Deep Night (with Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks)

New York/Cleveland vocalist Barbara Rosene has teamed up with Vince Giordano and the latest incarnation of the Nighthawks for a romp through 20 songs from the 1920s and 1930s. Some of these nuggets are familiar, others haven't been recorded for awhile. These Prohibition-era tunes were performed by Ruth Etting, Annette Hanshaw, Connee Boswell, and others, who laid down the foundations for popular-song singers to come. Even though some of the tracks retain that "old" sound, such as the title tune, "Deep Night," which has that Russian Tea Room violin of Andy Stein playing the interludes, they don't sound dated for nary a minute. Many of the old trappings are present. When Rosene sings the line about knockin' on wood on "Ain't That a Grand and Glorious Feeling?," there's Arnie Kinsella hitting the wood block. Among the selections Rosene picked for this session is "Cooking Breakfast for the One I Love," a tune made popular by Fanny Brice in the 1929 film Be Yourself. Rosene brings just the right vocal expression and emphasis to each tune with her very appealing vocalizing. She has a great feel for the offbeat syncopation inherent in music from this era, such as on "Exactly Like You," in which Rosene warbles with Rose Murphy in mind, while Conal Fowkes' music hall piano is plunking the melody right along with the singer, a rarity these days. These orchestrations are from the fine hand of Giordano. Rosene is fortunate to have the veteran trad jazz stylist on this her debut album. There are few who have devoted more time to transcribing, performing, and recording vintage jazz from the period covered by the album. The result? A fun, happy CD is the product of a fine vocalist and top-of-the-list musicians and is recommended.