Still Life

Lynn Bush, yet another of the fast-growing roster of formidable singers from the Seattle area, makes her recording debut with Still Life (Origin), an evocative collection of time-honored standards. Though blessed with a smoky voice that recalls the alluring sang-froid of Julie London, Bush is decidedly more robust than the perpetually horizontal Miss Julie. Backed by a masterful rhythm section comprised of pianist Marc Seales, bass player Doug Miller and drummer John Bishop (the trio better known as New Stories), she wades into such challenging territory as "Dreamsville," "Detour Ahead," "Invitation" and "Lazy Afternoon" with admirable assurance. Equally impressive is her refreshingly offbeat approach to the spicy Sergio Mendes anthem "Like a Lover," here reinterpreted as a gently flowing ballad. Rounding out the 10-track set is "What a Way to Go," a dandy, new composition from Bush's pal, June Tonkin. A cheeky tribute to the satisfactions that can be gained from less-than-perfect lovers, it's precisely the sort of softly suggestive material that London excelled at.