Melody Gardot My One And Only Thrill 2009

You haven't heard this? Well, it's time to rectify that.

Melody Gardot is a perfect cross between Diana Krall and Norah Jones. How could you not like that? O.K., there a bunch of ways to not like it. Maybe you're mostly into Urban Contemporary. Nothing wrong with that. This might not be your thing.

But if you're into Jones and love Krall, you're going to like this. It's not all about execution (but the talent here is remarkable), it's how it feels. Soulfull, rhythmic, jazzy, lusty, smoky, and both deep and easy to listen to. Yipes.

Like Jones, the songs are Gardot compositions, and the mere fact that she can both write this stuff and sing it this well is exceptional. If you liked that Robin Stine record I recommended, this is significantly better. The songs have luscious string arrangements, the players are skilled, the recording is meritorious. Sometimes you think of Joni Mitchell in a jazzy mood, sometimes Nat Cole, other times Gardot is uniquely her own creation.

It has languid moments. But mostly it's just plain killer mellow jazz female vocal with ace accompaniment. If you like that sort of thing, this works. In spades.