Lush: Essential Ballads combines 11 laid-back tracks of pleasant vocal and instrumental material from
Houston Person and
Teddy Edwards ("That's All"),
Woody Shaw ("It Might As Well Be Spring"), and
Vincent Herring ("Stars Fell On Alabama"). While the packaging is drab and liner notes are nonexistent, the music successfully fulfills the promise of the title, at a budget-line price to boot. For those who appreciate jazz as romantic or soothing background music, this set will do the trick alongside Quiet: Essential Blue Moods, also on Savoy. ~ Al Campbell