I Saw Stars

Becky Kilgore, a singer based in the Pacific Northwest, is a longtime associate of pianist Dave Frishberg. Frishberg is part of the impressive supporting cast (along with trombonist Dan Barrett, altoist Chuck Wilson, Scott Robinson on tenor, bass sax and clarinet, guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli and bassist Michael Moore) for her solo debut. Kilgore has a nice swing to her style and clearly enjoys reviving such songs as "Happy as the Day Is Long," "A Lonely Coed" and "You Can't Lose a Broken Heart." She has a pleasing voice, gives a liberal amount of space to the soloists (the ensembles often sound a bit like the John Kirby Sextet), and constructs a set of enjoyable music that is heartily recommended to fans of small-group swing.