Broadway diva Betty Buckley is not a jazz singer, but this delightfully sparse and intimate collection of love songs has an unaffected, straight-from-the-heart quality that can best be described as jazz-like. Buckley's flawless pitch, timbre, and enunciation never come across as sterile or soulless; rather, they heighten the emotional impact in each song. Accompanied only by her longtime pianist and musical director Kenny Werner, Buckley shines her light on old chestnuts by Rodgers & Hart, Lerner & Loewe, Jerome Kern, and ...
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Broadway diva Betty Buckley is not a jazz singer, but this delightfully sparse and intimate collection of love songs has an unaffected, straight-from-the-heart quality that can best be described as jazz-like. Buckley's flawless pitch, timbre, and enunciation never come across as sterile or soulless; rather, they heighten the emotional impact in each song. Accompanied only by her longtime pianist and musical director Kenny Werner, Buckley shines her light on old chestnuts by Rodgers & Hart, Lerner & Loewe, Jerome Kern, and Irving Berlin, often weaving songs together as concise and uncontrived medleys. Newer material by James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, and Mary Chapin Carpenter affords another view of Buckley's interpretive prowess. Werner, a jazz powerhouse in his own right, follows Buckley's every move, sounding at times like a one-man orchestra. His harmonic adventurism surprises the ear without distracting from the songs or overstepping the accompanist's role. (Guitarist Blaise James replaces Werner on two tracks, including Buckley's own "Violets.") ~ David R. Adler, Rovi
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