Latest Review: Jersey Jazz

There are many singers out there who make albums that address the songs of the Great American Songbook. The Very Thought of You by Deanna Reuben is one of the better ones that I have heard recently. Reuben has a smooth an pleasant sound, straight ahead with a nice jazz feeling underneath. Pianist Marty Mellinger, bassist Steve Varner and drummer George Johnson form her basic support with guest appearances by the wonderful tenor saxophonist Larry McKenna, flugelhornist Bob Meashey, guitarist Paul Colombo and violinist Christopher Collins Lee. The album is nicely paced with lovely ballad readings of songs like “Haunted Heart,” “Over the Rainbow” and “How Insensitive,” and easily swinging takes on tunes such as “Easy to Love” and “Devil May Care.” To close the program, Reuben sings “Cinema Paradiso” in Italian, accompanied only by the guitar of Colombo and the violin of Lee, and it is an interesting and daring, but effective way to close things out.