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Barb Jungr - The Men I Love: The New American Songbook (Naim)

An acclaimed song stylist incorporating jazz and blues who's been compared to Nina Simone, Edith Piaf and Peggy Lee, Rochdale born Jungr's been one of the foremost names on the cabaret circuit since the mid-70s, interpreting the work of a variety of writers in her own distinctive, European influenced fashion.
Drawn from her live show, working with pianist and composer Simon Wallace this collection sees her addressing material from a diverse collection of American male songwriters. Having previously recorded an album of Dylan material, it's no surprise to find him revisited here with a jazzy swing through You Ain't Going Nowhere. Likewise, the inclusion of Cohen (Night Comes On), Simon (My Little Town), Webb (Wichita Lineman) and Springsteen (a violin and woodwind haunted The River), none of them sounding as if they would be out of place delivered at a dramatic peak in some Broadway musical drama.
Neil Diamond gets two numbers here. A six minute I'm A Believer is recast like a wistfully reflective Randy Newman ballad while a faithful big ballad version of Red Red Wine is preceded by a snatch of Can't Get Used To Losing You. The song fusion is less successful when she twins a Carole King styled interpretation of This Old Heart Of Mine with a slightly pedestrian Love Hurts and an urgent jittery 'rock' piano reinterpretation of Johnny Johnson & The Bandwagon hit, Breaking Down The Walls Of Heartache, doesn't quite come off though I suspect it works better in a live context.
But these minor blip are more than compensated for by a poignant piano and strings ballad Everything I Own that mines every drop of regret and an inspired serene arrangement of Once In A Lifetime that opens with flute and piano on hints of William Walton. It's a lovely album and much more than the background listening such projects can tend to be. Someone send Rod Stewart a copy.