Sarah DeLeo: Stolen Moments

"Stolen Moments" is the jazziest number on vocalist Sarah DeLeo's I'm In Heaven Tonight. The familiar strains of this Oliver Nelson standard are put across quite effectively by a first-class band. Say, why does that organist sound so familiar? Why, it's Brian Charette, whom I recently reviewed favorably right here on jazz.com!

In approach, if not in tone, DeLeo approaches this cut as Peggy Lee might have. It turns out that Peter Richmond, who wrote the book on Peggy Lee, is a fan of DeLeo and penned the liner notes for this album. So the connection is clear. The arrangement calls for Ms. DeLeo to sing a little faster and higher-pitched than the very cool Miss Lee. But it is Peggy she evokes, at least on this number. (Elsewhere on this album, in her rendition of "In the Cold, Cold Night," DeLeo may actually be channeling Lee.) As the liner notes suggest, this is music presented by a very talented song stylist you may expect to hear at an upscale establishment. If you can't afford that night out, there's always this CD to transport you.