Jane Monheit - Live At The Rainbow Room (2003) FLAC

Jazz fans who treasure Diana Krall's Live in Paris DVD can consider Jane Monheit: Live at the Rainbow Room the second half of a luscious double bill. Like Krall, Monheit is a singer whose ease with jazz standards belies her years (a mere 24, in Monheit's case), and both women are backed by a combo and an orchestra conducted by Alan Broadbent. Monheit doesn't play the piano like Krall, but her voice is a brighter, more supple instrument. Filmed in September 2002 shortly after the release of her In the Sun album, Monheit's visit to Manhattan's legendary cabaret venue mixes classic ballads ("It Never Entered My Mind," "Some Other Time") with Brazilian pop (Ivan Lins, Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Waters of March") and contemporary tunes. It's no surprise that a young voice like this can embody the hopes and dreams of "Over the Rainbow," but who ever knew Vincent Youmans's "Tea for Two" could sound so sexy? -- David Horiuchi