Joe Coughlin - Third Accession (2012)

Joe Couglin is an excellent jazz-oriented singer who swings and uplifts a variety of songs from the great American songbook. On this, his third recording, Couglin mostly sticks with well-known warhorses with the exception of Billy Joel's "New York State Of Mind" and Alec Wilder's "South To A Warmer Place." His appealing voice and straightforward delivery mostly stick to the melodies and lyrics, but his phrasing makes most of the songs seem a bit fresh. Coughlin is joined by such fellow Canadians as saxophonist Alex Dean, trumpeter Mike Malone, guitarist Lorne Lofsky and pianist Mark Eisenman on this pleasing middle-of-the-road set. ~Scott Yanow