Jane Monheit, vocals; Michael Kanan, piano; Orlando Le Fleming, bass; Rick Montalbano, drums; Miles Okazaki, guitar. Guest band; Geoffrey Keezer, piano; Christian McBride, bass; Lewis Nash, drums. Other guests; Donald Harrison, alto saxophone; Joel Frahm, alto/tenor saxophones; Romero Lubambo, guitar; Michael Buble, vocals
Jane has an unabashed love for standards, and a delight in old movies, especially if they featured Fred Astaire. Starting with 'Fats' Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose", her hallmark clarity cannot be denied; and her presentation of "In The Still Of The Night", is exquisite, the lush orchestral arrangement by Jorge Calandrelli most certainly helps. Jane has quite a few musicians on this set, she uses her usual quartet, and a guest ensemble of Geoffrey Keezer, piano; Christian McBride, bass and Lewis Nash, drums, as well as various guests. In Kern and Hammerstein's "Bill", she enters a soft partnership with pianist Michael Kanan, and in "I Won't Dance", a vocal duet with Michael Buble. Another excellent orchestral arrangement, this time by Alan Broadbent, for Cole Porter's "Do I Love You?", allows Jane to spread her emotional wings. Donald Harrison and Joel Frahm on alto and tenor saxophones respectively, add some good lively support to "Love Me Or Leave Me". She invites great intimacy when in a duet, with "Embraceable You", she is partnered by Romero Lubambo on guitar, a perfect arrangement. "Dancing in the Dark" I found a little stretched and strained, but all is forgiven with "Over the Rainbow", this is the song she sings over the final credits of the film, "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow". If most of this set does not leave you tingling, then it is too late to see a doctor; you are probably dead.
by Ferdinand Maylin
Jazz Now Interactive September 2004 Vol 14 No. 5 - Table of Contents
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