Jeanne Lee - After Hours

This CD is a bit of a surprise, a standards session featuring the usually-adventurous singer Jeanne Lee. The set of duets with pianist Mal Waldron are all taken at very relaxed tempoes with only "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart" swinging above a slow-medium pace. Lee mostly emphasizes the lyrics, just scatting sparingly on most tunes (although "Fire Waltz" is totally wordless). Waldron's accompaniment is typically rhythmic, creatively repetitive, brooding and personal. However it is Lee's haunting and highly expressive voice that really sticks in one's memory. ~ Scott Yanow