For those with long memories,
Debby Boone's name will be synonymous with the monster '70s hit "You Light Up My Life."
Reflections of Rosemary, however, represents a different
Boone, someone who's lived a second life on Broadway in productions of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and The Sound of Music. In a broader sense,
Boone's bid as a jazz singer makes perfect sense in the wake of
Diana Krall and
Norah Jones.
Boone even offers a version of
Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," a song that reminds one of
Jones' take on "Cold, Cold Heart" on
Come Away With Me. If all three singers seem something of a throwback to say,
Rosemary Clooney, then that's just fine with contemporary listeners.
Reflections of Rosemary is well sung and tasteful, and should quickly find its place on mainstream jazz's heavy rotation play lists. The accompaniment is light on songs like "Blue Skies" and "I'll Be Home," allowing
Boone's voice to take center stage. On "Mood Indigo," however, she's joined on the chorus by her three sisters for some stunning,
Manhattan Transfer-style harmony, and "You're Gonna Hear from Me" is backed by a big band.
Boone also borrows a couple of
Clooney favorites from
Frank Sinatra, "It Never Entered My Mind/In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," and
Jule Styne and
Sammy Cahn's "Time After Time."
Reflections of Rosemary lives up to its title by offering a quietly reflective group of songs recalling a great jazz voice. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.