Eddie Higgins
has been on the
jazz
scene for a long time, but he seems to be a best-kept secret by those able to track down his various releases for independent labels in the U.S. or Japanese titles, such as this one from
Venus
. This 2003 session features the veteran purely as a soloist, performing a dozen of his favorite
ballads
. While most of them are time-tested
standards
such as the elegant
"My Funny Valentine,"
the shimmering
"Beautiful Love,"
or
"Skylark"
(with an Asian-sounding introduction that suggests the humor of its composer), there are some lesser-known gems as well. The bittersweet
ballad
"Yellow Days"
hardly pops up on many
CDs, though
Higgins
' richly textured arrangement should attract other musicians to it. Even though one doesn't hear the lyrics to
"Again,"
this seasoned pianist seems to get across the implied apology to a loved one for a senseless quarrel.
"Dance Only with Me,"
an overlooked jewel by the masterful songwriting team of
Comden
,
Green
, and
Styne
, is arranged as an elegant, deliberate
waltz
. Recorded and mixed in glorious 24-bit digital sound, this is easily one of
' best all-around recordings. ~ Ken Dryden