I know it’s a sin to envy, but it takes a lot of will power not to be jealous of the life of Bobby Troup. He wrote a bunch of hit songs that earned him a ton of cash, married a dish in Julie London, and even made cameo appearances of TV shows like Mannix. Not a bad gig, and mature toned vocalist Deborah Shulman does an impressive job in bringing back into focus a bagful of Troup’s goodies.
Of course, you’ve got the biggies like “Route 66” and “Girl Talk,” but she and her trio give them different hues, with the former delivered in an almost hip-hop fashion and the latter coming across as a conversation at Starbucks. “Three Little Bears” is coy and bouncy, while “Daddy” has a peppy 60s pop feel to it. While you may groan over no inclusion of “The Girl Can’t Help It,” bluesy late night dealings of “Baby all the Time” and “Meaning of the Blues” make up for it.” She’s got an alluringly clear enunciation as well as a gentle swing to her timing. Guess she just couldn’t help it that she was born to please…
Summit Records