Jane Monheit - Come Dream With Me (2004) [MLP 5.1 24/96 |DVD-Audio]<Jazz, Vocal>

Jane Monheit - vocals
Michael Brecker - saxophone
Tom Harrell - trumpet
Kenny Barron - piano
Richard Bona - electric & fretless basses
Christian McBride - bass
Greg Hutchinson - drums

Retro darling of the jazz vocal, Jane Monheit appears with her sophomore effort, Come Dream with Me, following the splash of Never Never Land with a long-reaching ripple. At 23, Monheit is remarkably gifted not only of voice, but with lyrical interpretation and genuine feel for a song, singing, for example, the oft-recorded "Somewhere over the Rainbow" from inside the song, making it a thing of understated beauty, rich purity, and charming hopefulness. Pianist Kenny Barron reprises his role as swing-daddy pianist, while the remainder of the instrumental ensemble is made up of younger though no less able jazzbos. Largely thus far an interpreter of standards, with strong emphasis on the ballad (stunningly lovely renditions of "Blame It on My Youth," "Something to Live For," and "I'm Through with Love"), Monheit also takes on the syrupy "If" from Bread's catalog, turning it to spun caramel. And then there's the closer: from the highly favored Blue, a scrumptious and sensual rendition of Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You." --Paige La Grone