Vocalist Shelley Neill reaches into the 50s era of R&B, soul and country and gives them all a dash of late night jazz on this understated yet alluring collection. The team of Laszlo Gardony/p, Ron Mahdi/b and Yoron Israel keeps the mood bluesy and casual as Neill’s earthy yet clear voice sounds sly and witty on “Old Love” and “Half Moon.” There’s a dash of Patsy Cline that brings a dash of twangful regret on her take of “Crazy” while “I Fall To Pieces” has her meld with Gardony’s thoughtful ivories to evoke more of a rueful memory than a desperate disposition. She does a cute read of “La La La Means I Love You” by turning it into a torch song, while “Hit the Road, Jack” opens with Neil humorously throwing the bum out of the house. She’s got an understated moxie that makes this a good listen, and her pick of tunes is quite astute.
Cobalt Blue Music
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