Cobby Brzeski: Vintage Girl In a Modern World

Nostalgia is a powerfully alluring emotion with a bittersweet edge, which is why it's so popular. San Diego-based flutist and vocalist Cobby Brzeski delves into this wistfulness with plenty of romance and whimsy on her Vintage Girl in a Modern World.  Fronting an eight-piece ensemble, Brzeski interprets ten songs with graceful panache, conjuring up moods of yore.  

The standard "All of Me" has a swinging vibe with pianist Kento Tsubosaka contributing block chords in the barrelhouse style.  Adding to this mood are an elegant solo from clarinetist Cameron McIntyre and Brzeski's own scatting.  The group backs the singer with effervescent refrains.

Elsewhere, "True Love Can Be True" is performed in the early jazz style.  McIntyre is joined in a three-way conversation by the trumpeter Steven Montecuco and trombonist Stephen Tenney.  The horns frame Brzeski's joyful rendering of the light-hearted lyrics.

There is plenty of humor to go around as well.  One example is "Puppy Love," a theatrical song that is filled with irony and double entendres. Tenney takes center stage with warm, pillowy tones. The rest of the band buoys Brzeski and Tenney with their infectious beats.

The bluesy "No Sympathy" features simmering horn solos and tense rhythms that conjure a smoky Cabaret atmosphere.  Similarly, "These Foolish Things" has a retro nightclub ambiance. In addition to singing, Brzeski also showcases her equally smooth flute playing.  

Her instrumental skills also come through on the ballad "Always Missing You."  The tune has a laid-back cadence thanks to bassist Colescott Rubin's suave vamps and drummer Oscar Suchanek's softly shuffling brushes.

Although Brzeski doesn't demonstrate a wide vocal range here, she has a pleasant voice and charming articulation.   True, the album is short on improvisational rigor, and a few tracks sound similar, but it is airy and alluring, with a carefree feel.