Winner of the 2015 Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition, vocalist Arianna Neikrug debuts in good company, teaming with Kurt Elling’s pianist/arranger Laurence Hobgood and his companions Jared Schonig/dr with Matt Clohesy/b. Her voice has a hint of Blossom Dearie, but she stretches it like Mark Murphy to create evocative moods out of standards such as a post boppy “No Moon at All” and a misty “Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most.” Schonig’s cymbals created drapery for Neikgurg’s sandied soul on a loose take of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” and goes into a nourish neighborhood as she and Hobgood reinterpret “The Song Is You.” While giving a cocktail mood on “Never Let Me Go/I’ll Be There,” she reaches high with her vibrato and holds it for intriguing effect, while she gets coy with Joni Mitchell’s “Help Me/Be Cool” and reflects the singer/songwriter on her own reflective “Changes.” Impressive rookie outing, any So Cal gigs coming up?