The Song Is Paris pairs
Jackie Paris with arranger
Bobby Scott, whose simple but effective treatments prove well-matched to the singer's uncommonly direct approach. Because he was never a showy or self-indulgent vocalist,
Paris never received the acclaim he deserved, and the subtlety of a record like
The Song Is Paris further underlines just how deceptive his music can be -- the album shifts so effortlessly between moods and tempos that its broad range threatens to pass by virtually unnoticed.
Paris' nuanced, succinct approach to the material likewise eschews technical acrobatics in favor of sincerity and poignancy -- slowly but surely, the songs work their way deep under your skin.