Not Old, Not New

A collection of pre-bop Jazz standards that were mainstream way-back-when the Singer/Songwriter Carsie Blanton decided now was the right time to record these tracks by some of America's greatest songsters and do it down in her adopted New Orleans for Not Old, Not New. Standard but fresh in this digital age Blanton puts a smile and soft voice on songs from the likes of Duke Ellington ("Azalea") and Irving Kahal/Sammy Fain ("I'll Be Seeing You"). Production is tight and brisk as all the instruments take a back seat to Blanton's singing. Her style stays away from the throaty desperation and instead stays sweet, which can both enhance or fall a bit short on the tracks here. Her baby-girl tone on "Two Sleepy People" makes the Hoagy Carmichael/Joe Young number seem more delicate and innocent then it has appeared before while things aren't as depressing because of her sound as they should be on "You Don't Know What Love Is" from Gene de Paul/Don Raye. While I am sure she's had them the dirty blues seem to be kept at a distant with her sparrow styled vocals making Julia Lee's saucy "Don't Come Too Soon" a stretch. Better fits are the double dip from Cole Porter "Laziest Girl In Town" and "What Is This Thing Called Love", especially neat is the vibraphone run on the latter. A heart felt ode to her town on the classic piano based "Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans" and the innocent "Sweet Lorraine" are also well matched and expertly done. An easy going retro sounding disk of a different era that proves great songs have no expiration date.