Sylvia Syms sang everything from cabaret to pop and jazz during her long career, and this tribute to the pianist Bill Evans, recorded nearly a decade after his death and just a few years prior to her passing at the age of 79, is a fine effort. Accompanied by Evans' longtime bassist
Eddie Gomez, Evans' final drummer Joe LaBarbera, pianist Mike Renzi, and several guests who recorded with the late pianist on occasion,
Syms brings out the essence of each of the 14 songs, though only one is an Evans' composition.
Syms, who often described herself as a saloon singer and counted
Frank Sinatra among her admirers, has a slightly smoky voice with a touch of vibrato due to being in her late seventies, but she knows how to make the most of her pipes. Renzi wisely doesn't attempt to mimic Evans' style at the keyboard, while the guests include flugelhornist
Art Farmer, harmonica player
Toots Thielemans, guitarist
Kenny Burrell, and drummer
Grady Tate (who spells LaBarbera on four tracks). Among the highlights are the soft bossa nova treatment of "The Touch of Your Lips," the playful rendition of "A Sleepin' Bee," and the touching finale of "Waltz for Debby." ~ Ken Dryden