Dena DeRose: Love's Holiday

Jazz enthusiasts have been blessed in the last couple of years with the emergence of a plethora of female jazz vocal talent. Diana Krall, Tierney Sutton, Cassandra Wilson, Holly Cole, Patricia Barber, and Karrin Allyson are all part of the new wave of jazz divas. Add to them, Dena DeRose, who has had three previous recordings on Sharp Nine records, all well received ( Introducing Dena DeRose, Another World , and I Can See Clearly Now ). The best description for Ms. DeRose is she is the missing link between Patricia Barber (or Diana Krall) and Shirley Horn. DeRose has an equal capability at the keyboard and the microphone as all three, but her sensibilities are more toward traditional mainstream jazz of horn without trend setting performance of Krall or Barber.

Love's Holiday is a collection of standard ballads delivered in a smart, resourceful way by the singer/pianist with the help of labelmates Jim Rotondi and Joe Locke. The songs are what one would expect, "Lover," "Close Your Eyes," "But Beautiful," and "The Nearness of You." All are tastefully presented with tart panache and roses. Surprises here include a great scat on Dizzy Gillespie's "Birk's Works" and the original "Marian's Moods" (for Marian McPartland?). Love's Holiday is a great addition to Ms. DeRose's discography and indeed the jazz vocal genre.