Susannah McCorkle: Someone To Watch Over Me

Having already tackled the works of Irving Berlin, Cole Porter and Johnny Mercer, McCorkle turns her attention to another great American composer, George Gershwin. One can't argue with the song selection, they are all classic standards, but this time out Susannah seems less than inspired. Perhaps the formula is wearing thin. Her voice, which has acquired a nice, husky bur over the years, is fine and is perfectly suited to the material. She is always been a fine lyric interpreter but here she lacks the improvisational skills needed to put a new spin on these well-trodden tunes. Even conductor Allen Farnham's arrangements seem tired and apart from some tinkering with tempos, he does little to raise the excitement level. The only heat generated on the disc comes from guest stars Chris Potter (tenor) and Randy Sandke (trumpet) who join the studio big band on a half dozen tracks. It may be time for her producers to dig a little deeper and provide her with material that presents a greater challenge for both McCorkle and her many fans.

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