“Jazz Me Blues” was wailed—and nailed—by Barbara Lea for her satisfying new album. Sounds great. And it was one of the first tunes she ever recorded—back in 1954! Yes, she’s been around awhile and sure knows what she’s doing: her no-nonsense approach resists “cornball-itis” and self-indulgence. She’s always had taste, intelligent phrasing, admirable diction, and she can swing. Give her a wistful song like “My Ideal” and she’ll make bittersweet the taste you crave. She gets inside a song and invites you in. The CD was all recorded in post-Katrina New Orleans and includes local musicians, so the title song “Do You Know What it Means…” has extra weight and is doubly touching. But a lot of the doings are playful and sly, or flat-out happy, with these top players stretching out and getting two of the dozen tracks for themselves. With Barbara and the six-piece band, a romp like “Dr. Jazz” is a prescription for contagious joy and all is right with the world. What a great combination of merry-making musicians and savvy singer. This visit to The Big Easy is easy to love and has the word “pro” all over it.
Rob Lester
Cabaret Scenes
March 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org
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