Singer
Ruth Price on this early set falls somewhere between swinging jazz, middle-of-the-road pop, and cabaret. She does not improvise much, but her strong and very appealing voice uplifts the diverse material that she interprets (including "Dearly Beloved," "Shadrack," "Crazy He Calls Me," and "Look for the Silver Lining"), and she brings great sincerity to
Leonard Bernstein's "Who Am I." Backed by
Shelly Manne's quintet (with plenty heard from pianist
Russ Freeman, but just guest spots by
Richie Kamuca on tenor and one lone appearance by trumpeter
Conte Candoli),
Price is in fine form for her debut recording as a leader, which has been reissued on CD in the OJC series. ~ Scott Yanow