Jane Monheit, at 22 years old, has made a stunning debut with the help of some of the finest players in the world:
Kenny Barron,
Ron Carter,
Lewis Nash,
David "Fathead" Newman,
Hank Crawford, and
Bucky Pizzarelli. From her first entrance on the supremely swinging "Please Be Kind,"
Monheit makes clear that she's the boss, even in such illustrious company. Her voice is about as close to flawless as a human can get, yet she's never coldly technical or aloof. While she's perfectly comfortable with the medium swing tempos of "More Than You Know," "Save Your Love for Me," and "Twisted," as well as the Latin groove of "My Foolish Heart," it are the ballads that really showcase
Monheit's gift. If you don't get goosebumps listening to "Detour Ahead," "Never Let Me Go," and "Dindi," you probably don't have a pulse.