Why Fight the Feeling?

Rebecca Kilgore and Dave Frishberg have previously collaborated on a number of earlier CDs, though this time around they focus on the works of lyricist Frank Loesser, who also wrote the music for several of the songs heard in this collection. Loesser, often considered to be one of the last great songwriters from the era of American popular song, who frequently wrote for musicals on Broadway and in film, specialized in easy to understand lyrics that left a lasting impression, though Kilgore and Frishberg also include several of his relatively obscure pieces. Kilgore's crystal-clear vocals always swing, while she is quite comfortable taking the lead as Frishberg provides inventive accompaniment. She has previously recorded "The Lady's in Love with You" (with her group BED), though this arrangement has a more upbeat setting with Frishberg playing lively, often humorous stride piano. It's hard to believe that censorship prevented "On a Slow Boat to China" from being included in the 1949 movie Neptune's Daughter, since it has long been become a standard. The duo delivers a potent interpretation that seems to get to its destination all too soon, though it is only because this gem was written without a verse. "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" has long been a holiday favorite, but Kilgore's is one of the best recordings, not only because she restores the often omitted introduction but also because she sings its lyrics with such feeling. The obscure gems are just as much fun. It's easy to see the two musicians with beaming smiles as they negotiate the lively "What a Rhumba Does to Romance." They also capture the playfulness of "Then I Wrote the Minuet in G," a campy piece Loesser used to make fun of fellow songwriters who appropriated classical music for their pop songs. Veteran journalist Doug Ramsey's insightful liner notes combine the right mix of background about each song and insight into the duo's interpretation of it.