Steve Tyrell has been singing jazz standards for decades now, and still makes it sound joyful. He puts his heart and soul into each syllable; this time around, he revisits songs that he grew up with, from the 50s and 60s and makes the old nostalgia feel new. For example, a take of Carol King’s “Jazzman” with Dave Koz at the sax, sounds fresh and bright. There are a couple tunes that include doo-wop, a bright “There Goes My Baby,” and cozy “Chapel of Love” while “Be My Baby” includes some extra vocals by Judith Hill. The guest appearances don’t end there, as Neil Sedaka is back and having fun with a goosed up “Laughter In The Rain” and Bill Medley brings back that lovin’ feeling as he joins with Tyrell on his most famous tune. A surprise winner is the bubblegum hit “Groovy Kind of Love” and an earnest “On Broadway” with Mike Finnigan’s smoking B3 and Bob Mann’s guitar. All through the disc, Tyrell sounds like he’s at home with this music, and sharing an intimate part of his life.
Concord Records