Light baritone vocalist Patrick Barnitt sings with a dash of Sinatra on this swinging session that has him with small and big band settings. Barnitt is anchored by Stephan Oberhoff, who plays piano, guitar, keyboards and arranges the strings on the lion’s share of the songs.
Barnitt is relaxed and hip as he swings the intro to “The More I See You” with bassist Cooper Appelt while he gets into a Rat Pack mood with the bold brass shuffling along on “Please Be Kind.” He cleverly uses the bridge to “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” as the intro before he glides into the lush strings, whle he gives a R&B feel to the funky “ACL Blues” as he’s joined in by tenor giant Everette Harp. A couple of duets with Laura Pursell are wonderful partnerships, with a gospel’d “The Truth” and emotive “Quando Quando Quando.” Barnett ranges from a nostalgic two stepper “Won’t You Come Home Bill Bailey” while delving into some fun Boomer tunes, rocking out on The Doors’ brassy “Touch Me” and sounding confident on Chicago’s “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is.” The closing “One For My Baby” is a saloon-mooded piano/vocal duet that has the vocalist tapping into his inner Blue Eyes. Assured and assuring.