On , pays tribute to the man who got her started back in 1944. She sings songs originally done by ( 's sister, whom she subbed for) and , in her typical soulful, clear, sweet, high-pitched voice. Legendary piano accompanist is here doing his yeoman's work, with young bassist and reliable drummer providing support. Longtime partner, tenor saxophonist , tends to lay out in most of the ten cuts until the latter part of these classic melodies. The tunes include mostly ballads as and changes up a bit, playing with the lyric on the easy blues swing of and pines, not croons (as would ) for the tenor-led slow tune The tunes include a personal favorite of , the WWII-era -- a good swinger that shows its timelessness. is a down-home blues cut that has a defiant, rollicking forward motion that suggests escape, and a fine closer to the set. It is clear that this project was important to for personal and historical reasons. It should be just as vital to the jazz and blues community as a whole to not only hear the music of the oft-neglected , but to revel in the song stylings of a great vocal treasure. [This highly recommended CD is also a 1998 Grammy nominee for Best Jazz Vocal Performance.] ~ Michael G. Nastos