Be Cool

The esteemed jazz vocalist Nancy Kelly brings along William Gorman, Houston Person, Jerry Weldon, Carmen Intorre Jr., Dave Stryker, Joe Carello and Charlie Sigler for these soulful standards, bop and pop tracks.

The frisky "Devil May Care" starts the listen with Kelly's charming pipes alongside Intorre Jr's scrappy drumming and Gorman's bright organ, and "Besame Mucho" follows with Person's rich tenor sax and Stryker's rhythmic guitar, which complement the expressive singing,

Landing in the middle, "As Time Goes By" showcases Kelly's smooth singing amid Weldon's sax bouts, while the title track benefits much from Carello's animated soprano sax and Sigler's meticulous guitar.

Further still, "You Don't Know Me" offers an elegant and intimate album highlight where Kelly's delivery tugs on the heartstrings, and "Shakin' Out The Blues" exits with bouncy bass lines, crisp drums, playful keys and upbeat singing swingin' with plenty of fun.

Kelly channels the spirit of her early '80s run at Philadelphia's Jewell's Jazz Club, and it makes for a powerful, timeless and emotional peek at her inimitable skills.