This straight-ahead
Cole Porter tribute was one of the first three releases from Hillsboro, a Nashville-based label that got off the ground in early 2001. (The other two were
Antoine Silverman's Blue Moods and
Jack Jezzro's Jazz Elegance.) Pianist
Beegie Adair certainly knows her way around these songs, and she's aided expertly by bassist Roger Spencer and drummer
Chris Brown. On track after track she hits the nail on the head, supplying just the right harmonic nuances, rhythmic twists, and expressive shades. She manages to slip some "Giant Steps" changes into "You're the Top." She takes "So in Love" as a ballad and "I Concentrate on You" at a brisk Latin bounce. She tackles the not-so-famous "Why Shouldn't I" and closes with a solo piano "Begin the Beguine." On "Every Time We Say Goodbye" she cadences deceptively to end her solo intro, pivoting into a new key when the trio enters. These are just some of the personal touches that make
Adair's approach to
Cole Porter anything but ordinary. ~ David R. Adler