Jeri Brown featuring Fred Hersch - Mirage (1991)

On her first recording as a jazz singer, Jeri Brown really stretches herself. Joined by pianist Fred Hersch and bassist Daniel Lessard, Brown interprets everything from a swinging "No Moon at All," "Good Bait," and "On the Sunny Side of the Street" to "The Look of Love" and a long free improvisation duet with Hersch called "Ten Twenty" (after its length). Brown is best when she is caressing a warm ballad, for on the freer material her singing gets quite abrasive and is sometimes difficult to take. She would temper her excesses in future years and become one of the top jazz singers around, so Mirage is mostly recommended as the beginning point for this top-notch singer. © Scott Yanow