In a Sentimental Mood

Jazz pianist Beegie Adair's series of "romantic songs" songbook albums, devoted to the major songwriters of the interwar era (there are also titles for George Gershwin, Hoagy Carmichael, Irving Berlin, and Richard Rodgers), tend to have photographs of affectionate couples on the covers, as does this one, featuring the music of Duke Ellington. That's a signal that the recordings are intended to accompany the listeners on their own romantic adventures, as much as express the feelings of the songwriters. (Indeed, the "romantic" designation is sometimes questionable: are "It Don't Mean a Thing [If It Ain't Got That Swing]" or "Take the 'A' Train" romantic songs?) Adair, leading a piano trio, is interested in playing largely faithful versions of the tunes, adding her own modest jazz improvisations here and there, as if she were appearing in a nice restaurant or a cocktail lounge, the lights low and the focus on the patrons, not the performer. Even when she is addressing the work of a major jazz figure like Ellington, she maintains this same approach, which means this album fits in with its brothers, aimed more at a casual listenership than hardcore (or even mainstream) jazz fans.