Never Neverland by Jane Monheit

20 Feb

Written by Denai Burbank
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Monheit has a sensuality that?s top-notch for female jazz vocalists. The first track ?Please Be Kind,? is a spirited plea for the lover to be gentle to the heart. She expresses the joy of this new love with an obvious caution in her voice. The next three, ?Detour Ahead,? ?More Than You Know,? and the classic ?Dindi? reveal a vulnerability in her confessions of love that can touch the soul.

It doesn?t really stop there, as she pretty much used what worked for these standards. Her vocals are supported by smooth piano styling with low-toned sax, which heightens the romance. ?My Foolish Heart? is a bossa-typed groove and the ?fire starts.? Her soft, strong vocals combined with the sensual rhythms make this self-warning ever so necessary. This CD is like many jazz vocals in that it has an introspective quality, soothing and crisp. That?s consistent throughout each track.

Monheit has obviously put her heart into these interpretations and it?s genuine. Nice music to say the least, but it?s also ripe for misbehavior, if you must. She?s got it good, and that ain?t bad.