She

Not to be confused with the song “She” sung by Micky Dolenz on The Monkees’ 1967 sophomore album, More of the Monkees, the title track here is a cover of the more elegant “She” written and recorded in 1974 by Charles Aznavour and Herbert Kretzmer. Following Jones’ untimely passing in 2012, She now plays as an homage to the man’s amazingly versatile voice, which he lends to these handpicked standards. Jones’ appropriate take on these classics, and the handsome backing accompaniment and refined production, give the album a timeless resonance. His charming take on Bart Howard’s “Fly Me to the Moon” is more civilized than Frank Sinatra's cocktail-swilling version. He even manages to work a prominent ukulele and accordion into Lou Handman and Roy Turk’s “Are You Lonesome Tonight” without sounding the least bit kitschy. Jones’ bittersweet take on Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster’s “Secret Love” is so heartfelt it makes Doris Day’s version seem almost campy in comparison.