Pianist
Beegie Adair and her rhythm section specialize in jazz trio performances of pop standards, rendered in a style that will not be unfamiliar to anyone who's ever eaten in a nice restaurant or had a few drinks in an upscale cocktail lounge. Among her many albums, this is
Adair's treatment of a dozen songs associated with
Elvis Presley, the softer, more romantic ones, naturally. To be fair,
Adair, a jazz educator, is at least a cut or two above an anonymous lounge pianist, but the description gets at her approach. The arrangements are low-key, and
Adair sticks closely to the melodies, adding little embellishments here and there, along with the occasional brief improvisation. (The members of the rhythm section content themselves with accompaniment.) The result makes for effective background music, but it is not intended to challenge or even really engage a serious jazz fan. ~ William Ruhlmann