One More Rose (Jackie Cain and Roy Kral; Audiophile).
This tribute to the lyrics of the late Alan Jay Lerner may well be Jackie and Roy`s finest album, which is saying a lot because that elegantly swinging vocal duo has never made a recording that was less than excellent. The quality of the songs, by Lerner and Frederick Loewe, and by Lerner and Burton Lane, is part of what makes ”One More Rose” exceptional; durably familiar pieces
(”I`ve Grown Accustomed To Her Face, ”On a Clear Day,” ”If Ever I Would Leave You”) are placed alongside others that ought to be more well known
(”You Haven`t Changed At All,” ”Too Late Now” and ”One More Walk Around the Garden”).
While the brisk, hip duo tracks are a delight, as always, it`s the solo performances that create shivers: three long-lined, exquisitely tender ballads from Cain (”You Haven`t Changed,” ”If Ever” and ”Too Late Now”) that reaffirm one`s belief that she is one of the great jazz singers, and two charming outings from Kral (”I`ve Grown Accustomed” and ”You`re All the World To Me”), whose sly vocal skills have been ignored for too long.
(Reviewed on LP.)