"Where Do We Go From Here"

Shivani Kumar
(Cosmic Cat)

Vocalist Shivani Kumar and several talented musicians share the credit for this polished celebration of mainstream cocktail-lounge jazz. All but one of the selections come from the Great American Songbook of pop standards written before the advent of rock ‘n’ roll or from more recent tunes in the same style.

Think Ellington, Porter, Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer — that’s where she’s coming from. The title song is an original she co-wrote with her husband, Rashan Kumar. It has the same old-time sophistication and fits in quite well.

Shivani Kumar makes a great first impression and maintains it throughout. Bassist Miles Jackson is the foundation of the supporting trio. Les Peetz (piano) and Lew Maddox (drums) are the other two players on five tracks; Chuck James replaces Maddox on the other eight; Jim Howard replaces Peetz on four of the latter. Whatever her reasons for working with three combinations of musicians, Kumar gets great work from all of them.

Peetz’s light touch on the keys is displayed on "You Needn’t" and "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise," two songs that feature Jackson and Maddox as the swinging rhythm section. Howard and James join Jackson in backing Kumar on a sweet and confident arrangement of "The Best Is Yet to Come." Jackson, Howard and James amp up the energy level as Kumar swings it through another pop standard, "I’ve Got You Under My Skin."

Kumar slips into romance territory with "Midnight Sun" and "The Summer Knows." Both tunes inspire mental images of dancing cheek to cheek late at night with that special someone in a sophisticated lounge. Kumar’s skills as a scat singer are highlights elsewhere.

The title song, a wistful snapshot of a relationship in jeopardy, joins "’Round Midnight" as "cry in your cocktail" pieces that speak to members of every generation.

For more information go to www.cosmiccatmusic.com.

"Well You Needn’t"