AVA LOGAN – So Many Stars (2008) FLAC (tracks), lossless

New CDs by female jazz vocalists seem to outnumber every other category, so writers can be forgiven for becoming a little jaded in an era when everyone seems to be sending one as a business card. But Ava Logan, a Chicago-based veterinarian by day and jazz singer/actress by night, proves herself a captivating singer with her debut recording after years of performing in public. With a supportive group including ex-Joe Williams sideman Henry Johnson on guitar, pianist Larry Novak, bassist Larry Gray, and drummer Leon Joyce, the expressive alto mixes gems from the Great American Songbook, Brazilian music, and jazz favorites. Logan's expressive opener is "Day In, Day Out," no doubt helped by her seasoning as an actress. She skips lightly over the rhythm section with a brief, effective take of "The Song Is You." Logan's sense of drama is pronounced in the infrequently heard "Wild Is the Wind," backed by Johnson's soft guitar. Her sensual treatments of "So Many Stars" and the bossa nova arrangement of "Detour Ahead" also merit praise. Logan shares the vocal spotlight with Johnson in a touching take of "Day Dream," while she leaves listeners smiling (and wanting more) with her upbeat closer, Peggy Lee's "I Love Being Here with You." Ken Dryden