Barbara Lea has long been a fine interpreter of American popular songs from the 1930s and '40s. She is teamed up with some notable players for the November 1983 session (including trumpeter
Billy Butterfield, trombonist
Vic Dickenson, clarinetist Johnny Mince and a rhythm section led by pianist/arranger Larry Eanet). In addition to those ten songs (which include "Make Believe," "Do It Again," "That Certain Feeling" and "Ace in the Hole"), eight numbers recorded by
Lea with pianist Eanet and bassist Steve Novosel from the same year but never released commercially before have been added to the CD reissue. Since
Barbara Lea has made relatively few recordings throughout her career and this is a well-balanced set, one can consider this CD somewhat definitive. ~ Scott Yanow