On Katharine Whalen's Jazz Squad,
the Squirrel Nut Zippers vocalist/banjo player
Katharine Whalen brings her lovely, quirky singing style to a collection of standards like "My Old Flame," "That Old Feeling," and "My Baby Just Cares for Me." In much the same way that
the Zippers treat hot jazz as a living, breathing art form open to modern interpretation,
Whalen and her Jazz Squad -- which includes fellow
Zipper and husband
Jim Mathus -- bring more personality than technique to this collection. Fans of
Whalen's moments with
the Zippers will enjoy this collection at its face value, and may want to investigate the works of
Billie Holiday,
Lena Horne, and the other divas she pays tribute to on Jazz Squad. Comparing
Whalen to the songstresses she praises on this album may be somewhat unfair, but her love for classic vocal jazz comes through loud and clear. In the seven years that passed between Katharine Whalen's Jazz Squad the singer divorced
Mathus and met up with producer David Sale, with whom she worked for her sophomore album, the avant-pop-laden
Dirty Little Secret. ~ Heather Phares