Although vocalist Vicki Burns specializes in the romantic music of the 20th Century, she is not tethered to the Great American Songbook. Her newest album, Lotus Blossom Days, comprises 12 songs, three of which are originals.

Of the other tunes, all started life as instrumentals, except for the standards, This Times the Dream’s on Me and Out of this World, both by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer, and Close Your Eyes written by Bernice Petkere.

The album is a showcase for Burns’ appealing three-octave range, gorgeous tone, heartfelt expression, and assured sense of rhythm and dynamics.

1. If You Never Fall in Love with Me / Del Sasser
2. Close Your Eyes
3. Love Spell
4. Lotus Blossom Days
5. Bittersweet
6. Watch Out / The sidewinder
7. A Long Way to Go / Equinox
8. It’s Over Now / Well You Needn’t
9. You Don’t Have to Believe
10. This Time The Dream’s On Me
11. Siren Song
12. Out of this World

Burns’ third album as a leader, and which follows Live at Anna’s Jazz Island (2008) and Siren Song (2005), opens on the buoyant hipsway of If You Never Fall in Love with Me / Del Sasser and the late night smoothness of Close Your Eyes and follows those up seamlessly with the sultry affair Love Spell, the veritably cinematic, titular Lotus Blossom Days, pure balladry gossamer of Bittersweet and the finger-snappin’, foot-tappin’ Watch Out / The Sidewinder.

Up next is the languishingly resplendent A Long Way to Go / Equinox and the drum-led hop within It’s Over Now / Well You Needn’t, and then we get the melodiously sculptured You Don’t Have To Believe, the upright bass, smoky club-imbued hue of This Time’s The Dream’s On Me, the album rounding out with the quietly rhythmic tones of Siren Song, coming to a close on the sweetly upbeat, luscious hipsway of Out of This World.

Lotus Blossom Days is a collection of rare standards, most of which started as instrumentals and original music by Vicki Burns, Tessa Souter and lyrics by Roger Schore, Carol Sloane, Mary Ellen Donald, Chris Caswell and Mike Ferro.

Arrangements were made by Bassist Sam Bevan who also plays on the album along with Art Hirahara on piano, Billy Drummond on drums and special guests, Dayna Stephens on saxes, Grammy Winner Josh Deutsch on trumpet, Nick Vayenas (Michael Buble) and Mas Koga on flute and baritone sax.

Official Website