Marlene Ver Planck
possesses one of the world's great voices; every note she hits is perfectly in tune. Despite this talent, she is a subtle improviser who goes out of her way to bring out the beauty of the lyrics she interprets. Occasionally she will throw in a high note (as if to remind listeners of her wide range), but it is all in the service of uplifting the song. Her husband/arranger,
Billy Ver Planck
, wrote colorful charts on this CD for the French seven-piece, four-reed unit called
Saxomania
to accompany her. He left plenty of room for solos and gave the ensembles the feel of a
big band
despite the absence of any brass instruments.
is in peak form, and even if a few of the newer songs (
"Sooner or Later"
from the
Dick Tracy
film and the overrated
"Here's to Life"
) are not worthy of her, she is particularly delightful on
"You Turned the Tables on Me,"
"Close Your Eyes,"
"Speak Low,"
and a quartet of
Ellington
and
Strayhorn
tunes. ~ Scott Yanow