Jaymie Meyer: What You'd Call a Dream

Cabaret singer Jaymie Meyer's resume is impressive. It includes one woman shows, an appearance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., gigs at prominent New York City rooms, work with Mark Murphy, several off Broadway appearances all capped off by the Bistro Award for Outstanding Female Vocalist. On her first album, she applies her clear as a mountain lake mezzo soprano to a play list of contemporary pop tunes and standards.

The program has been carefully and wisely selected to bring out those special storytelling qualities unique to cabaret singers. Meyer has included several songs written by other cabaret performers. There's Francesca Blumenthal's "The Lies of Handsome Men", a lovely, poignant "Ship in a Bottle" by Amanda McBroom and the sad "It's the Little Things" by Portia Nelson. These are balanced by two standards which help Meyer to ply her cabaret trade. "How Deep Is the Ocean" reveals a passionate romanticism and "I Got Lost in His Arms:, dreamily happy. And no album can earn the cabaret stamp of approval without at least one tune by those sophisticates of song, Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh. Here it's "You Fascinate Me So" with some good walking bass by John Loehrke. But for the most part those who accompany cabaret singers must be satisfied with anonymity. You know they are there, but in the background as the singer as commands the spotlight. One more exception to the rule is Andy Dressler's bright flute on the tale of the secret, erotic life of the dull appearing "Miss Byrd". This is a fun cut. In fact, the whole album is thoroughly entertaining and will be a welcome addition to the cabaret section of anyone's collection. Recommended. Visit Jaymie at www.jaymie.com.