songwriter expressionism works well on the samba “Chasing the Sun” and the latin “To Live Or Die.” She also does pop and soul quite convincingly, with some grit on “I’m Lookin’ For That Number” and the driving “Pocketful of Harlem.” I like this lady!

Eleven and a half hours away in Central Asia, Indian sounds recorded in California are in abundance on vocalist Sheela Bringi’s session. Trumpeter Clint Patterson writes most of the music, and even brings his horn in on “The Three-Eyed One” “Peacock” and “Saraswati”, but even on these tracks, it’s the harmonium, tabla, harp and strings of India that are evoked. Bringi’s sweet nasal tone is used like a meditative prayer on “Invocation” and is quite haunting o “Bhajamana Ram” where only the harp and “singing bowls” provide accompaniment. Fragrant sounds as pungent as turmeric.