Here are a couple vocal vets who show the advantage of being around the block once or twice.
Sonya Hensley has made her name in both movies (“What’s Love Got to Do With It?”) and cabaret, with this album a tribute to many of her inspirations. The songs are from both the studio and concerts, with a variety of backup groups, but through it all, she sounds like she’s having a great time and wants you to join in. Much of the time she’s with a hip team of James Leary III/b, Donald Dean/dr, Terry Evans/g and Phil Wright/p and she shows the timing of a 9th inning closer on pieces like “My Baby Just Cares For Me” and has fun with the some old school tunes such as “Born On A Friday” and”Evil Gal Blues.” She does wonders on “In A Sentimental Mood” and her duet with Wright on “Over the Rainbow” is a corker. This lady’s a humdinger!
Lyn Stanley teams up with some of LA’s finest including Bill Cunliffe/p, Chuck Berghofer/b, Ray Brinker5/dr and John Chiodini/g on this clever presentation of standards. First, you have to admire a lady who does a slinky and bluesy read of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” while sounding like she just stepped out of a RKO film noir with Cecilia Tsan’s cello on “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.” She delivers a classic kiss of with Henrick Meurkens’ harmonica on “Nice ‘N Easy” and is cozy by the fireplace with Bob McChesney’s trombone on “How Long Has This Been Going On?” Her delivery has a perfect ability to know when to accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative, going crisp and clear and then drifting away like a paper boat. A study of moods here fitting any Impressionist art gallery.