Judy Whitmore: Come Fly with Me

When the multi-talented Judy Whitmore sings "Come Fly with Me," it is an invitation that is almost impossible to resist, especially as the lovely and charming vocalist is also a pilot who is licensed to fly anything from jets to seaplanes to hot air balloons. On her latest album, backed by a big band and twenty-six member string section with arrangements by Hollywood top gun Chris Walden, Whitmore beckons listeners to fly with her to romantic places around the world as well as to Vermont, Georgia and New York, among other alluring stops.

After visits to Rome, London and Paris, Whitmore brightens "Moonlight in Vermont" and enrches "Autumn in New York" before escorting her companions "Beyond the Sea" and even "Around the World." And when she is not traveling, Whitmore delights in the assurance that "There's a Small Hotel" and reminds everyone that whether roaming or at rest, "I Thought About You."

Is Whitmore a jazz singer? Not even close. Is she a singer who respects the music, captures its heart, and makes listening to every song an undeniable pleasure? Absolutely. The album's "jazz" credentials rest with the ensemble, in whose ranks are pianist Josh Nelson, trumpeter Kye Palmer, saxophonists Bob Sheppard and Jacob Scesney, trombonist Andy Martin, guitarist Andrew Synowiec, drummer Jamey Tate and guest harmonica player Hendrik Meurkens ("April in Paris"). Even though solos are sparse, Nelson, Palmer, Scesney, Martin and Sheppard sculpt brief yet effective statements.

Whitmore plays it straight, and has her own special take on songs identified with others, such as Frank Sinatra ("Come Fly with Me"), Jo Stafford ("Moonlight in Vermont") or Bobby Darin ("Beyond the Sea"). While it is hard to scale those mountains, Whitmore acquits herself well and makes the climb worthwhile. The other themes are no less charming, starting with "It's Nice to Go Trav'ling" and including the exquisite "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square," "Georgia on My Mind" (a splendid duet with Adam Aejay Jackson) and especially Umberto Bertini's less often heard but no less enchanting "On an Evening in Roma," sung in English and Italian.

Come Fly with Me is another winner from Whitmore who proves, as she did on Isn't It Romantic (Arden House Music 2023), that the Great American Songbook is alive, well and never out of style.

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